Hand Building With Clay Make Big Pieces Quickly and Easily

 When your friends mention that they take “Pottery Lessons” or “Ceramics Classes,” do you imagine them straddling a potter’s wheel, throwing clay on the spinning metal plate? Yes? I did as well, so when I first began taking classes, I went straight to the wheel. I did alright. I made lots of little dishes, bowls and bottles. I kept my family and friends happy for a few years with handmade gifts that I’m sure they treasure as much as I do.
Last year, a new student joined our ceramics classes at CASI in Old Town Newhall. Her work was nothing like what I had seen before. I wondered how she got her pots and vases so big and interesting. I soon found out she did not use the potter’s wheel, but she was building them by hand with slabs and coils of clay.
Eventually, I learned that she was looking for a job teaching ceramics. The planets seemed to align in my favor because I soon had a teaching position open up at my studio. I immediately called her and offered her the job. She has been teaching the teens class ever since fall of last year.
As her works caught many other adult students’ attention around the studio, I talked to her about teaching an adult’s project based class so that others could learn her techniques. We now offer two classes, and could possibly add more in the near future.
I have taken her class twice and feel I have so much more confidence and valuable skills to work with clay. I love the projects I have made and that the class participants have made, too. Very impressive and somewhat easy, believe it or not!
We have made slab built lidded boxes, coil bowls, tube-vases, pinch pot creatures and large pots that took no time at all. If you have hesitated joining ceramics classes because you thought you could not conquer clay, try taking a hand building class first. You’ll make some amazing pieces and get a good understanding of what you can and cannot do with clay. We make four to five projects each session.
Come join the fun and creativity! Contact Rima Raulinaitis by email: rima@casiceramics.com or visit us at Ceramic Artist Studio, Inc. (CASI), 22504 6th Street, Old Town Newhall. For more information, please call 661-260-2274 and visit www.casiceramics.com.