We, at VanGo Pottery,™ love playing with clay. There’s nothing like having a ball of clay in your hands and forming it into something amazing and beautiful. And while there is plenty of great equipment available to help with your pottery making adventure, using just your hands a few basic tools can produce beautiful works of art with a purpose.
Three basic handbuilding techniques are pinch, coil, and slab. Utilizing one or a combination of these techniques can yield awesome results. In slab construction, start with a ball of clay and use a rolling pin to roll the clay out onto a flat, canvas-covered surface. Roll in several directions to achieve uniform thickness in the clay. Once your slab is the desired thickness, cut out shapes as needed to construct your piece.
One of our favorite projects is the soda can birdhouse, inspired by our friends at Mayco (www.Maycocolors.com). Using a soda can (or any can of a similar shape and size), wrap a freshly rolled and cut slab around the can. Join the ends together using a coil and slurry. Cut a circular shape from the slab (the size of the can opening) to affix to the bottom. Cut leaf shapes and attach to the top for the roof. Cut an opening in any shape for the bird to enter the birdhouse and make a small hole with a pencil under the opening for a perch. Once the clay has been fired, the birdhouse can be painted and fired again. Use a stick for the perch and hang outside with cord or wire.
We are excited about our class offerings held at our cozy home studio, located in Phoenix, Az. We also have programs for homeschoolers at your location or ours. Hours vary and studio visits are by appointment. Please call us today to learn more about our classes: 602.468.3136.
