Pottery

I am from `The Potteries`, Stoke-on-Trent. The home of Wedgewood, Minton, Spode. In the past there were many more pot banks (pottery factories) but as the years have past the industry has decreased considerably.

People from Stoke often have a habit of looking at the bottom of the cup or plate that they are given in a restaurant just to see if it was made at home or not, I do this myself all the time.

When I was at school I had a couple of pottery lessons and made a plate but since then I have had no chance to try. I saw a notice in a local magazine for a trial lesson to make a cup and a plate. It is a Japanese pottery studio in Manhattan.
www.nytogei.com



So a friend and I signed up for a trial lesson and went along yesterday and here is what I made.

Part way through making the cup:


Part way through making the plate:


Finished:


Once we had finished we picked the colours that we wanted them to be glazed with and the rest is done for us, they will be ready to pick up in a couple of weeks.

I really enjoyed the day, I was surprised at how easy the plate was but the cup really took a lot of work.