Handbuilding: Tricks of the Trade, with Vince Pitelka

Vince with large handbuilt jar in progress

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In Western Washington State
with Vince Pitelka

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Vince Pitelka		July 23 - 27, 2007 - Handbuilding: Tricks of the Trade, with Vince Pitelka. Whatcom County, Washington, USA McDowell Studio/Farm
SKILL LEVEL:		Some previous experience in throwing or handbuilding recommended.

BACKGROUND:
		While the potter’s wheel originated in the Middle East approximately 5000 years ago, many cultures through history have always preferred handbuilding techniques. Today, handbuilding encompasses a broad range of utilitarian and sculptural form in contemporary clay. In our technological society we are so easily seduced by tools and machinery, assuming that the product of our endeavors will be improved by our use of these devices. In ceramics, that is sometimes a mistake. The wheel is appropriate only for certain kinds of forms, while handbuilding offers unlimited possibilities. The wheel tends to impose symmetry, unless the potter purposefully introduces asymmetry. Handbuilt form tends toward asymmetry, unless the potter asserts the choice and has the skill to make the work symmetrical. And no matter how symmetrical a handbuilt form might appear, it is never as mechanically symmetrical as most wheel-thrown forms, and therefore tends to communicate an organic, human quality, representing the hands, the movements, and the personality of the maker.


COURSE DESCRIPTION:
		Our objective is to get you to handbuild with a sense of adventure and discovery. We will explore unusual ways of approaching pinch, coil, and slab construction in order to develop a particular mind set, an adventurous inclination to use handbuilt forms in new ways, opening up the possibility of original form inaccessible through more traditional approaches. Although our primary concerns are design and construction, we will bisque-fire as much work as possible so that it can be transported safely. We will have a number of slide shows to introduce a broad range of handbuilt form and technique. I encourage you to bring samples, slides, or photos of your own work to show to the group on Friday. Supplies for Participants to Bring: You will purchase your clay on-site. Joining slurry, vinegar, and posterboard (for templates) will be provided. The following is a lengthy list of supplies for a workshop, but these are the things you will need in order to continue doing this work on your own, and we will be able to make better use of the time we have if you bring all of the supplies. Four square yards of 10 oz. canvas duck, cut into 24" by 36" pieces - "10-ounce" is a trade reference to the weight per yard, and that's how canvas is sold in art supply stores. If you buy from an awning, sail, or house painting supply business they might not use the ounce per yard reference, in which case you just need to look for good heavy-duty canvas Standard clay tools (the packaged Kemper kit contains a wood rib, stainless-steel scraper-rib, wood knife, needle tool, cutoff wire, small sponge, and trimming tools) Kemper S-10 flexible stainless steel serrated rib (no substitutes) Kemper RB-4 or RB-6 wood rib. This wood rib and the serrated stainless rib are both very important in this workshop Metal fork X-acto knife, pencil-thin model with 1" tapered blade. (no substitutions) Scissors 18" ruler Pencil Old ballpoint pen - cheap model like a Bic - excellent tool for tracing template patterns on clay and for general incising tasks. Compass (for drawing circles) Wood rolling pin with bearing-mounted handles - not one-piece rolling pin - for the best ones, Google "Vic Firth Maple Rolling Pin," and get the one with the 12" or 15" barrel and bearing-mounted handles - they are listed as either 2.75" diameter or 3" diameter, but either will work fine. Wood dowels - one length each of 3/16", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" - available from any hardware store or home improvement center - cut them all in half and bring both halves. Stanley "Surform Shaver" (short curved blade) and Stanley "Surform Pocket Plane" (5" flat blade). Get both types - these are made to be woodworking tools, but are excellent for shaving clay - they are available from any hardware store or home improvement center or online from www.amazon.com - enter "Stanley Surform" in the amazon search box. The 8" CSI turntable available from most ceramics suppliers for around $15 is fine for our needs, but any sort of good-quality turn table or banding wheel will work. Avoid light-duty plastic kitchen cabinet turntables. Spray bottle for vinegar water Small bucket for water. Small snap-lid container for slurry. 6 manila folders (for templates). Kids balls (various sizes 4"-12" dia. - some will be supplied, but bring a few if you have them) A selection of bisque stamps and/or other textured objects or materials to impress texture into the clay 12 dry-cleaner bags or large plastic garbage bags to cover your work Small towel or other sturdy rag Apron (optional) If you are driving, bring a clear plastic storage bin with lid, approximately 12" by 24" by 12" deep, to serve as a personal damp box. Bring your supplies in a separate box so that you can use this plastic storage bin for its intended purpose.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
"Industrial Ruin Vessel #4" 24" tall		This schedule serves as a general guide, but must remain flexible. Every workshop group is different, and the schedule always evolves to suit the needs and productivity of the participants. Monday Morning - Introduction to the workshop, general information about the studio and our work schedule. Discussion/demo of coil construction. Begin large coil-built form. Slide show "Hallmarks of Handbuilding." Monday Afternoon - Discussion/demo of small pinch forms, including whistles and ocarinas. Work on coil and pinch forms. Tuesday Morning - Discussion/demo of simple soft-slab construction methods, including cups, boxes, and slumped plates. Discussion of problems with clay-memory, especially when working with slabs and when combining different construction methods. Work on coil and pinch forms, soft-slab forms. Slide show on contemporary handbuilt work. Tuesday Afternoon - Discussion/demo on making and using templates for soft-slab vessels; working with pre-textured slabs, making tube components for spouts and handles. Wednesday Morning - Discussion/demo of stiff-slab vessel and box-construction using templates. Work on projects. Slide show on contemporary handbuilt work, continued. Wednesday Afternoon - Demo of assembly of soft-slab and stiff-slab component parts. Work on projects. Wednesday Evening - Slide lecture on Vince's work. Thursday Morning - Discussion/demo on making and using inflated pillow forms. Thursday Afternoon - Discussion/demo of assembly of elaborate multi-piece soft-slab forms. Work on projects, load bisque-firings Friday - Finish projects, unload bisque firings, clean up our mess. Discuss work, outcomes, possibilities, look at slides, photos, and/or samples of work brought by participants.
To Register for Workshop:		$50 non-refundable deposit. Contact: Michael McDowell P.O.Box 960 Ferndale, WA 98248 Phone - 360/384-2543 Email - michael@mcdowellpottery.com
Terms and Fees:		For intermediate through advanced. $300 + clay usage, includes all other materials. On-site tent space or car camping included, or nearby motels, You will be invited to share cost of group-prepared meals.

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		These photos are copyrighted by Vince Pitelka. You may copy them for yourself but any duplication for commercial purposes in any form is prohibited. The electronic image and text presentation of the artist on the Internet does not waive any of the normal protections under copyright law. If you wish to use an image or refer to this webpage, please contact Michael McDowell at michael@mcdowellpottery.com.
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