Martha Cook takes a large block of clay, and with the palms of her hands pushes it down and away. She rolls it back and does the same thing again. She may do this same action 30 to 40 times before beginning a pottery project. "It's call 'wedging,'" Martha explains. "Wedging thoroughly mixes the clay and helps remove the air bubbles. If you don't properly wedge, it will come back to haunt you!" It's that attention to detail that helps Martha create her distinctive pottery designs. We asked Martha, in her role as a high school art teacher, to show us the fundamentals of pottery. She took us through the process of making one of her signature drinking cups. We've wedged the clay thoroughly, so let's begin. First, pat the clay with your hands to get the bottom round, then slap it down onto the potter's wheel and center it (figure A). Centering is actually one of the hardest things you'll have to learn in pottery. As the wheel spins, she applies downward pressure on the clay with one hand while the other pushes in on the side. "Try to make sort of a tuna can shape," Martha explains, "and get it as centered as you can." Once the clay is centered, you are ready to begin shaping the clay. With two fingers she pushes down on the clay (figure B), creating a hole in the center. "You don't want to push down too far," she says, "but you want to go far enough into the clay so that the bottom of your cup isn't too thick." When you've created a deep enough hole, pull the clay outward so that the hole opens up as the wheel spins. Remember to keep your fingers just moist enough so that the clay slides in your hand. The next step is pulling the clay up to form the sides of the cup (figure C ). Think of the potter's wheel as a clock -- position your hands at three o'clock. Firmly rest your elbows on your knees. With one hand inside the clay and the other outside (figure D), push your outer hand against the clay and gently pull up. When you reach the top start over again, each time undercutting the clay slightly with your outside hand. "When I first started doing this," Martha says, "it probably took me about 30 times, pulling and pulling to get the sides tall enough. With a little practice and a lot of patience you'll get the hang of it. The idea is to get the cup thin enough so that it's not too heavy." Martha smoothes the cup, inside and out, with wooden ribs, and then she smoothes the lip of the cup with a chamois. When satisfied with the shape and smoothness of the clay, she removes the clay from the wheel and allows it to dry three or four hours. She then adds a handle, applies an under glaze and allows for more drying. Martha uses a carving technique for creating patterns on her pottery. She actually digs or chips away sections of the under glaze revealing the white clay underneath. This creates an unusual look and gives the piece texture. She then fires the piece in a kiln, applies a clear glaze and fires it again. "The best investment in learning the art of pottery," Martha advises, "is to take a class. Different clays fire at different temperatures and there are many types of tools and wheels. Before you invest money in equipment, it's very helpful to take a class where you can be with others who are learning to do it themselves."
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