Dinner Plates

Throwing dinner plates today. Four pounds of clay stretches to 12.5” wide plates. It will shrink to 10.5” after the glaze firing. I spend some time to compress the center of plates using the wood and metal ribs to prevent a center of plate from heaving as it dries. I like the plates with notches on the edge, to give some character.

These plates will be covered for two-three days before trimming. Sometimes patient pay itself. This studio varies the drying condition greatly day by day. When the steam boiler kicks in, the studio gets to 90 degrees and very dry, while it is not on like today, it is below 60F and chilly.

Clay is like a baby, I think. If you give them plenty of attention, they are happy and behave like angel! If you do not, you know what!