Located in the North Carolina Mountains, sit many log
building studios, mixed among the more contemporary architecture studios. Along
with artwork that is hidden in the plentiful garden space Penland School of
Craft is a ideal location to create.
Our class started on a Sunday night and literally has been
rolling along continuously morning, noon, and night. The studio spaciously
holds 20 of us, including the two lab assistance, who provide a wealth of
support and knowledge. The wheels are set along the walls, a big sink in the
center, and plenty of workbenches. The building has plenty of windows that
allow ample sunlight to wash over us.
In the beginning, Cynthia Bringle, our instructor gave the
assignment of producing mugs for the Penland Campus. “I don’t wanna see no more
paper cups,” she said. The next day we had all produced about twenty mugs.
Cynthia went around and realized that many of our mugs were too thick and
weighty. With that she gave us the
assignment of throwing cylinders out of three two-pound balls of clay and three
thee-pound balls of clay. We cut them in length to look for even wall thickness.
This was a great lesson. She is very firm and direct, if she doesn’t like what
you made she will let you know. We all thought that the lesson got to the
foundation of how we throw pots, and most of the students, people who have been
professional potters for many years, said they felt like they were starting
over again.
Next came handles, pulling handles that is. Over the past
week, Cynthia gave us several demonstrations on pulling handles from the mug.
“Practice, practice, practice,” she said. “ Pulling handles is a tool,” she has
stated many times. This has really paid off after doing it 50 times. During the past week I have easily thrown
over 50 mugs and literally only kept 20.
Cynthia says, “Not only are you making the pots of the future, you are
also making the junk.” With that we edit daily up on the hill. 
Finally, we started throwing tea bowls, or yunomis, off the
hump. The bisque kilns have been running continuously. Saturday and Sunday we
glazed our first set of mugs. Our first firings begin tomorrow; one salt firing
and one gas reduction, both at cone 10. The students of the class have
developed comradery and everyone is supportive. We enjoy a great level of
abilities, skill, and ages in the course. I am looking forward to sharing and learning
from these folks as the week’s progress.
