First Week of Penland

 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.