Shaping A Life Essay, Research Paper

Is it possible to craft a personality using only hands, water, and a few small tools? Wheel throwing is much like raising a child; small mistakes can grow into larger ones, it is easy to become frustrated, and yet each pot is uniquely special. Unlike childrearing, however, throwing a pot is done with a specific set of instructions that guarantee an enjoyable outcome when followed exactly.

The first step to making or throwing a pot is wedging. Wedging the lump of clay properly will ensure ease when throwing. To wedge clay, the potter must rhythmically knead the clay at least one hundred times. The purpose of wedging is to remove air bubbles and thoroughly mix the clay into a workable mass. Just as an infant would die without proper care, a pot without properly wedged clay will never endure.

Centering the clay is the most important part of wheel throwing. Even the best-wedged lump will be nothing without proper centering. Centering is done by lubricating the lump with water, and applying a firm but guiding hand to it. The potter then practices coning, which is moving the clay up and down to make the clay more malleable. A firm and guiding hand is needed to assist small children as they learn to make decisions. Social standards and morals have not been fully comprehended yet, so it is easy for a small child to start off on the wrong foot here.

The potter now opens the centered mass rotating beneath his hands. This is done by forming a depression in the top and inserting his thumbs down to one half inch of the bottom. Then, the sides are pulled outward to the desired diameter. The potter firms or re-centers the rim each step after opening, once again using a firm and guiding hand to ensure quality. As the pot grows, less pressure is needed to keep the rim true if this was done correctly throughout the beginning stages. A good parent will allow children to grow and learn on their own, but keep them on the proper path as they continue their life journey. Once the child understands how they should behave, less stringent guidance is needed.

Pulling the sides of the vessel will be one of the main factors in what the pot becomes. Most pottery is pulled up into a straight cylinder and then formed afterwards. Bowls are pulled at an angle outward so as to give them their bowl-like characteristics. Pulling not only makes the walls taller, but thins them out as well. A pot that has not been pulled enough will be too thick, and explode when fired in the kiln. Place a cupped, guiding hand on the inside at the base, and place a firm knuckle or fingertips at the outside base. The hand on the inside should be slightly above the outside hand. Pressure is now applied from the outside and supported on the inside. Slowly move both hands up while slowly releasing pressure until right at the rim there is virtually no pressure at all. A thicker ring of clay above the outside hand should rise and the pot will grow taller and thinner. A good potter will re-center the rim after each pull, keeping in mind that less pressure is needed as the pot grows larger. Pulling is analogous to a child’s elementary school years because the basic form and outcome begins to appear.

The pot may only be pulled a few times before it rebels and goes in its own direction. I am sure every parent knows this truth when it comes to pressuring his or her own children. Forming the pot is when the fully pulled vessel is ready to become what the potter is de

igning. Sometimes the potter will use a tool to help form the pot, and other times the artist will do it alone. Forming must be done carefully so the pot is not ruined by hasty movements or by going too far and collapsing. Bulging sides, a flared rim, narrow neck or elegantly lifted shoulders are all examples of what might be formed from a plain cylinder. A child is formed as they go through junior high school. They are formed sometimes by their parents alone, but nearly always by a mixture of their parents and outside influences.

The pot is released from its airtight bond to the wheel head at this point. Before trimming, a pot must be allowed to dry to the leather hard state. This is when it can no longer be formed, but is still moist enough to trim excess clay off of, and slight movements are still possible. When the pot is ready to trim, it is usually inverted and clamped down to another wheel. Trimming is done with many different tools, although the most common is the wire loop tool. This tool is somewhat like a looped potato peeler that allows the clay that has been trimmed off to leave the working area and not cause a mess. Trimming gives the vessel its final shape. A young person in high school will discover more about their own personality and make their own decisions pertaining to their needs and wants. Excess ideals and practices that they no longer feel is a part of their personality will be trimmed off and discarded. It is rather hard to change the pot anymore after trimming is finished.

After proper trimming, the pot must dry out and harden to the bone dry stage. The pot is considered to be bone dry when there is no humanly detectable moisture in the clay and it no longer feels cold to the touch. Once it is bone dry, the pot is tested and made whole by fire in the kiln. Firing makes the pot permanent by fusing together the clay particles into a whole. This initial firing process is called the bisque firing. If the pot is too thick or misshapen, it can warp or explode. As a young adult goes out to explore more and more of the world around us, they too must be strong enough to survive its trying hardships.

The last step to creating the pot is glazing. Glaze serves two purposes, to prevent liquid from seeping out of the porous clay and add aesthetic beauty to the pot. Once the pot has been glazed, it is fired again at a higher temperature to melt and fuse the glaze to the pot’s surface. After this firing the pot is finished. Once a person has reached adulthood, they have withstood the trials the world throws at them through life. Unlike pottery, a person is never truly finished. But just like pottery, however, they are with us forever.

Nurturing and guiding a child through life is a very hard task. There are pitfalls and rewards alike. Throwing pottery is undisputedly easy compared to raising a child, but the basics are still the same. Mistakes can either be mended or go on to destroy the pot. No matter what the outcome, the experience of making a pot is always fun. Everyone should definitely jump at the chance to experience the magic of creating his or her own life drama on the wheel.