Throwing at Home: a video collection on YouTube

“Wheels will always turn full circle.”

― Anthony T. Hincks

Even as many states start to re-open their economies, community art centers remain closed for the time being. This leaves many of us still disconnected from the people, places, and implements for continuing our journey in clay.

Last month, I gathered a grouping of project videos on our YouTube channel all about hand building.

We have potters wheels on sale right now, so for this month I focused on Throwing at Home. No wheel at home? no problem….there are a couple of videos featuring the VERY cool, VERY small (tabletop sized), and VERY affordable Shimpo Aspire. We’ve sold quite a few of these to Universities that are checking them out to their students, and here at Brackers, we’re looking into some kind of rental featuring this amazing (and UPS-shippable) wheel.

Chris Stanley, ceramics professor from the University of Texas at Permian Basin LOVES these wheels :

We have had our wheels (thanks Cindy!!!) for almost 8 years as part of an NEA grant called Pots and Prints! We have bounced those wheels from Lubbock, TX., to Presidio, TX., down on the Mexican Border for all that time with (0) problems. They are tough. We estimate that almost 10,000 kids have used those wheels in the time we have had them…

He just ordered 5 more.

The Learning to Throw at Home video collection features:

FIRST DAY and FIRST STEPS throwing lesson from the prolific Tim See – Artist, demonstrator, and administrator of the Facebook group: Clay Buddies.

Karen Witham-Walsh returns this month with her demonstration on Wedging (dos and don’ts)

Pulling cylinders by Christine Caswell, a basic skill that many beginners struggle with

Turn those basic skills into functional vessels with lessons on

Throwing, trimming and handles for Mugs from Kaitlyn Chipps (Kai Ceramics)

Throwing and trimming bowls from the fantastic Dara Green, a nationally known high school teacher who uses her video demonstrations in her classes in Des Moines.

Plates – (actually shown on an Aspire Wheel) by Steve McDonald

Enjoy the video collection. I hope they inspire you to get back to the wheel and keep creating.