Going Potty?...

People have been making pots of one description or another for thousands of years but, until Monday, I have never had a go so a big thank you to Mike Evans who very kindly gave me a demonstration and, more importantly, let me have a go on his potters wheel. Mike will be part of Open Studios in early June (see last posting) and showed great patience with, it has to be said, a pretty ham-fisted me the other day. I must admit though I was expecting it to be a lot worse than it was and at least the clay wasn't splatting all over the walls and ceiling of Mike's workshop. I managed to make a couple of nice rustic looking bowls, which I've yet to see finished as they have to be fired and glazed and all that malarkey first, so I'll be able to see the fruits of my toil. There is more to pottery than I ever thought but, on a very basic level, I learnt quite a bit even in the hour and a half I spent in Mike's studio on Shipbourne Road. Mike used to be a soft ware engineer and a part time potter, now he's a full time potter and an occasional soft ware engineer. In fact he designed and keeps running the Kent Potters Association web site which looks pretty professional to me. If I had the time I would consider investing in some gear and getting started myself I enjoyed it so much. I'll be writing more about my experience at the potter's wheel in the July issue of The Tonbridge Insider so look out for that. If anyone wants to see Mike in action then look him up in the Open Studios guide. If you really get the taste for it then there are courses available at the Adult Education centre in Avebury Avenue and, probably, at K College....