Learning Curve

A while back, I watched a documentary on Netflix regarding the human brain.  I believe that it had originally aired on the Discovery channel.  One of the topics regarding the brain that was covered was how people learn. They highlighted a scientist conducting a study on the brain and learning and what he concluded was pretty interesting.  His experiment consisted of test subjects who, over a period of days, would play an arcade-style skiing game that they had never played before and who had also never gone skiing (water or snow).  What the scientist was trying to prove was that people, when given something new to learn, require sleep in order to improve at what they are trying to learn.  The experiment was ongoing, but the statistical data supported the scientist's thesis.

How does this relate to me, and pottery, you may ask?  Today, Monday, was the first day I have thrown since last Tuesday's 8 hour throwing session.  And in less than 1 1/2 hours, I threw two small pieces, and centered the clay like I've been doing it everyday for the past 15 years.  Apparently, 6 nights of sleep helped me a lot!

Tomorrow, I am hoping for another all day throwing session if time and the day allows.

Back in the saddle again

Today has been the first day, probably since high school, that I have sat down at a wheel for hours and hours on end.  Morning has passed and afternoon has found me, but it feels like the day has flown by.  I can't begin to tell you the joy this is bringing me!  It has been so long, too long, really.

Exactly how long you might ask?  Well, I starting throwing in my Sophomore year of high school and continued through my Junior and Senior years.  Then, my access to the school's equipment ended upon graduating.  I attempted to take a pottery class at my community college right out of high school, but the teacher was a bit off and started the class by making a pinch pot.  I quickly dropped the class and vowed that someday I would pursue my hobby more seriously.  I was able to use a wheel in my early twenties that I had received second hand, but it died almost immediately after I started using it and with no kiln (and no access to one) my dream once again started to slip away.

I am now 31 years old, and 14 years have passed since I stopped throwing on an almost daily basis.  I actually began to panic a bit this morning after having the hardest time just centering the damn ball of clay.  I have watched video after you-tube video of potters illustrating how to center the clay, and each one of them does it just a little bit differently.  But I think I have finally gotten the hang of it once again, as I try to exhume the thoughts buried from half of my lifetime ago.

I ended up throwing three small practice/keeper items today.  I really doubt that any of them will see the inside of a kiln, but who knows?

Mama's got a brand new bag

A name, some colorful clay and a new wheel have arrived at Peninsula Circle.  I feel like a child on Christmas morning; I'm excited and I'm dreaming of throwing.