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I'm Elizabeth Cohen, and I'm a potter. I work in porcelain.
I make functional and sculptural work.
I work in porcelain because it responds best to the touch
and I want my work to have a fluidity, and an organic quality
and the porcelain will retain that even after the firing.
I'm throwing a bowl with porcelain clay
Porcelain is the clay body that has the finest particulate
It's very smooth, very sensuous, very luscious...
And very difficult to throw with
It does not like to get wet
And when one throws on the wheel, you need to use water to lubricate
So I'm always looking for the balance between wet enough...
But as little water as possible.
So I'm opening up a hole, then I'm going to widen the bottom a little bit and pull up
So I'm opening up a hole, then I'm going to widen the bottom a little bit and pull up
I'm trying to use equal pressure between my hands, and squeeze just a bit and pull up
Meanwhile keeping my hands very braced, you'll notice that my hands are connected to one another by my thumb here, so I'm very steady.
And as I pull, I'm just widening the rim a little bit, but the rest of the shaping will take place with my hands and a rib.
And as I pull, I'm just widening the rim a little bit, but the rest of the shaping will take place with my hands and a rib.
So I'm going to use this to remove the surface water
I'm also removing the throwing marks so the walls will be smooth, which is an aesthetic choice.
This is very basic. It's clay, and water, and my hands, and a few tools.
I really like the simplicity, straightforwardness, directness of this style of working in this medium.
I'm going to slow the wheel down now as I bring the walls out.
And I'm gently pressing outward and upward, meanwhile again keeping my body very steady, my hands very steady.
And there is a tipping point, where you go too wide...and it just will not stand.
And it takes a lot of practice to know where the tipping point is, if you use too much force, or too much water.
I'm thinking inside about this nice curve I want in the bowl
Think about using a bowl, you want to put the spoon in and have a nice round inside with no sharp angles.
So really thinking about that curve each time I touch the clay.
And I'm getting to the point where it's just about as wide as I want it.
So one of the styles I make is, I have three folds in the rim
And I sort of eyeball this using this decorating disc
And it's divided into various fractions based on the circle
And I use a little dot of water because I don't want to mar the surface.
I'm going to use my hands again
I like the way this gives also sort of a spine or foundation to the outer portion
After I let this set up to a leather hard stage, I will turn it over and trim out the foot, which is the base.
And then I will bisque fire it
Then I will take it out of the bisque, at which point it's still somewhat porous, like a garden pot.
And then I will glaze it, put it back in the kiln for a longer, hotter firing, and it will be done.