Coil pot

Progress Photos

Artist Statement:

This project was an introduction to the coil technique. I had never used this technique before. I was definitely more familiar with the pinch technique compared to coil. To create this pot, I rolled out many coils and stacked them on top of each other. About every three coils I stacked, I blended them together so there was no indication that the clay was separated by the coils. This is the part that took me the longest. It took a while for me to make it so the clay was completely smoothed out with no bumps. The tools I used the most to accomplish this was the serrated smoothing tool along with the regular one. Not only did I have to smooth the outside out, but I also had to smooth out the inside. For this, I used my fingers a lot and the long wooden tool so I could reach places that I couldn't reach with only my fingers. When I was rolling out my coils, I made sure to make them just thick enough so I could carve into the clay. I carved out this simple design into my pot. I really like the design I chose because the glaze looks really cool in the cracks and crevices that I carved out.

Although the smoothing process was probably the hardest part of this project and took the longest, I think it was the most satisfying part. I liked how you could make something so smooth and even after it was so lumpy and bumpy. My project definitely evolved when I added the glaze because it made the textures stand out even more. It also evolved when I smoothed it all out and made it even. I am very happy with how this coil pot turned out. This project allowed me to improve smoothing my clay out and provided a great introduction to the coil technique.