{Giveaway is Closed}
The Winner is: #88 Sandy!
Have you ever been to pottery class? Get your hands dirty, molding clay like the movie Ghost?
Over two years ago, I got the chance to go to a very fun blogger’s pottery class while I was still living in Birmingham and it was such a memorable event, that when the invitation came again this year, I said YES again to a night out at Earth Born Pottery Studio. I loved getting my hands dirty in the clay and sitting at the potter’s wheel for another whirl at making something handmade and interesting. My first pottery pieces are packed up in boxes right now, but one day soon they will all be unpacked and I’ll be enjoying them in my new home.
Without naming all these girls, because I don’t have all their blog names, I’ll just say it was a very fun time seeing some new and old friends again and we all got our hands in the mud and enjoyed the pottery class so much. Great bonding girl time! My friend, Rachel, from Grasping for Objectivity invited me to come over and I’m so glad I did. Her Aunt Tena owns the pottery and was teaching our class.
I love that Earthborn makes some incredible and gorgeous pottery for upscale restaurants, like the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, as well as renowned restaurants in Birmingham, like the Hot and Hot Fish Club. We were all so impressed with the wares coming out of Tena’s pottery studio. Handmade items like this are so beautiful and I have long been a fan of made from scratch pottery.
Tena and another potter, Nabeel, gave us some demos on how to work with the clay. I did pretty good the first time I did this 2 years ago, but this time it didn’t go all that well. I messed up some of the clay and had to start over a couple of times.
Tena explained how to work the clay into a ball and then bring it up to a bowl or vase.
Once it’s set solid in the middle with no wobbles (I had a big problem with the wobbles on mine), then the clay can be worked and sculpted. They make it look easy, but it’s SO not!
See how pretty her vase looks?
And Nabeel’s is beautiful and shapely too.
My blob of clay didn’t go nearly as well, but I finally coaxed a bowl out of this lump.
Next, I moved on to the table, where we did some freeform clay molding and I made a rough bowl.
I hope glaze and firing improves its looks, cause it’s not so pretty like this.
I made a fairly presentable bowl and I’m sure this will be pretty once the glaze is applied and it comes back from the kiln. I loved my other pieces when they were fired.
This lop sided bowl was my 2nd attempt on the wheel, but it’s definitely not going to win any awards.
And here’s the freeform bowl.
We took a tour of the back and saw all the great pottery back there waiting for glazing and firing. I’ve always been intrigued by pottery and how organic it is. Every piece is different, just like we all are.
Aren’t the finished pieces beautiful?? That blue bowl on top looks just like the one I took home last time I was there.
These beautiful pedestals were so gorgeous. I found out from Tena that she is now making pottery for Willow House and I do believe these were the bowls she said were Willow House bowls.
Isn’t that just the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen?
Just like our first trip, we all got to take home a beautiful finished plate and we got to choose one to give away to a reader.
I know, that means one of YOU!!
See the one on the LEFT? that one will go to one of my readers!! I know, exciting, huh?
All you have to do is leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever made any pottery or do you own any original pottery?
Do you love handmade pottery as much as I do?
Tena sells pottery to the public, so anyone can purchase from her. Wouldn’t it be so much fun to have a few place settings of this gorgeous pottery? She also has classes available, so if you’d like to find out more, just click on her website, Earthborn, for all the information. She offers group classes for several people at a time, so this would be the perfect thing to do with your church group or girlfriends. Go to Cahaba Clayworks for class info. Classes for 6 start as low as $35 per person for a 2 hour hands-on pottery throwing opportunity. It was a blast! We all had so much fun doing this. Thank you so much Tena and Nabeel, for letting us come in and play in the clay.
Tena tweets @EarthbornStudio, so you may want to follow her since she will be offering some monthly “limited edition” specials on pottery pieces for a thrifty price! We all love that.
I was not paid for this post, it is simply sharing my outing and the giveaway with all of you. I love pottery!
Today is my parents 59th wedding anniversary and I wanted to give them a shout-out! What a milestone that many of us will never achieve, I’m so proud of them.
Love the pottery! Never tried it myself and the only handmade pieces I have were made by our children! Priceless!
I would love to try to do pottery, but have not lived where there are classes. It looked like fun! I have several old pieces because I love to collect and use it in my home. Glad you had the time to do something you love to do with good friends!
I have never tried to make pottery, but love to collect a few pieces.
I have never tried making pottery. There is a company called Louisville Stoneware, here where I live that makes beautiful pottery. Its such an interesting process. Looks like you had a lot of fun.
I have never made pottery, but it is on my bucket list! I have several unique pieces of pottery and we collect Niloak pottery.
Unfortunately, I’ve never had an opportunity to make pottery. When I had my retail shop in Ohio, I sold several lines of pottery. It definitely takes a skill to make such pretty pieces!
I LOVE handmade pottery! What a fabulous outing. 🙂
I’ve taken my kids to the paint your own pottery places a couple of times. My favorite piece is the plate I painted when we were on vacation with friends. I added the handprints of my daughter and two of her friends. It hangs in my kitchen.
I have taken the girls to pottery camp multiple times this summer! They love it . I need to try it too. I have some ideas!!!
I have never attempted to make pottery, but it’s on my bucket list. There are many fine potters in the area where I live and I have several pieces. Love the organic look and feel of each piece.
I love the uniqueness of pottery and it’s weight! I have some pieces that a friend made for me, a bowl and weed pot, and one my daughter made in school.
I love the look of pottery!!! That piece would look so good with a piece that I already have. It looks like you had a blast…
I have never tried to make pottery. I do have a couple of pieces that I have collected while on vacations.
I LOVE making pottery but I havent’ done it in years. I made a very tiny bowl when I was in high school and I still use it today…and high school was a long time ago!
I have a friend (Jane) who does pottery and once in a while she gives me her “rejects” !!! She calls them rejects….I call them WOW! She was here a few weeks ago and saw one of her “rejects” I was using as a vessel for holding a candle…she said “Uh…this is supposed to be for garlic”….I thought, “uh-oh”….but then she liked the idea of using it for a candle. I LOVE it and use it every evening I get to sit out on my screened porch. She knew I loved it…that’s all that mattered afterall. Bucket list = take pottery class!
I’ve never done any pottery, but now really want to try. I have two original pieces that were given to me by my niece and I love them.
The pottery is beautiful. No I have not been to a class. Would love to win the gorgeous plate. Thanks for the give away.
I LOVE pottery!! I tried it once many years ago and plan to take some classes in the very near future. I have several pieces of pottery from a artisan out of Louisiana and many other “loves”.
I can tell you were having so much fun. Can’t wait to see the finished bowl. The pottery is beautiful. I never have been to a class. That plate would be perfect in my new living room. Thanks for the chance to win such a beautiful piece. Happy Anniversary to your parents!
I took pottery classes as a child, then one class in college. Would love to return to the wheel- it’s so soothing. Pottery is featured throughout my house, including such local potters as Ronnie Payne, Ron Cooper, and Eddie Smith. This piece would be a welcome addition! Thanks for sharing the work of these talented potters.
Happy Annversary to your parents! Rhoda! I love the pottery. I’ve done ceramics but not pottery.