{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.
I made pottery when I was in elememtary school. Loved it then. And since I live in Birmingham, I am going to look into a class for myself, and also for my church class as an outing.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Lovely stuff. This took me back to my days at Meredith College where I took Ceramics because I thought it would be easy. It was not. I made a lot of volcanic looking ashtrays since I’d get a hole in the bottom of so many pieces. Not very useful since I don’t smoke!
Yes I took a pottery class once and epic fail for me. Makes me appreciate other’s beautiful work so much more.
Years ago, I had a ceramic studio in my basement. Ceramics is not as hands on as pottery and I would love to try pottery but don’t know of any studios near me. Looks like yall had fun and I’m anxious to see your bowls after they’re fired.
That’s a beautiful plate. I haven’t done pottery but it looks like a great class.
The only time I have fooled with clay was in art lessons as a little girl. I remember making fruit! Grapes were pretty easy as I recall! On my thrifting and garage sale outings, I’m always looking for beautiful pottery. I’ve gotten lucky a few times!
My daughters have made some amazing pottery, though I’ve never had the opportunity. I live in Alabama and am definitely going to EarthBorn to check it out! Love those plates!!!
I love the look of handmade pottery but I don’t own any. Love the color of that plate too. I made one piece of pottery a long time ago in my HS art class but we did not use a wheel. It was free form.
How fun, I would love to take a class! The only pottery I have are the treasures my kids made me when they were little, I would love to add one to my collection!
The only time I did pottery was in high school, a loooong time ago! But I love collecting it! I have a piece from one of my daughter’s friends that he made in college that I love because it’s rather organic. And we bought three pieces while in S.D. this summer made by Lakota Indians. I’m not normally in to S.W. style, but these pieces were too wonderful to pass up, and I feel I supported their art in buying them. But you know green is my fave color, so I know just where this piece is going! =o)
I almost forgot!!
Happy Anniversary to your parents! Best wishes for many more!
Dear Friend,
I don’t make pottery. . .have never tried.
But I DO SELL Tena’s pottery through Willow House!
Each season it will be exclusive and limited; and you
just gave me so much information.
Who doesn’t want to have a one of a kind anything
you love!
Thank you for this post, blessings to you,
with big giggles of excitement over your lovely home.
patti g
Happy Anniversary to your parents!!!!! WOW 59 years. They are so precious and you and your sister are lucky girls to have had them as parents. Love pottery. I took pottery classes for awhile, but had to drop out because the teacher was using moldy clay and it caused some breathing problems.
No, never tried pottery but have talked about taking this class with my daughters. We were at the Bellagio over the summer and I do remember thinking that their plates were so pretty!
I love pottery – at least making it. This post made me so happy. I have had a number of occations to make stuff both freehand and on the wheel. A friend has a wheel and she would let me have time on it. I am hoping that soon I can have a set up of my own and get into it more.
The pottery is beautiful! I took a pottery class in college years ago, but unfortunately I don”t have any of the pieces I made back then.:(
It IS harder than it looks, but so much fun! Thanks for sharing!
I haven’t attempted pottery since college, it’s on my to-do list, though. I love pottery and have several pieces that I’ve collected over the years. The shapes and colors, like paintings, always speak to me. I love that square plate….what a beautiful piece, too.
Congrats to your parents 59th anniversary!
Yes, I do own some handmade pottery:). When my #2 daughter was in college she took a pottery class and fell in love with the process. For Christmas that year I received a beautiful sushi set. Love that her hands, time and love went into the set!
I have never made pottery but love it. I was given some pottery pieces when we moved from our church family. I cherish them.
How fun!! I haven’t ever been able to make my own but I love hand thrown pottery! They’re so beautiful and unique!! 🙂 Happy Anniversary to your parents also!! What a blessing! =D
I have never tried this but since my son and new daughter-in-law live in B’ham maybe we can try this sometime. Love handmade pottery. I have received a few pieces as gifts. Thanks for the chance to win.