About clay and pottery

[Aemilius]

I have watched several videos about finding clay in nature and purifying it for use. And about handmade pottery, which still exists here in our modern technical culture. This topic has a nice earthly feel to it. It is an industry and workmanship that has existed for several thousands of years. One good artisan is Florian Gadsby, but there are many others also.

[Hazel]

Creating stuff with ones own hands is just... so amazing.

I am fascinated by hand-tool (no motors/electricity) carpentry. I talk about this with my father who was a professional carpenter starting at the point right after power tools took over and he just doesn't get the appeal. I think it's the difference between us marveling at the glory of pottery and historical potters seeing themselves as making something to drink out of.

[Danny]

Not many kids these days want to do apprenticeships in the trades.
I was lucky my father taught me a trade.
I went on to do other things, but now I’m back as a journey man and can’t find anyone to pass on the trade.
It’s all computer work.

[Danny]

Creating stuff with ones own hands is just... so amazing.

I am fascinated by hand-tool (no motors/electricity) carpentry. I talk about this with my father who was a professional carpenter starting at the point right after power tools took over and he just doesn't get the appeal. I think it's the difference between us marveling at the glory of pottery and historical potters seeing themselves as making something to drink out of.

Before pottery , ancient peoples used to cop trees to produce bulbous growths, they would then cut the growth off and using fire and hot coals, would remove material to make bowls. But it was all knowledge of the forest and sustainable, it wouldn’t damage the tree.

Hazel, bet your dad would be fascinating to chat with!

[hrih]

I have watched several videos about finding clay in nature and purifying it for use. And about handmade pottery, which still exists here in our modern technical culture. This topic has a nice earthly feel to it. It is an industry and workmanship that has existed for several thousands of years. One good artisan is Florian Gadsby, but there are many others also.

Just a few weeks ago, I dug up some dirt in the backyard and made my own clay in a bucket. Followed instructions from this vid:

If you live near/on a place with rich clay deposits, your yield will be great!

[hrih]

Creating stuff with ones own hands is just... so amazing.

I am fascinated by hand-tool (no motors/electricity) carpentry. I talk about this with my father who was a professional carpenter starting at the point right after power tools took over and he just doesn't get the appeal. I think it's the difference between us marveling at the glory of pottery and historical potters seeing themselves as making something to drink out of.

I highly recommend getting a rotary tool/dremel to engrave some rocks around your area with Manis. Rock polishing is also great. There's an old tradition of hand-polishing and engraving rocks as a meditative practice in different mystical traditions.

You can get a block of marble on Etsy these days for a reasonable price. Pick up a bag of diamond chisels and get to work!

[Ayu]

In my studies on art therapy we learn a lot about clay.
There are some very good exercises for balancing oneself by forming a handful of clay (with both hands in front of the heart) in a slow & aware manner.
Clay, as part of mother earth's surface, is one of the 5 elements and it transports a sense of being grounded, stability and coming home to one's true nature.

A German called Heinz Deuser invented a very useful therapy method called "Arbeit am Tonfeld". I tried it and it's completely amazing. But the therapist has to be very experienced and knowledgeable. Then they are able to lead the client to self-experience and healing.
https://www.tonfeld.de/index.php?id=73&L=1

[Aemilius]

Just a few weeks ago, I dug up some dirt in the backyard and made my own clay in a bucket. Followed instructions from this vid:

If you live near/on a place with rich clay deposits, your yield will be great!

I have seen that, it is good. There is also a video about a guy looking for different kinds of clay in the wild :



He has done a lot of research into ancient pottery, and he has his own channel Andy Ward's Ancient Pottery https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_3BTj ... fwjQDSqFTQ

Pottery is one of the oldest human inventions, originating before the Neolithic period, with ceramic objects like the Gravettian culture Venus of Dolní Věstonice figurine discovered in the Czech Republic dating back to 29,000–25,000 BC, and pottery vessels that were discovered in Jiangxi, China, which date back to 18,000 BC. Early Neolithic and pre-Neolithic pottery artifacts have been found, in Jōmon Japan (10,500 BC), the Russian Far East (14,000 BC), Sub-Saharan Africa (9,400 BC), South America (9,000s-7,000s BC), and the Middle East (7,000s-6,000s BC).