Pottery Wheel

Inspiration & Exploration

Pottery is one of the oldest crafts on earth, and the wheel makes it feel almost like magic. Start by watching people actually throw clay before you ever touch it yourself. YouTube's **"Pottery Crafters" channel** has free beginner wheel videos that show the whole process clearly. Visit **Mestizo Arts & Activism Collective** or **Art Access Gallery** in Salt Lake City to see ceramics by local artists, or check out the **Springville Museum of Art** which has a strong ceramics collection. Look for pottery at local craft fairs like the **Utah Arts Festival** — watch how makers describe their process. Notice what draws you to certain pots: is it the shape, the texture, the glaze color, or the story behind it? Keep a small notebook of pots you find beautiful and what specifically makes each one work. You're ready for the next step when you can describe three specific qualities you want your own pottery to have.

Tools & Techniques

Before your hands ever touch a wheel, it helps to understand what the tools are and why they work. The pottery wheel spins clay while you use both hands to shape it — the process is called "throwing." Watch **"How to use a pottery wheel for beginners"** on YouTube's free **Pottery Crafters** or **Digitalfire** channels. You will see tools like the wire clay cutter, wooden rib, sponge, and metal scraper — each has a specific job. The most important thing to know before your first session is that clay must stay moist but not soaking wet, and your hands need to be damp throughout. Search **"Goshen Canyon Clay"** or **"Utah ceramics studios"** to find local studios that offer open wheel time for beginners. Many community centers and universities also offer affordable intro classes. You're ready for the next step when you can name five pottery tools and explain what each one does.

First Creations

Your first session on the wheel will feel frustrating and wonderful at the same time — that is completely normal. The hardest part is centering: getting the clay spinning perfectly in the middle without wobbling. Do not skip this step even if it takes most of your first session. Watch **"How to center clay on the wheel"** by Simon Leach on YouTube (free and excellent). Once centered, try opening the clay by pressing your thumbs straight down into the middle, then pulling the walls up slowly. Your first few cylinders will probably be lopsided — save them anyway and take photos to track your progress. Most Salt Lake City studios like **Wasatch Ceramic Arts** offer drop-in beginner sessions. Expect to go through several pounds of clay just learning the feel. You're ready for the next step when you successfully throw one cylinder that stands at least four inches tall without collapsing.

Style Development

Style in pottery comes from the choices you make about form, texture, and surface. Now that you can make basic cylinders, start stretching them into different shapes: bowls (open the top wider), vases (narrow the neck after opening), and mugs (keep the walls straight and even). Watch how potters like **Simon Leach** and **Hsin-Chuen Lin** (both free on YouTube) approach form differently — one is loose and rustic, the other is precise and refined. Try adding texture this week: press a fork, a piece of fabric, or a wooden stamp into the clay before it dries. Visit a local studio or the **Utah Arts Alliance** to see how Utah potters glaze their work — glaze color and application is a huge part of visual style. Make three different forms and photograph them side by side. You're ready for the next step when you can consistently throw the same basic shape twice in a row with similar dimensions.

Refine Your Craft

Refining your pottery means going deeper on the technical challenges that frustrate most beginners: thin, even walls without collapse, smooth rims, and clean bottoms. Watch **"Trimming pottery for beginners"** on YouTube — trimming is the step where you flip a leather-hard pot and carve away excess clay from the base. Practice pulling walls thinner by working more slowly and using a wooden rib pressed against the outside for support. The **Pottery Making Illustrated** magazine website has free articles on technique. Connect with the **Utah Potters Guild** (utahpottersguild.org) to find workshops, open studios, and fellow students — the community is welcoming to beginners. Study your fired pieces for problems: is the rim uneven? Are the walls too thick at the bottom? Each problem points to something specific to practice. You're ready for the next step when you throw and trim a bowl with walls of even thickness throughout.

Portfolio Piece

Your portfolio piece is a set of three related pots that show your developing style — perhaps a small, medium, and large version of the same form, or three mugs with different handle styles. Plan before you sit at the wheel: sketch your intended shapes, decide on surface texture, and research which glaze colors will achieve the mood you want. Throw all three pieces in one or two focused sessions so they feel cohesive. Trim them carefully at the leather-hard stage. Take photos at each stage: wet clay, trimmed, bisque-fired, and final glazed piece. If your studio fires work for you, bring your greenware to their next bisque fire. Share your set on the **SLCTrips community** with a short caption explaining your design choices, and tag **#SLCTripsCreative**. You're ready for the next step when you can explain the specific form, texture, and glaze decisions you made and how each choice reflects your developing style.