Preparation

When working with clay, the right preparation is key. Every pottery session on the wheel starts with wedging the clay to get rid of any air bubbles, but also to homogenise the material and break its shape memory. But wedging is only part of the preparation needed to create a ceramic object.

I don't always use newly bought clay when I throw on the potter's wheel — often, I work with recycled clay. As long as the clay isn't fired, it can be recycled continuously. This means that every pot, mug, or vase that didn't make the cut finds its way into the recycling bucket. There, the clay is soaked in water for several days until it can be mixed and spread onto a plaster plate, where it rests for a few more days before being wedged and thrown into a new object.

But the preparation of the clay is only one side of the preparation process in pottery. Some kind of preparation is needed before every step along the way — more on that in the different sections.