As intermediate throwers hone their skills, they often begin to show an affinity for working more precisely. Precision throwing can lead to sublime beauty or to mechanical repetition, leaving pots looking a bit stiff. As potters develop their eye along with their technical skills, they sometimes yearn to make forms that breathe—pots that show the plasticity of wet clay, even after they are fired.

While demonstrating, Steven Hill will discuss the principles of design and how they relate to pottery. The workshop will cover the relationships between rims, feet, bellies, handles, and spouts, and explore how the use of simple or compound curves, or possibly straight lines, impacts form. Steven Hill will also discuss the use of “shape language” to help create a cohesive body of work.

This workshop is structured for potters with basic throwing skills who would like to make relaxed forms that feel both well designed and more gestural. Participants will not be encouraged to unlearn any hard-won technique, but rather to expand the ways of gently altering thrown forms.

Steven Hill will demonstrate approximately half of the time each day, divided between morning and afternoon sessions. Since there are only two days, there will not be enough follow-up time to complete projects, but there should be time to try most of the demonstrated techniques. Participants are encouraged to plan on covering work so it can be finished after the workshop is over.

The workshop will begin with drinking vessels and move on to bowls and other forms.