I am finally Getting it.

The bottles and tumblers I made this morning after class before lunch (from about ten to eleven thirty.)

I took some of the smaller ones and put faces on them.  I get encouragement from the other students to make them.  I think everyone thinks they are pretty fun.

update on the soda kiln.

Some forms I made after supper.  I hope to get some good handle practice on these.  We will see what happens to them later I guess.

  
Today was a day that was almost perfect.  After language class I went into the studio with the intent to make some beer bottles a bit like martins.  Amazingly I felt like I was turnin back at home.  I made everything pretty fast and was able to throw dry enough to take everything off of the bat immediately.  I did not use one bat today which is a first with the china porcelain for me.  I guess after making bigger forms going smaller seemed like a breeze.  I also recieved a load of help from the other Brad that is here today.  He gave me a nice hard critique on my handle forms and I must say it was humbling because I felt like a real champion after finally getting a good feel for this clay.  He told me to try and match the rim thickness with the edge of the handle thickness for a better looking form.  I had never heard that before.  My handles are a bit too thick and it made me start to dislike many of my handles after he told me about it.  He told me that I had some nice pots, but the trick now is fixing the little things.  Turning something good into something great.  He is really a great teacher and a great potter as well.  he and his wife Kim are staying here for about a year.  Kim is teaching english here.  They have a blog about this place as well.  You should check it out here.  I spent all day in the studio today.  8am-8pm with lunch and class in the same area.  Needless to say I am quite tired at this point.  Good morning everyone in America and goodnight to me!