Five weeks ago I sat
down at a potter's wheel for the first time, preparing to throw a
bowl. My first task was to center the clay on the wheel. This isn't a
simple matter of slamming the clay onto the bat (the spinning disc
that sits on the wheel)--that isn't sufficient. After doing that, you
have to rinse the clay thoroughly to make it more maneuverable, turn
the wheel on high, and with steady hands move the clay to the center.
There are a couple of techniques to help, but someone with a lot of
practice can center the clay in a few moments using the steadiness
that they have developed.
With the clay in the
center, you need a shape in mind. The instructor demonstrated many
ways to achieve different shapes, but watching him only gave me a
vague idea of what should be done. By trying it out for myself,
getting the feel for it, and seeing the result, only then did I
really understand how to shape the clay.
When I had made the
bowl I wanted, the clay had to dry for several days. After this, it
became what they call “leather-hard” and I was able to remove
imperfections and make minor shape changes as necessary. After a few
more stages of refinement, the bowl would be finished. What a sense
of achievement, to have made something beautiful and useful with my
own hands!
Considering this
achievement, the pottery process reminded me of the craft of writing.
Focus is the first step, and having a goal in mind for what you want
to communicate. Imagining the shape, or the structure of writing is
made possible through reading, which shows examples of communicating
ideas. Similarly, it would be difficult to make a pot if you had
never seen one. To help achieve the desired form of writing, a
teacher can give you techniques. However, the most effective way to
develop good writing skills is to do the writing yourself, just as
understanding how to shape the clay required me to use my own hands.
Then, for a truly polished piece of writing I find it essential to
leave the work, to “sleep on it” for a while before returning and
removing imperfections. And finally, the end result is very similar—a
beautiful and useful work produced through one's own hard labor and
dedication. My question is, can I guide my students through these
steps and help them find real satisfaction in their writing?
Your experience with pottery is a great analogy for writing. And your question is important to ask. The answer is yes, you can. But, maybe the more difficult question is, how? As we read the Daniels piece, we'll get to sections that focus on public writing. These chapters and our discussions will help us with this task. I was wondering, though, was it hard to apply the glaze? That seems really difficult.
ReplyDeleteApplying basic glaze is pretty simple if the glaze is at the right consistency. You dip the piece in the glaze for about 2 seconds, set it down and wait for it to dry, then scrub off the bottom part of the glaze with a carpet square or something like that. You can paint or double/triple dip if you want to get fancy, but I'm not there yet.
DeleteWriting-wise, of course, it's a lot more difficult.