25 pound Stoneware Jar

[guywolff]

@Earthworkr With a power -lift I am using the side of my knuckle on the inside and its as if you are turning the walls inside out.There is as much power pushing the clay infront of the lift as that lift itself.The farther apart that inside pushing out and the exterior pushing in the for more clay will be moved. Keep your hands 6 inches apart and see how much material you move! When people stop thinking and just do what ive asked they start screaming at how much matterial is moving up the wall

[james87106]

That was awesome to watch. What a gorgeous form.

[dafukinpikey]

As I am sure you probable here often.... I would love to see the finished piece. But more so on this piece. C10 Woodash, alberta slip, etc. Those are screaming my name. Was it actually woodfired or just wood ash in reduction. Great video as usual, Shawn

[Clayligula0]

Advice on throwing large is few and far between. I've pretty much found that few potters offer advice on how to pull a 30 inch cylinder, besides yourself. I enjoy your technique. I hope to post a video of my own, throwing 7~8 lbs up to the armpit. Perhaps you will see it and critique my form for me. I've drawn a lot of my technique by watching Andy Ruble and yourself. Thanks.

[littlebigprominence]

Glad i found you man. Ive been knuckle throwing 50 pounds of really hard clay out of the pugmill LOL. thats a bad idea huh.. lolz =P.

ya i made a bowl 2 feet in diameter for my teacher.  im a 17 year old highschoo student. and i figured the bigger i go the better i get. good i found your techniques. Its hard making big bowls because they wobble so easily.

[createniks]

Guy when you're using your large rib are you holding it at a 90° angle to the pot or are you feathering it a bit of an angle so the clay slides past on the side of the rib and not just the edge?

[thekidvid]

Hey Guy, Great example of throwing a large form. Very informative.

I've been throwing for 7 years and I'd like to try a bird bath. I have a couple of questions for you. If you were to make a base for a 28 to 30 inch high bird bath, how many pounds of clay would you use? Based on some trial and error (mostly error), I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't be using more than one bag of clay. Also, how thick would you shoot for the walls?

[guywolff]

@thekidvid I would try the pillor base with 36 to 45 pounds to start with . The bowl mayby 20 pounds .. Good luck and all the best , Guy

[SwGkentuckyC]

the shape is very onggi esc if you ask me, very nice throwing

[guywolff]

@SwGkentuckyC What a very nice thing to say !!! Thanks that is exactly the inspiration !!! Yours Guy

[raygrmi]

Amazing talent! Thank you for sharing!

[crataegus17]

Guy

Wow

[crataegus17]

Thanks for that Guy

I still don't quite get it though.

Throw the body, throw the neck, join them together and invert them on the wheel and then throw the pointy base.

It just doesn't sound stable.

How about a demo?

Thanks

[crataegus17]

So it's all plan A then?

Wonderful.

Guy, I have another question for you.

How do you think that the Roman carrot amphorae were made?

I've asked my archealogical friends and they don't know. Not even the pottery specialists.

Any insights?

[guywolff]

I think you mean the ones they unloaded into the sand with a point . Most bigger medateranian pots were and are made in sections .. If you trow the top sections first you can throw the last section upside down and brinf the clay to a point . The joinery is finished upside down .. All the best , Guy

[crataegus17]

Guy

Fantastic stuff!

Half way through that pot it looked like the dry torque was gonna do you.

Did you go to plan B at some point?

[guywolff]

Using less water means more torque. As the pot gets further along a bit more fenness is called for . Sometimes more lubricant but always getting the material in a compressed line . All the best , Guy

[twosixteen]

BAD. ASS!

[johnvalenzuela]

So many of these throwing videos are so bland so it's refreshing to hear all of your insightful commentary, Guy. Thanks! I will keep watching.

[guywolff]

Thanks so much , Yours Guy

[guywolff]

Thanks for the kind words . I wish i had brought the movie camera with me to the dragon kiln in Southern China last week . What beautiful pots were made !!! All the best , Guy

[rookieoftheyyear]

I'm 17 and i love to throw on the wheel. I have been throwing 25 pound pieces, but cant seem to get much height.. i've made 2 decent bowls. any suggestions?

[XXBLEEDINGDEATHXX]

this is extremely amazing, lovehow you explain that clay has amemory, thats how i usually think of it as too. im 17, i turn 18 in december, and i am an aspiring potter :D

[guywolff]

I started my apprenticeships in 1966 when I was 16 . Its been a wonderful life . All the best , Guy

[fmlangford]

Guy, do you ever turn the foot of your flower pots and do you glaze them? Thanks for your videos.

[guywolff]

Hello fmlangford.

I have never turned the bottoms of the flowerpots. Everything is Fettled the second day and signed and dated.I do re-throw Chinese style noodle bowls.(I like moving clay more then cutting it .)Pans (or lower shapes ) are sometimes glazed for forcing bulbs but mostly just on the inside. I glaze mugs and bowls and pitchers . Crockery I glaze everywhere but the rims so they can be stacked rim to rim it glaze firings. Less shelving = more money in the kiln!!. All the best , Guy

[94gdl]

What a pleasure seeing an artist working on their craft with so much commentary to explain it to novices such as myself. Kudo's to you and your son Ben.

[guywolff]

Thanks so much for having a look and I will pass on the hello to my son . Martha is doing a story on Ben in the September issue of her Magazine if you get a chance to see it . All the best and thanks again , Guy

[QRS666]

It is a joy to watch you at work, Guywolff! Extremely interesting to hear your wise words while making the pots!

[guywolff]

Thanks for the kind words QRS its always great to hear from you . Guy

[MatthewDLG]

I really enjoyed listening to you talk while throwing, i can tell that you really carea bout sharing art, and not jsut another aprticimp[ant in making art. Thanks :)

[DCuzick]

First time that I have looked at one of your videos, very nicely done. I like the conversation. My wife says that I talk too much when doing a video, now I will refer her to you.

Strong work, thanks for posting.

A fellow potter.

[guywolff]

Thanks for the kind words David . You live in a beautiful part of the States .I did a demo in Ensenitus at Gardenoligy a few years ago . Wild flying into the middle of town !!! I will go have a look at some of your clips .I do talk a lot and sometimes something good comes of it . Not always but we can give what we can. At any rate if my wife says I talk to much I will refer her to your clips !!! I think we have something here. All the best , Guy

[08bangs]

Sorry, this might be a dumb question but when you're using the rib, where is your hand inside the pot and are you pushing from inside/outside? Beautiful pot btw! I love how you give it its own personality.

[guywolff]

The question is far from dumb . How the inside hand pivots makes huge differences in "subtext" to the line of the pot . Making an arch the inside hand is to the top of the rib .A straight the hand is in the middle and a dome the the inside hand is low . Making a straight and holding the inside like a dome will make a domed straight line . Sub text and story come from these combinations ! All the best . I have to put all this in a book sometime . Thanks for the great question ,yours Guy

[xxsolidshrimpxx]

not only is this guy a FANTASTIC potter, but he is hilarious also! Awesome videos! POST MORE xD!

[guywolff]

Hey thanks . My wife and children ask me not to make jokes "before Noon"so the verdict isint in on the humor thing. Thanks though for the friendly  thoughts , Yours Guy

[youngpotter10]

ita wonderful how u can make a simple shape look so eligant great pot

[guywolff]

Thanks for the very kind words.. All the best , Guy

[CharlesKratz]

Guy, what a gas it is to watch you throw a pot again! The ease and speed with which you create something of great beauty still reminds me of the film of Picasso rapidly painting nymphs and satyrs on a sheet of glass. When are you gonna get back out to join us for a few tunes on a Monday night at Sally's?

Charles (seed)

[guywolff]

Great to hear from you Charles !! Smith and Hawken are very friendly this year so they may ask for a visit . If they do you will be the first to hear of it !!! If you look at my thread on mudcat you will find a link to the TV show I just did with Martha S . We played banjo at the end .. Very fun .. More soon your friend , Guy

[erich768]

im nto the kind of guy who would like this stuff but ive seen some of your videos and at first i was like o this is kinda dumb but i started watching it and saw how amazing this is great job man! :)

[guywolff]

I get so much back from the life Im leading and thats why Im sharing it here.. I am a bitt gooffy and I dont worry much how dumb I come across because my passion for and what I get out of pottery and music is bigger then my cool factor . All the very best and thanks for having a look .  Yours Guy

[rapidac]

Absolutey great response. Sounds like Erich might actually "like this stuff."

[wowtillie]

I saw how the clay began to wobble a little, whenever i throw I make sure to be gently with it, but is there any way to make it set and center back into place?

[guywolff]

As you get past your first 100 tons of throwing clay you really dont worry an awful lot about a wabble here or there on the way to a finished pot. Its knowing where the pot is going and allowing it to get there. There is a difference in moving clay quickly with some wabbleing and a pot being out of center. This is what makes throwing so much fun even after 40 years or more . Clay out of center comes from not giving the material the same command for a full rotation . All the best , Guy

[nate777]

beautiful pulls, guy! hows your albany slip supply lookin?

[guywolff]

The year Hammel & Galespy said they were stopping mining I bought 2 tons so Im good thanks .. Every thing I do comes back to Albany slip in some way .. I wish I had done the same with Banard clay .. I love Tomba glazes as well and Barnard is wonderful . All the best , guy

[weeknightingale]

Well done! I really enjoyed this video. Fascinating to watch! Amazing how a lump of clay in your hands can become a beautifully functional and visually pleasing jar.

[guywolff]

Thanks Karolyn for the kind words .. I do love making pots . I started when I was 16 and I'm 58 so thats a good thing !! Today was a batch of 48 , 8 pounders for Monticello in Virginia ..  All the best , Guy

[CraigaTubaiste]

Pottery Police haha

[potpourripot]

Oooh, very inspiring video! Thanks for posting it.

And I loved the way you talked about your pots, in a sort of a philosophical way. Very interesting, and lovely! :)

[guywolff]

Thanks for the kind comment . I do ramble on . Sometime coherently and sometimes NOT .

[zzaga1]

Thanx for sharing. I realy enjoy the way you talk about your pots and how you describe not only the technikal part of throwing but also the estetich part (sorry for the bad spelling).

[guywolff]

No one spells worse then I do .. Thanks for the kind words... All the best , Guy

[zzaga1]

He he. I'm stil amazed that you can understan what I'm writing:)

[guywolff]

I have no Swedish so I must say you have done much better then I could !!! Tak or is it Tauck ??? All the best Guy Years ago I did play for a week or two in a Rock and roll band in Copenhagen named Dr DOPO-JAM .. Lots of very nice people but a little south of you and a country away.

[zzaga1]

I'm impressed you how to say thankyou (almost) it´s "tack". Copenhagen is actualy quite close to wher I live. It taks about one houer by car to Copenhagen from here. Have you visited europe alot?

[guywolff]

I worked in Potteries in Wales as a young apprentice and at a shop in the north of England as a visiting potter . Later on .. A close family friend moved with her family to Snowlalave near Roskilla ( SP?? ) and I stayed with them in late winter 1971 . Great people . We even played music on Danish TV .. The show was called Milk And Honey .. The saying I remember that was most important was Tack for mall ... Great food .. Very Fun talking Guy

[zzaga1]

Oh, wales is very nice. Ah, Roskilde is nice to. He he.. Tack för maten (in swedich) Tack fo maden in danish:)

Do you work full time with pottery?

[guywolff]

Yes I make 25 tons (50,000 pounds) of flowerpots a year and something like three tons (6000 pounds)of glazed-wares in the same time.I like to make flowerpots for historic houses and museums.Mostly wholesale and some local retail. I also have trained some potters in other shops to make pots for a few interesting American companies.A friend who has a national TV show and Magazine gave another TV star some of my pots for Christmas in front of 10 million Americans.My life has never been the same.

[zzaga1]

Oh, 25 tons is alot!! Sounds fun making fowerpots with historical connections.

How do you fier? Gas? electric? wood?

He he he, seams like you´v got some pots to throw sins that christmast gift for the tv star:)

[guywolff]

I have three 10 cu ft Electric Kilns in the new shop and a 150 cu ft salt kiln ( six ft dome kiln ) ( gass and wood ) at the old shop. I also have a 50 cu FT 4X4 ft Sprung arch fast fire gas at the old shop .. Cone ten 2500 F or is it 1300 C ??

It was Martha Stewart who gave Oprah Winfree the pots .. Have you heard of either of them in Sweden .. 10 years ago and its still amazes me .. All the best , Guy

[guywolff]

The way my eyes work; I did not even notice the bump near the top of the pot . Funny . When I pushed down on the top the whole wall down to the domed waist gets a kind of architectural compression and a great natural domeing just under the rim /..

[pensandcalls]

excellent pot AND video.

[adlesk54]

That was very cool... I cant imagine working with that much clay.  do you trim these pots?

Thanks for sharing.

Sue

[guywolff]

Trimming is a great thing to do if the shape asks for it. This pot will have a beveling "fettling" but not really much of anything besides making sure the pot dose not have any sharp bits .. All the best , Guy