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The Potter's Shed  by Larner 4 Review(s)
harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/7/2010
Thrown by the new challenge eh? I love playing with clay even though I have a scar on my right ring finger to prove that trying to clean the machine that prepares the clay is dangerous!

I can sit for hours watching a potter, or any craftsperson, at work.

Author Reply: I had to do some work with clay as a student, first in grade school and later in junior and senior high school and finally in university when training for teaching as units in art classes. We learned to cut the clay with fishing line when preparing it to be worked, as well as various methods of shaping and finishing it. I fear the only piece I have left is a head for a hand puppet I crafted in college.

I was never any good with a potter's wheel, although I could craft a very nice bowl using the coil method, and learned to do stone polishing. That stood me well when I was taking an archaeology class when I could recognize that a pottery shard presented by the teacher had been stone polished. The professor was very impressed to find one of the students in the class could recognize such a process had been used on a pot fired some eight centuries ago!

TariReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/12/2010
What a novel idea. Somehow, I can't picture antsy Pipping trying to make a clay pot. Cute.

Author Reply: I remember when I tried using a potter's wheel, and later when it was my son. Not the easiest skill to learn. I know I felt I didn't have the patience to learn it well. It was a fun image to work with!

Lynn HReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/11/2010
Far from the first to become discouraged comparing the work of an expert and our own fumbling efforts. He is 'thrown' indeed.

Author Reply: I agree! Yes, thrown indeed! Thanks so, Lynn.

ArmarielReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/11/2010
New story! Looks quite interesting. Pippin--pottery?? hmmmmm!!!!

Author Reply: Well, at least another series of drabbles. I love to think that the Tooks had their own pottery to serve the needs of the Great Smials and the Tooklands, and that younger Tooks were encouraged to try their hands at the skills. Thanks so, Armariel.

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