Pounders

I'm still struggling to make these mugs as light as I'm used to with other forms. I'm starting to think I won't be able to get them as light as I want. I might have to compromise some in weight to get the form and design I am shooting for in this set.

The pot in the picture above has slightly less weight in the body than the previous mugs I've made, however the handle was a bit more bulky than most for some reason. It feels very heavy in comparison to my other forms, but it has the spiral chatter marks from my tool just like I've been trying to achieve. At this point I just need to work on addressing the weight. It's not terrible, but I'm unsatisfied.

I did go to a gallery day before yesterday and looked at some pieces. I came across some pots from three of the guys who taught me how to make pots. I was amazed at the size and weight of Don Sprague's bowl. Probably 14 inches across by 6 or so inches deep on the inside, and it weighed almost nothing. The walls were uniformly thin, and the foot was not overly heavy. By comparison I picked up a pot next to it made from a slab. The artist intended it to be visually heavy with a rim on the slab bowl about 5/8" thick decorated with cuts or scrapes. The small bowl of about 6 inches across and only 2 1/2" deep weight about the same as Don's bowl.

So because of the emphasis of well made pots from my early instruction from Don Sprague, Wally Schwab and many others, it's of vital importance to me that my work not be heavy, wasteful or poorly made. It's a struggle for me to make some forms as light as I think they should be, but I can't sacrifice quality for design.