Sushi Plates, Butter Dishes and Handbuilding

You may have noticed I haven't been using my wheel at all in all of my latest creations. There are many reasons for that. I didn't use my wheel for almost 8 months and I feel like I lost all of my throwing skills. I know I will get them back if I spend lots of time without huge gaps in between re-learning the wheel. Practice is definitely something I need. Time is something I do not have a lot of these days.

There are other reasons also. I absolutely love hand-building. I feel way more in control of what I have planned for each piece. I also find it easier to duplicate something I like because I create templates in which I can use again. Another factor is I work full-time and have other hobbies and responsibilities so I do not have the time I would like to spend in the studio. Hand-building allows me to complete one entire pieces at a time instead of coming back to something 1 - 2 days later to trim and add handles. I never know when I am going to get the time to finish my work so I take each opportunity I have to complete my piece(s) at once while I can. I also like how individual and unique my hand-built work is. A bowl on the wheel isn't any more special than any old wheel-thrown bowl unless you do something unique with the finishing or glazes. I can accomplish that with hand-building. It is all personal preference. I will never be at the level or stage to mass produce my work although I have no desire to do that. I enjoy everything I make or I just won't make it. Each piece I make is planned out and executed until I have exactly what I want or it doesn't even make it to the kiln. Simple. Made with love.