Frozen Clay

I am slightly obsessed with completion. I rarely have more than 15 emails in my inbox that go unfiled or addressed. I live for my 2do list app. and i recycle clay religiously. this winter being my first in possibly only pottery winter I will endure, my clay froze. As it thawed the molecules seemed to have changed. The thawed but it required alot of wedging which seemed to raise the grog to the surface even more. I love laguna dark horse clay, its rough and dark and i never know exactly what I will get and the unexpected is what i love.

I had a couple thawed and wedged for like and hour balls of clay left from a frozed bag, i was determined to use it up and move on to fresh clay. well it was a nightmare on the wheel. as soon as I started to cone it, it was like tiny knifes of rocks on my hand. I got through one ball and my hand was completely raw and tiny cuts everywhere on my palms

good news? it made the most beautiful pitcher which i will make again with not frozen thaw clay.

I ended up putting the rest of the balls through the slabber and made some lovely oval dishes. it was just too brutal to attempt another.

next time I plan to chop it up into tiny bits, dry it out and reconstitue with some softer clay. more on my love of reycled clay next post.