By Diana Baur

I ordered a clay that I have not used in years. It comes with a note:  this clay is recommended only for sculpting and building, not for wheel throwing.  When I had used it before, I never even considered throwing with it. I only made sculptures with it.   That was when I thought following the rules was the only way to be a good potter.

This clay fires brown black.  I really want some cool, organic looking plates and bowls.  Things I can do interesting, deep glazes on.  So I decided.  It was time to try throwing this non-throwing clay on the wheel.

The first thing I have to say is that the manufacturer is right.  This clay is not meant for the wheel.  If you pull on it even slightly, it rips apart. There’s no elasticity whatsoever.  It looks and feels like mud.  It gets... More...