What truly sets Odd Pots apart is the philosophy of embracing the 'odd' in every pot. Odd Pots stands for individuality and self-expression. Each piece tells a story, not just of its creation but of the journey of its creator – a journey of learning and a commitment to embracing failures. Some of my best pieces have been the ones i almost gave up on.
Today, i wanted to explain what truly makes some of my pieces odd.
Oddity Number 1
In some of my earlier creations, centering my clay was the most challenging part of the process. Because of this, you might see a pot that is a little uneven at the rim, or smaller in size. Most potters might agree that we have high standards. It's hard to fight the urge to recycle a piece and start again if it isn't consistent, uniform or quite how you pictured it. I'm also a perfectionist by nature, so sticking with a piece that isn't technically perfect is hard. Very hard. But, as i go through the other stages of the process, i start to fall in love with my creations. They are still fit for purpose, just a little bit odd.
Oddity Number 2
It took me a while to find my makers mark. I started by trying to carve one out of clay, but i couldn't quite crack it. Actually no, that's exactly what happened. I physically cracked the clay and broke it. But I didn't want to buy a plastic stamp online, so for a while i etched an 'O' into the base of my pots. Eventually, i thrifted some old printing press letters from a second hand store. They are a led 'O' and 'P', which i now use consistently across all of my pieces (the ones that i don't forget to stamp). However, if you find a pot you love, there may still be a little hand etched 'O' from the very beginning.
Oddity Number 3
Glazing is an unpredictable process. You could have mixed the perfect consistency, coated it evenly but just because it sat next to the wrong pot in the kiln it's a completely different outcome than you expected. I know a lot of potters that hate glazing for this reason. This has happened to me a few times, and is why potters tell you not to get attached.
Some of my pots were too coarse for the glaze to gloss, some of the edges perhaps to sharp, some of them manipulated by other pots in the kiln. The outcome is still a glazed pot, but it will have imperfections in areas. It could be textured in some areas, glossy in others, or simply discoloured on one side. I have to admit, some of the oddest won't be listed on this site, as i use them as testers for the next set. Pottery is trial and error and i learn from every piece. I now sand my pieces before glazing, check my rims are thick before i take them off the wheel. I can't control who my pot sits next to in the kiln (i share a studio space), but i still need to allow a little space for odd to happen.
Oddity Number 4
Centering my clay on the wheel when it's leather hard and ready to trim, is a tricky process. Sometimes it's seamless, sometimes the pot goes flying. Some potters have fixtures on their wheel that makes this more accurate and holds the pot in place (i envy you). I still use water, the human eye and pressure. Nudging the pot millimetres in each direction before i feel the centre. As you can imagine, i don't always get it right. If the structure of the pot isn't harmed, i will persevere. This means there may be some uneven textures to a pot you buy, or a slightly off centre foot-ring.
A little too odd.
Odd is my philosophy, but i do have my limits. I still go through a strict, hand selection process when listing my pots for sale. They must be fit for purpose, they must not have any cracks or chips, they must have a glaze coverage that ensures food and drink safety. If a pot doesn't fit this criteria, it will keep as a feature on my shelf or I'll recycle it if it hasn't been glazed.
I hope this post helps guide your selection of a piece, or at the least makes you feel a little bit better about some of those pots that weren't quite perfect. Every failure is a mark of learning and persistence. Embrace it, and you might be surprised by what you create.
On that note, i'll see you in the next blog.