pottery #2

Today I went back to Patti's studio to practice cylindrical shapes. Today was the first time I was truly independent. I started out by combining clay and wedging them into cone shapes. I have been practicing a form of wedging called 'ram's horn.' I felt the most comfortable wedging today out of the three times.
I started out throwing smaller amounts of clay (1 1/2-2 lbs) but last time I threw some that were between 2 1/2-3 lbs. Today I decided to do more that size. For a beginner like me some of these wedges seem immense but master potters threw much larger pieces of clay.
Today I got to threw 5 pieces practicing the cylindrical shape. I felt very comfortable with the clay and could easily critique what I was doing wrong and how to adjust it. My 4th piece (see picture) was the best one I have done yet. I was able to pull the walls up about 2 inches! I also was introduced to the saying, 'It takes a thousand pots to make a potter.' I have made 22 so far! Ha ha!

I reflected on God creating humanity today as my hands were covered in slurry (excess clay). I thought about God's hands dripping with slurry as he paused to admire Adam. I thought about how God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life. Woah! Imagine if you were throwing a piece of clay, shaping it in your image and then could breath life into it?! For me it is wonderful to think about God breathing new life into us each day by his Spirit. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing. Each day we need Jesus to breathe his life into us that we can be image bearers in this world.