Turning Earth

Mother - Lawyer - Artist

Witness how our member Debbie leans into her work life balance and shares how Turning Earth’s open access studio membership can fit around a 9-5.

It is important to her to teach her children that you can be an artist while holding a busy job.

Especially while a studio such as this can make the balance even more achievable by having technicians on hand.

Mother
Lawyer
Artist

fairfax.ceramics

Throwing challenge accepted!

1 shape. 5 minutes. Blindfolded

ceramics showing us how it is done!

How would you fare?

*Tech tips, episode 4: slab building*

1. Manipulate the clay into a long sausage first before rolling

2. Spread your fingers wide to apply even pressure

3. Roll with light pressure, using the full length of your hand

4. If your coil becomes flat, twist the ends and then continue rolling

5. Store prepped coils in plastic to keep damp

6. Really damp coils don't need scoring but if the coils are on the drier side, score directly onto the coil and apply a little slip between each layer

7. Use a serrated kidney to blend the surface together

8. Use a rubber kidney to smooth over

9. Use a paddle or wooden spoon to compress the walls and shape further

Our next ceramics market is this weekend!

Join our team, around 80 makers plus the guys from and , and on both Saturday and Sunday 11-5pm, under the railway arches of East London (E28BW)

If you loved the last one, wait until you see the next one.

18-19th April, 11-5pm
Turnjng Earth Hoxton

What can you expect to find at our next market, on the 18-19th April, in our Hoxton studio?

Well, first of all, the work from 80 different makers.

Here is just a quick taste of the diversity and quality you can expect.


zanini



Then you will also find live music, sourdough pizza, cocktails, barista coffe and pastries.

And nice and friendly people, of course!

*Tech tips, episode 3: centering*

1.⁠ ⁠Stabilise yourself. Wrap your legs around
the wheel and anchor your elbows to your legs.
2.⁠ ⁠Use the heel of your hand to push
the clay towards 1'o'clock.
3.⁠ ⁠Connect both hands tightly together.
4.⁠ ⁠70% pressure in, 30% pressure down.
5.⁠ ⁠Slowly release from the piece
once it is centered.
6.⁠ ⁠If the base is wobbly, focus on using
your little finger to press against the wheel
and into the clay.
7.⁠ ⁠Scrape away any bits of clay from
the wheel

A bit of behind the scenes.

This is how we process kilos of clay every week in each of our studios.

A guide for tap centering:

Practice with a leather-hard cylinder. Avoid wide bowls or plates initially; cylinders have less surface area, meaning less suction to the wheel head, which allows them to slide more freely when tapped.

Place the pot on the wheel head. To get used to the rhythm, start with the pot clearly off-center, this will help you see your timing.

Set the wheel to a moderate, steady pace. At this medium speed, there is enough centrifugal force to help keep the pot moving toward the centre of the wheel, but is slow enough for you to time your taps accurately.

Using your dominant hand, aim to tap the pot when the "high point" (the part furthest out) passes the 1 or 2 o'clock position.

To start, use firm, decisive taps to start big adjustments. As the wobble decreases and the pot moves toward the middle, transition to light taps

Continue tapping until the pot looks stationary while spinning.

Once perfectly centered, use some lugs of clay to secure the pot in place. You're now ready to start trimming!

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