Nichols 1

6:30pm
3/12/2014
Class is setup with 4 pottery wheels in a row with another facing each of them.
One wheel on one end. Is class setup in this fashion to encourage conversation
and idea sharing?
Pottery wheels are in the center of the room with shelves setup around the edges
and another wheel off to the side.
Some students comfortable with each other from previous classes. Some chatter,
most getting ready for class.
Pots on every shelf with plastic over all of them.
Class is in the backroom of a pottery supply store (between the storefront and the
warehouse)
Electrical extension cord drop from the ceiling in the center of all of the wheels
Introductions Most students are return students, what would you say keeps them
coming back?
1st class of the 8-week session.
6yrs, wants to work on making ______
2yrs, wants to work on a pitcher with a lid
13yrs, (2yrs with another teacher), just wants to do stuff
4 yrs., not sure (maybe a teapot)
Pottery for 3 yrs., stopped for 10 years, back at it for a couple years.
Loppers/lokers clay?
710 clay
112 clay
New student, no expectations, never done pottery.
Asked what clay
New student jokingly said 710. What do the types of clay mean? What are the
differences? Is there different clay difficulties, beginner, intermediate, hard?
Teacher talking about what all of the numbers mean
Different clay companies use different naming conventions
New student, artistic background
266/710 fire a chocolate color
Brown stone clay
What ever you recommend new student to teacher, in response to What clay
would you like?
Earth and red clay, experienced students cool
Teacher goes to get clay, students converse among each other.
Experienced students start working, newer students wait for instruction.
(Experienced students started as soon as they got there)
They already knew where everything was and what the protocol was.
Experienced students help newer students learn where everything is.
~4 year student says they want to hand-build with their extra clay
New student asking experienced student what they are making How do you
think they choose what to make?
Student ages range from ~30-70

Nichols 2
Experienced students converse while working on their creations
Teacher is working with new students, getting them acquainted with how to start
making a pot
Kneading or wedging the clay
Multiple couples, they sit next to each other Do more couples do pottery or
individuals?
While the teacher is showing how to wedge clay, and experienced student is doing
it in another area.
Explains what wedging does and that it should be done before attempting to throw
a pot.
New students (a couple) are very awkward at wedging, teacher (>40 years
experience) very fluid How long have you been making pots/teaching? How
long have most of the students be doing it? Do the more experienced just take the
class for access to the equipment/tools/etc.?
Good size apple of clay (starting amount) For new students, do you purposely
use analogies before using real terms, and why?
Teacher focuses on new students (a couple), but answers questions any of the
others have.
7:15pm
Teacher works with one NS, explaining how to start throwing
Each student has their own shelf to store pots they are working on
Teacher tells student to remove jewelry.
Experienced student jokes that they (all students) take their wedding bands off,
its that kind of place
Do the students know each other outside of class?
Karate chop for bigger pieces (moving clay around)
Learn to open it up
Centering the clay
Teaching techniques to fix minor mistakes (thickness of the bottom of the pot)
ES to another, what are you making, Goblets
Most students quite, working on their creations, focused
T to NS, step by step instructions, a mug or cylinder has formed
Another student comes in late, looks like wearing a business suit, leaves (probably
to change)
They changed into different clothes
10 students in the class?
Another student came in, also in business clothes, just working on glazes,
Didnt change clothes, rolled up sleeves
Most students in clothes they can get dirty
Talk of different hobbies
7:45pm
Some students make pots for other family members as gifts. Do most students
make pots for others as gifts, or do you think they make them to sell/make
money?
Oasis blue and reoko (glazes?)

Nichols 3
Pale seaweed (glaze?)
Teacher working with the other NS
The first NS is trying to replicate what they just learned (semi-successfully)
How long does it typically take for new students to be autonomous?
Each student doing their own thing
Student asked another about a glaze, and the response was youll have to ask the
boss
Jokingly replied whos the boss
Students also are able to sell their work to each other.
One student purchased a mug that the teacher had made previously.
Each student still doing his or her own thing.
Talks of politics. (Other countries views of the USA)
8:30pm
Some students are finishing up what they are working on.
New students still working with the teacher on different techniques
Other students also giving them pointers
Some cell phones popping out.
Teacher checking on other students.
Giving tips for storing pots.
Asking students Whats happening here?
Students cleaning up as class winds down
A couple students silently slip out of class
Rub over it with a snoopie tool (smooth a surface) (Called that because of its
shape?) What is a snoopie tool? Can anything be used in pottery if it works?
Experienced students helping clean up
Students leave as they clean up their area
Talk of TV shows and joking and laughing while cleaning
Students exchange ideas for pots as they put theirs up on the shelves.
Teacher showing NSs where everything gets put.
Students meet in the storefront area after class and chat, not always about pottery
(more pottery talk with the new students)
Experienced student chatting about other things in life.
9:00pm
Class is over; everyone says goodbye and starting leaving. Everyone is friendly
with each other
Other students asked the new students how the first day was Challenging, but
really cool to see something rise out of nothing
Other students tell them to not give up!
Notes
Other terms, wheel, bat, glaze, slip, kiln, fire
Race mostly white, 1 African American
Sex about half women/half men
Notes on all community tools: clean after use
Peg board labels for where community tools go

Nichols 4

Do students get provided starter tools? What does the class fee pay for?

10:00am
3/13/2015
Class setup the same
No introductions? Are these return students from last session period so they
already know each other?
Everyone seems comfortable with each other
1st session of new 8-week period
Seems like most students know each other, hows its going, etc.
Teacher asking what clay everyone wants
Does a block of clay come with the class fee?
After chatting for a bit, most scatter off and start working on their pieces.
Guild meeting? What is the Guild meeting?
Redstone clay
8 students?
No one seems brand new, everyone knows where everything is.
Teacher asks, Does anyone have any special requests?
Age range ~30-70
Race mostly white, 3 Japanese
Sex mostly women, 1 man
One student had a problem with a piece and another student reminded them how
to fix it.
Teacher working with a student on a piece she is working on
Some student waiting on clay, assistant (?) getting the clay for everyone out of the
warehouse.
Couple students glazing pots previously made.
Talk of potters conference, potter who took whole bag of clay (~25 lbs) and made
a huge bowl What is the potters conference? Describe it.
Student couldnt get lid for a pot off, teacher saved the day and got it off
without breaking it.
A couple people in the storefront peek back at the class.
New prospect came in to chat with teacher about signing up.
Students asking specific questions on how to do different things, (trim, fix a
handle on a pot, etc.)
Students exchanging contact info.
11:00am
Students doing their own things, small chatter
Some about different ideas for things to create
Customer came in just looking around, teacher spoke, asked if they were a potter,
their spouse is. How often do you get new students?
Wheres the wheat!? student, it was discontinued, not a lot of interest
teacher

Nichols 5
Most seem very focused on what they are working on; the only chatter is just
when they need more direction to learn how to do something they have never
done before.
Couple of the Japanese ladies conversing in what I assume is Japanese
Another new prospect student came in to look around
Student gave another student a cocktail fork. What will I do with this? I
dont know, you know, make designs or something
One student is working on a sculpture from another class, referencing a book
(written by the instructor) with examples in it.
Talk of Clay guild meeting
Some students using wooden spoons of many different sizes to round the inside of
their pots.
Students quiet, focused on their work; teacher working with a student on their pot.
Student share personal tools, glazes and slips they have created
Students laugh and joke, talk about previous teachers they have had.
12:00am
Students still working on their pots, teacher bouncing around answering and
assisting.
Students start cleaning up, some still working.
Notes
Other terms: cone 10, bisque fired, caliper
Max number of people in a class?
How many classes?
Are some types of clay harder to work with? Beginner, intermediate, expert
difficulty?