So you want to make clay pots for your plants? How to start?
As mentioned in my first post, you will need access to a kiln. And clay. And time. And a place to work.
But really, the first thing you need is the framework: What are you trying to do and why?
I find it is best not to pay much attention to what the rest of the world is thinking. For instance, in the case of pots, most folks think they should be a certain way. Like round. With a level rim. With drain hole. But what if you made up your own rules? You know your plants, right? You know they need soil for their roots? So the pot should be able to hold soil for roots. You know where the pots will sit? So the pot should be of a certain size. Beyond that, you can do as you like. The thing has to stand up. That is enough. Physics and plant physiology govern what will work as a container for plants. What the rest of the world thinks is beside the point. To be creative, one must ignore the rules.
The next thing is the clay. If you intend to use clay to make your pots, you must know clay. There is a lot of information out there of course, and I will not even try to pass that on to you. What you should do, though, is to plug into a community, or a craft business, or some sort of infrastructure (for me it was auditing pottery classes at a community college) that can support your making of pots. There should be someone you can ask questions of. A place where you can apply glazes (if you want to). A place you can have your pots fired.
Once you have secured that infrastructure, you are ready to start building.
Just remember; other than the laws of physics and physiology, you are free to make anything you want. The clay just has to stand up.
More about clay later.
PotterK
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