The joy of returning to Pottery classes at Brooks studio

I last went to pottery classes in Pinetown about 30 years ago.  I loved the craft and have missed playing with mud ever since.  When I moved to Jo’burg in 2000 I tried a few times to find a studio on the East Rand but was unsuccessful.  A few months ago I read the Katie Fford book Living Dangerously and once again searched for a studio, this time I found Brooks studio in Edenvale and started classes at the start of May.  Mary and her daughter Lindsey are wonderful teachers, I have learned so much and continue to learn during every lesson.

I can’t begin to express how much joy pottery gives me.  From the moment my class ends I’m looking forward to the next one.  I’m fairly adept at playing with words but I am by no stretch an artist like my Mum, which goes to show that even someone who can hardly draw a stick man can do pottery.  I love looking at the projects which others in class are working on too.

This bird feeder was made in pipe clay in 3 pieces.  It has holes for the rope and nails which were glued in as fruit spikes.  The roof was made pressing leaves into the clay and cutting out the clay around them.  The birds are loving their 5* restaurant and it is a point of constant activity.

Despite previously only working on the wheel, I haven’t moved past hand work yet as there are so many ideas which I’ve wanted to play with, which don’t suit the wheel.  I do however plan to get onto the wheel during Aug.

I haven’t made a lot of things at this point because I took on rather big projects which stretched over weeks but I will keep updating this post with what I bring home.

Update, Mary Brooks has now retired but the studio remains my happy place with Linsey running it now.

I’ve been forgetting to add all the fun things that I’ve brought home. Here are some

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