Duncan Martin

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'Good form in a pot proceeds from inner harmony'

     Harmony is achieved through discipline in clay preparation, centering the mass on the wheel and raising the form. Ideally the discipline is self generated, however the occasional remark by one’s mentor helps. For example, 'you have a good bowl there now make a hundred like it.!' Achieving the desired form (cylinder, bowl or some variation of these) isn’t the endpoint of the project. Although it may give a great satisfaction at this stage of production of the ware. The final product, the fired ware, and the gratification which goes with it is dependent upon decisions made at the beginning and those which follow. Once the goal is decided upon, i.e., the form (teapot, cup, vase etc.), a choice must be made as to the clay body (earthenware, dark stoneware, white stoneware, porcelain etc.) which will be consistent with the type of glaze to be employed and added decoration.

     At Double Springs Pottery (DSP) most of our ware is stoneware and porcelain. These clay bodies are glazed at high temperatures, cone 9 and 10 (above 2300° F), and all glazes are lead free. Some glazes look good on any clay body, others are enhanced by the use of a white clay body. Common pottery wisdom is that a good form can be ruined by a poor choice of decoration and glaze, but a poor form is not enhanced by the glaze and decoration.