Clay Project Continued! This past Monday we wrapped up the clay coil pot project we started with the kids two weeks earlier. The whole point was to keep the kids engaged in a part of the process of clay, while engaging with their local cultural and physical history.
It was a really fun day! I arrived at Bennett early, at about 12:45, and met the Pewabic Street Team. Alethea, Annie, and Steven set up the mobile kilns quickly, and we were heating them both by 1:20 or so. We loaded the wood kiln not long after, with five pots. The rest were on the bus and got to Bennett around 2. These went in the gas kiln, which fired fast. The kids came out and were so excited, it was impossible to keep them in their groups. They were free to amble around the blacktop and visit the various stations, including the three clay cities-- rolled out maps brought by the Street Team, where kids could build the city of Detroit in their image. The Pewabic Van was another station in and of itself; panels on the inside walls pulled away to reveal historical facts about the pottery house and accessible info about clay and firing/making processes.
Lastly there was the spectacle of the firing itself. The small raku kilns fired quickly, the gas kiln was especially fast, and we were able to take out the hot pots and place them in the trash cans to reduce within a half hour or so of starting that kiln up. The kids got to see the flames when we added more combustible material over the pots, and were buggin out at that point. Unfortunately, we ran out of time before we could quench the pots into the water buckets, so most of the kids were not able to see the pots emerge finished, but they will next time we’re at Bennett! Some of the bottoms burst, but they still exist as cool weird sculptures that the kids got to make collaboratively with us. The Detroit clay held up great in the kilns and worked well with the glazes. The pots are shiny and cool! It was a little chaotic, but not so bad because the kids didn’t have to do too much except communicate and enjoy themselves and learn about the firing and participate in it. Firings are best done as community events, where people can get together and talk to each other! This was that, and I appreciated the help from everyone who made this work. I think the kids will be able to remember it when they see the pots in their classrooms.
Group #2, Nathan & Madison
