My Aunt Tena of Earthborn Pottery and Cahaba Clayworks hosted myself and a dozen other bloggers Saturday to let us experience pottery making first hand.
In all the years that Tena has done pottery, I’ve never taken one of her classes, and so I’ve been SO excited about trying it out! I had no idea what I’d been missing.
(I might have a new obsession to add to my already way-too-long list.)
We started out with a tutorial on how to use the wheel from both Tena,
And her business partner, Larry. We were most impressed with their ability to take a mound of clay,
and turn it into a piece of amazing art in less than five minutes. 
Tena also gave us instructions on how to hand-form pieces:
And then she set us loose with balls of clay.
Half headed to the wheels, and the other half of us started hand-forming. Tena and Larry walked us through every step, and would come running when we had a claymergency.
I started at the hand-forming tables, and quickly realized from the shrieks of the other side of the room that I had definitely started out on the “bunny slopes” of pottery.
I started out trying to make a coffee mug, but it’s massivity might require it to be something else, or I will never sleep again.
The other hand-formers seemed much more suited to the task than I, especially Jamie, whose creation was so awesome that most of us started over and tried to make “Jamie Mugs”.
After lunch, my group headed to the wheels. 
We quickly learned that if you lose objects on the spinning wheel, it’s REALLY hard to catch them.
Luckily, Tena was there to help us harness our clay.
We also learned that the instructions to “make a cone” didn’t always turn out…cone-shaped.
After much less practice than I thought it would take, we managed to tame our clay and actually make it resemble actual pottery. My favorite part was putting my thumbs in and creating the cavern for the first time:
And my final creation:
I know, I know. My clay really had an asymmetric ambition, and I decided that I was not the type to deny it being what it felt that it should be.
And really, I was a bit smitten by its wavey look.
We had our messes,
Our successes, 
And we ALL had some failures,
But in the end, we ended up with a dazzling array of pieces, especially for a bunch of women that had never worked with a pottery wheel before. 
(No, I have NO idea how everyone managed symmetry but me.)
Tena will glaze these for us, and they will have the same beautiful and bold colors of her pottery that is used around the country to serve five-star meals: 
We had an amazing time – I had no idea that pottery was so doable for an unskilled person like myself. I am already mentally planning a girl’s night of pottery making to get my next fix!!
If you’re interested in buying pottery, playing with pottery, or taking lessons,
- Information on buying Earthborn Pottery can be found here.
- Six week classes (a two hour class per week plus unlimited studio use for practice): $150.
- Pottery Parties (like the one we did) are $35 per person, with a minimum of six guests, can be scheduled at a time of your choice, and are two hours.
- Information on the classes and parties can be found at Cahaba Clayworks.
I’m thinking about doing another pottery party for bloggers or anyone that reads my blog and would like to come socialize and make pottery at the same time – it would be $35 per person, and it is SO much fun! Let me know if you’d like to be a part of it!
And…stay tuned for a giveaway of a piece of Tena’s pottery later this week!
Standing, from left: Cheri, Me, Mama Hen, Jill, Jamie, Rhoda, Leigh, Tammy, Beth. Kneeling: Nanci, Trina, Jessica.
…Now I’m dying to go make another piece of pottery.
I insist that we have a girl's night there. If we don't, then I'm all in for the random assortment of followers party. I want to make pottery. What if it is what I'm meant to do, and I never knew??!!
I have blown glass before, by the way. It is wicked awesome!
I would love to go to a blogger/blog reader session. What fun!
In the 7th grade I had study hall in the art class where the seniors were learning the art of clay. We had a really cool art teacher, and she would let us play if they werent too busy, or working on other projects. Coolest thing ever! She had of course left the school by the time I was a senior…bummer!
Wow, that looks like so much fun! I took art all through high school and clay was always my favorite medium. I may have to look into a pottery party! :)
That would be fun! I'd go to B'ham for that.
Oh my gosh Rachel, your post is so much better than mine! I think you are fast becoming my blog hero!
Jill, Rachel has been my blog hero since I first found her and read the Mom Jeans and Dreaded Long Butt post. Hysterical.
Anyway, Rachel~ I MUST make more pottery. I will gladly go just say the word! I am seriously considering taking a class this summer if I can figure out a day that works.
If you decided to go again I would consider going. It was so much fun and I am determined to make a bowl with a pedestal.
I've always wanted to try making pot. I only got the chance to watch someone do it when I once visited a pottery way back when I was a child. I hope that the next time I visit, I can finally touch the clay.Hehe
Looks like so much fun! You should be proud of your piece, if I did it I bet it would resemble a pancake :)
Oh, this makes me miss taking classes more than ever! Your Aunt Tena was a GREAT teacher. I love looking at my pots that are sitting in my china cabinet, and using the cups that I made.
I would definitely be interested in attending a pottery party!
And btw, I am so jealous that she let y'all work with her red clay!!! We had to use white clay when we had our classes.
That looks so fun! I wish I could come. T took a full year of pottery classes in college. We used to go in after hours and he taught me how to make some stuff, but I never got to use the wheel. It was so fun and it's really theraputic to work with your hands to create stuff.
Oh I adore the way you wrote this up! How much fun we had indeed. Thanks so much for everything!!
Oh what fun! Sorry I missed it!
THat was such a blast! My post went up today. THanks again for including me in this fun event.
Count me in! I want to go back. and I know some other bloggers who want to go as well! Just say when, okay?
Thank you for organizing this event. It was great fun and nice to meet everyone. I cannot wait to see my finished piece. If you talk to Tena, will you ask her to make my pieces in a "ocean" glaze colors? If not, thats ok.
Stop by my place if you can. Would love to have you visit. And be sure to enter the giveaway!
HUGS!
Leigh
Tales from BLoggeritaville
http://www.lbratina.blogspot.com
looks like yall had fun! lemme know next time you get a party together!
If you do this again, I would love to come!
I just booked a class for me and my friends! I'm excited and can't wait. You should post a picture of how your finished product turned out. Roll Tide.