Still kickin'

Here is a small crayon drawing my ole buddy Dave McCowan made of me when I was about 35 years old. I had a group that met at my house every Tuesday night.  I was single parenting and the kids would go to Nan's on Tuesday night. I would make a meal, we would drink, smoke(but never inhale), listen to rock and roll, tell jokes and lies and have a great time together.
I made all my pots on a William's kick wheel. The William's wheel can still be purchased used here in Ontario rather cheap as they are big , take up a lot of room and the motor on them is puck driven and can be noisy if you use the motor. I love these wheels and would have another if I could get it down the basement to my studio. I loved to give the wheel one good kick and trim a cup or bowl.  The wheel slowing appropriately. I think everyone should learn on a kick wheel as it teaches you to slow down. I find the main problem with  teaching most students today is speed. They put the pedal to the metal. Slow wheel, soft clay is my mantra.
I was telling people at my talk last night that when i started you couldn't buy prepared clay or glazes. I had an old bakers dough mixer I used to mix my clay. We used to believe that peeing in your clay or pouring tea into the mix made it age better. I've tried it all it seems.  Frank Tucker bought Rodaco Clay from Ron Roy who started making clay for potters in around 72. You could also take your reclaim in to have it remixed.  Frank had to send out a memo to potters to stop peeing in their clay as it was making the guys mixing it hurl.
It is all so much easier today but that said I think the best pots in my life time are being made today. There is some awesome work being made.