Clay

One of Shari's pieces, naturally formed.
It's bisqued and ready
to be glazed and fired.

It's good to have hobbies in one's dotage, to be creative in the gnarly years of old age retirement. Why not pottery?

It helps that our very good friend Roy Lizama is not only a master potter who helps run a studio, but also has the patience to instruct a complete wonker — your author.

The author, carefully brushing
a porcelain slip onto his
ashtray masterpiece.

I come to clay with only the childhood experience of playing with small tubes of colored plasticine.

Shari immediately went to the top of the class with a couple of stunning vases that copy a style we admire so much in Roy's work:  make a cylinder in dark clay, roll it in dry, powdered white porcelain, then stretch it so cracks appear. Simple? Try it.

My goal is more humble. I am working on an ash tray.

We've had four classes so far. Our works have been bisqued (the preliminary firing) and last week we played with glaze. Perhaps next Tuesday we will see the final results.

Stay tuned.