Platter Bowls for Wood Firing #1: Throwing and Conversation

Today we throw some 6 and 9 pound platter bowls for my first wood firing! I hope this inspires you. Enjoy!

[@UsernamesForDummies]

You really center like a god. The clay has just hit the wheel and in seconds it’s centered. A dream! Beautiful platters!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Thanks. Tons of practice.

[@brucec6442]

Really enjoyed your little rant on word usage !!

[@martinbrown9192]

I wholeheartedly endorse your comment about language use, good and well. Perhaps we could add another, enjoy. One enjoys something, enjoy needs an object. I very much enjoy seeing you throw which you do very well.

[@sheilam4964]

Loved the vid. Also liked the inclusion of the rest of the pieces drying on the table. It shows how the wood firing group is growing.

[@zarouszz]

Throwing clay 90 degrees to the axial direction of the pug is excellent advice. Fortunately for me, I learned this early and can testify that all the "compressing" in the world cannot compare to proper orientation of the clay. Working on bats also prevents flexing when you take your piece off the wheel, the clay has a memory and if you flex it and can "Taco" your piece. Buy some bats and you won't regret it. Excellent demo.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Very well said. Maybe you should make the video about s cracks and bats. Haha!

[@clifforddalton3067]

I love "platters" I'd love "just to sit by your wheel" and watch and learn, but that's not to be unfortunately Matt. So I have to be content on youtube; better than nought I guess., and thank you for all your videos and live streams I've learnt a ,lot. Don't concern yourself about your English as you do very well Matt and I've got used to pronunciations of certain words over the years. My fav of your platters is the peacock decor.; lovely

[@Blessings.429]

New sub, I got to say I am loving your work also as a potter you have the cleanest hands I have ever seen.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Thank you. I have worked for years to develop good habits and being clean is one of them. Haha

[@artshaman]

Amazing skill and wonderful platters.

[@mimisalazar8196]

Beautiful,absolutely beautiful!!

[@jamesgordon4433]

Looking forward to your first wood fire ring. The kiln seems larger than others I've seen. Enjoy

[@duaneandmarymartin5375]

Love the throwing videos! Could you possibly demo how to trim something like this? Trimming is the nightmare for me! Thanks!

[@marypeterson1011]

As a former teacher, all I can say is, "Good for you!" Standards are a good thing in pottery and speech. Nice platters!!! This was very enjoyable to watch!!! Thanks!

[@paulagiordan3753]

Well said.

[@MadameChaotica]

You done did good! :)

[@mountainviewturning5319]

Nice job 👍 bowls look great 👍

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Thank you

[@sherigoodremont3823]

Love

[@draven3838]

Those look great nice work

[@eddiespottery8439]

Very nice, cant wait to see the new kiln in operation.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Me too!

[@marlyswilliams9949]

Many thanks for taking time to post. Also, I noticed you do not wire the platter bottom after throwing. Any tips and tricks in the future regarding preventing large items from sticking to the bat and cracking during drying would be appreciated. Getting larger flat pieces off the bats can be challenging. Just an idea for future videos. All the best and sweet dreams. You look bushed.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

You can check out my video on bats where I address some of those issues. Cheers. I did get some sleep. Thanks

[@clifforddalton3067]

thanks Matt, very interesting.

[@clifforddalton3067]

the master at work :)

[@slickniner]

I definitely appreciate the proper use of adverbs versus adjectives!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I’m definitely not an English language expert and I’m not highly educated but I try my best. Haha

[@MrBollow]

That curve of the inside at the edge of the foot has been difficult for me. Your video is helpful.

[@willemh3319]

well spoken looks good this bowl🤣🤣🤣

[@genearnold3252]

Shapes are looking great, perfect for salt! Hey you doin good! Hahaha

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Haha

[@UsernamesForDummies]

Lol!

[@valeriecolclough8280]

great

[@evangoldstein7702]

I too love watching your videos, they are very helpful and inspiring! I noticed that you did not wire under the bowl. Do you normally not wire? How do remove the work from the bat when it is ready to trim?

[@thegoddesschannel1083]

Wow, just found this and really enjoyed it all, I can't wait to see the wood firing! When you throw your lidded jars, do you think you can show how you wax resist so the lids don't stick to the body? Thanks in advance ♥

[@UsernamesForDummies]

Your hands are always so clean! After I’ve centered 4 pounds of clay, my hands are thickly covered and the centered clay weighs about 3 pounds, lol.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Yeah I’m a bit ocd when it comes to keeping my hands and work area clean while throwing. Haha. Imagine that... clean mud

[@clifforddalton3067]

Who do plates and platters have more change of warping in the wood firing Matt?

[@cole_peterson]

I personally find that "s" cracks are caused by too much water. By that i mean not getting the water off the bottom of the piece. "u" cracks are caused by clay being spiraled in a pug mill. To prevent "s" cracks I always make sure to sponge or mop out the bottom of my piece before i start the drying process. Its also important to compress the bottom of pieces once the water is mopped out. Just my personal experience

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Sounds like we need to make a myth busting video. Haha. That would be very helpful for us all wouldn’t it!?!

[@muzikmn6t5]

Where can your pieces be purchased? Have you ever made a round gravy boat with an attached plate beneath it? I love your pieces, espresso the red glaze ones!

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I sell locally for the most part through a couple of galleries and craft shows. I do have plans for a website but I have to make time for that. I’ve not made a gravy boat like you speak of. There are more ideas out there than time to make them all. Haha

[@darrellmelton1215]

Grammar Nazis unite. I am also something of a stickler for grammar. I love the way you throw pots, you have a rhythm that I would like to achieve for myself. I need much more practice though (years of practice).

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Yes that rhythm takes a ton of repetition which only comes with time.

[@karensmale9853]

The pots at the end of your video are beautiful but when you make your bowls as thick as you did do you ever carve on them ?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

This is the first time making these bowls this thick. Haven’t carved any of them and don’t intend to for now.

[@clifforddalton3067]

Do you bisque fire your pots for the wood firing Matt? if so which kiln do you use for this?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I do and I use both electric and gas kilns for that

[@kathleenclarke828]

will certainly subscribe once that music stops.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Is the background music too loud or just not your preferred music?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

If you meant the intro music, I changed from that quite a while ago. That’s an old video.

[@kimbain4368]

I always got A's in English, but I don't see anything wrong with speaking with the colloquialisms of our surroundings. Granted it does bother me when people say ain't because I feel like that has been taught as a no-no all across the nation since kindergarten. But, for instance, in the south, we say "y'all" and I don't have a problem with that. That said, anyone who wants to improve their diction, I'm all for that!

[@patrickbass3542]

I was always told that "s-cracks" resulted from not properly compacting the bottoms of the plates, bowls, platters while throwing. By the way: I don't think I've ever seen a video of your wood-fired kiln...could you share?

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I have heard that also but have only ever had problems with those cracks because of what I described. I have other videos of building the kiln. Will be making more also.

[@patrickbass3542]

@@MatthewKellyPottery I found the video's...Thanks!

[@vickomars]

@@MatthewKellyPottery Thanks so much for that s-crack tip, it has been such a puzzlement. Brilliant work!

[@TsetsiStoyanova]

How do you make clear pottery

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

I don’t know that you can. To be clear would have to be glass as far as I know.

[@CoxJoxSox]

Do you say will and shall properly? I shall, We shall, You will, they will? :D

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Most likely I do not use them correctly. I’ll have to look into that one.

[@willemh3319]

aluminium i.o aluminum

[@clifforddalton3067]

You use the word bunch a lot in America! it's incorrect Matt.

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

Well thankfully I’m not an English teacher or trying to become one. 😉

[@clifforddalton3067]

@@MatthewKellyPottery haha of course not Matt, it was only comment ok :)

[@MatthewKellyPottery]

No worries. There are plenty of words and phrases I use that are not correct English and I try to correct them when necessary, Cheers!