Pottery projects take shape at Parkersburg Art Center
Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, unloaded pottery and placed it at a station for an organic material to be applied. According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. They used things like woodchips, feathers and horse hair. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Ken Pearce provided blacksmithing demonstrations in the Parkersburg Art Center Parking lot on Saturday, where he was making small metal leaves. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
These pieces show effects of wood chips and horse hair. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, unloaded pottery and placed it at a station for an organic material to be applied. According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. In this photo, the pottery was set into a tub of wood chips as it cooled, to give it a cracked effect. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, unloaded pottery and placed it at a station for an organic material to be applied. According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. In this photo, the horse hair was laid on top of the heated pottery to give it lines. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, unloaded pottery and placed it at a station for an organic material to be applied. According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. In this photo, feathers were melted onto the pottery as it cooled. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Pottery was preheated prior to being placed into the Raku Kiln so it wouldn’t break due to the heat. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, unloaded pottery and placed it at a station for an organic material to be applied. According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. They used things like woodchips, feathers and horse hair. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Ken Pearce provided blacksmithing demonstrations in the Parkersburg Art Center Parking lot on Saturday, where he was making small metal leaves. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
These pieces show effects of wood chips and horse hair. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, unloaded pottery and placed it at a station for an organic material to be applied. According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. In this photo, the pottery was set into a tub of wood chips as it cooled, to give it a cracked effect. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, unloaded pottery and placed it at a station for an organic material to be applied. According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. In this photo, the horse hair was laid on top of the heated pottery to give it lines. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, unloaded pottery and placed it at a station for an organic material to be applied. According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. In this photo, feathers were melted onto the pottery as it cooled. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
Pottery was preheated prior to being placed into the Raku Kiln so it wouldn’t break due to the heat. (Photo by Madeline Scarborough)
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PARKERSBURG -- The Parkersburg Art Center Potters constructed a Raku Kiln by hand out of repurposed scraps and gave it a test drive on Saturday.
The Potters started preheating the Raku Kiln around 10:30 a.m. to see what a little flame, a whole lot of heat and some organic materials can do to a piece of pottery.
Although there was some light rain, the weather cooperated enough to fire up some pottery designs well into the afternoon.
According to group member Vance Hewitt, who was working the Raku Kiln, the old one the Art Center had was a load down one, and more dangerous.
The new one also has more insulation, another safety measure.
After the pottery pieces set in the Raku Kiln for about 25 minutes, Hewitt removed them and placed them into different organic materials for further unique designs.
According to Hewitt, the organic materials would bring out different lines and colors in the pottery. They used things like wood chips, feathers and horse hair.
"We have not been able to be as out and about with community events since the pandemic, and I am happy we were able to bring out the equipment for some public demonstrations," said Hewitt.
According to the Art Center, PAC's Clay Studio purpose is to educate the greater Parkersburg area and surrounding communities about the wonderful world of clay and give potters a place to call their own.
"We want to make clay available to potters of all ages and experience levels," the Art Center says on their website. "The Clay Studio is a safe, efficient, and an inspirational place where everyone can explore potting skills such as wheel-throwing, hand-building or sculpting….and all at a very affordable price."
The studio consists of two classrooms, one for hand building and one for wheel throwing.
Check out their website for more details or visit the Parkersburg Art Center.
Madeline Scarborough can be reached at mscarborough@newsandsentinel.com