Your pot starts as a slab cut from a block of clay (shown wrapped in plastic). We pick a form that will give us the size pot we want. Containers take on a new perspective when you build pottery....you look at them as potential molds rather than containers...!

Charlie with his container choice - a large plastic bowl.

The clay is rolled out to an even thickness, then formed over the mold to make the pot.

Charlie's finished forming the pot and attaching the feet

Charlie's engraving the bottom of his pot with it's number, 'Ankhworks', and the year. He'll use his egyptian ring to emboss an ankh symbol in the bottom of the pot. This is the ancient Egyptian symbol of life.

The pot is basically finished, but still on the mold.

Once the pot is allowed to dry sufficiently, it's flipped over on to a board for finishing.

It will then be left to dry slowly in preparation for the first firing - as these pieces are doing. The pieces are quite fragile at this point and have to be handled with care.

Once dry, these pieces will be loaded in the kiln and fired to about 1960 degrees F. This takes approximately 13 hours. The kiln will be allowed completely cool before being opened - about a day and a half later.

Once the kiln is unloaded, Charlie gives them an oxide wash. This will help enhance the color and texture in the final firing.

Pieces drying after the wash has been applied.