Pottery is most definitely having a moment. From the oh-so-cool independent ceramists on Instagram to the self-care groups for crafting something with your hands, every aspect of pottery is soothing.
The Fenney Artful Clayers of The Villages can vouch for their brilliance to help beginners through the tricks and tips of creating something at group meetings from clay.
The group is run by Martha “Marty” Norton, and members are guided into creating two or three pottery pieces, with plenty of clay left to carry on personal pottery exploration.
“Everyone has such different ideas,” said Norton, of the Village of Sanibel. “When we open the kiln, it’s like Christmas. It’s so exciting to see how everybody’s pieces turn out.”
Participants meet at Fenney Regional Recreation Complex. The group comprises of 17 advanced clayers who gather at 9 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
The residents have crafted everything from busts to bowls, plus plates and vases – after all, today’s best craft pieces are tomorrow’s antiques.
They work on individual projects while discussing what they’re doing with each other.
Norton recently introduced a new technique called Mishima, in which a design is scratched into the clay and a glaze is seeped into the lines, creating a vivid hue from the base.