Spiral Throwing

In this workshop, we’re taking the fundamentals of wheel throwing and using them as a springboard into something much more playful, expressive and sculptural — Spiral Throwing.

Rather than focusing on perfectly smooth and symmetrical pots, we’ll intentionally push the clay beyond its comfort zone, using texture, movement and distortion to create pieces full of personality and character.

We’ll start with the foundations of wheel throwing, including centering, opening and pulling cylinders, before transforming those forms using a variety of texturing and shaping techniques. You’ll learn why keeping your walls slightly thicker gives you more freedom to manipulate the clay and how to create texture while the clay is still moving on the wheel.

From there, we’ll explore different ways to mark and manipulate the surface using ribs, wire tools, found objects and natural materials. You’ll see how texture changes as the clay stretches, creating deeper marks, warped edges and unexpected forms.

We’ll also experiment with faceting, stretching, folding, collapsing and intentional distortion, allowing the clay to move beyond traditional symmetrical shapes. The aim isn’t to fix every wobble or imperfection, but to discover what happens when you work with the clay rather than constantly trying to control it.

You’ll be encouraged to create a series of pieces and experiment with different approaches, from subtle surface texture to dramatic sculptural forms. We’ll also look at how texture interacts with glaze, creating shadows, highlights, depth and beautiful variations across the finished surface.

This workshop is all about exploration, curiosity and letting go of perfection. If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to make the “perfect pot”, this is your invitation to play, experiment and discover a more expressive side of wheel throwing.

What you'll learn

• How to approach wheel throwing with a more expressive and experimental mindset
• How to prepare and centre clay for sculptural wheel-thrown forms
• How to throw a thicker-walled cylinder for texturing and manipulation
• How to prepare your surface before adding texture
• How to create texture directly on the wheel
• How to use ribs, wire tools and found objects to create surface marks
• How to use natural materials such as pine cones, shells and seed pods for texture
• How stretching the clay transforms and exaggerates surface texture
• How to manipulate textured forms into organic and sculptural shapes
• How to create bulbous, wide, organic and expressive forms
• How to experiment with faceting to create dramatic surface effects
• How to intentionally stretch, warp, fold and distort clay
• How to embrace unexpected movement and imperfections in your forms
• How to create a series of pieces to explore different techniques
• How to combine smooth and textured areas for visual contrast
• How texture interacts with glaze to create depth, shadows and highlights
• How to push your wheel throwing beyond traditional symmetrical forms