Pottery/Ceramics

TheIT,

Try visiting WetCanvas.com - they have a clay forum (not looked at it specifically, but their oil/landscape forums are very busy):

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=342

I'm sure they'll be glad to help you out - esp. if you let them know it's for something you're writing and what experience you have with clay so they know where to begin...

FWIW,

Liz

Hi TheIt - Hope I'm not too late to respond to your question. I'm in Ohio and the northern half of Ohio is covered with multiple feet of yellow, glacial clay. We used to dig down below the topsoil to retrieve buckets of the clay which we mixed with enough water to make a soupy mess and then strained it through cheesecloth to get out the minute fibers and rock granules (we actually did this part a couple times). After the clay was strained, we let it sit in a vat until the clay sank to the bottom and the water came to the top. Then we siphoned off the water. Eventually the clay dried enough to be working consistency and it was a matter of making something (but being very careful to get rid of all air bubbles that might make the pot or whatever explode in the kiln.) The Ohio clay fires to a beautiful earthy red color. Puma

Hi, TheIt

This website: http://www.discoverseagrove.com has one of those changing picture links that says, If you have a question, need more information, or would like a free map - click here. There's an email at the bottom.

http://www.seagrovepotteries.com is another link. I've gotten responses from the potters at seagrove when I had questions. I remember reading some information about working with clay like you describe - I don't remember exactly where - I was researching the place for a field trip.

The whole community revolves around the potteries there and many have been in the families for generations. I've read novels from NC authors that revolve around Seagrove. They're probably used to questions. (I'll check my bookmarks to see if I saved it.)