Shaping Memories
My First Pottery Experience in Yingge
Handcrafting is one of my favorite hobbies because it always gives me a sense of real satisfaction. I’ve been wanting to try wheel throwing for a long time, but it’s hard to find classes in the city because it requires a large kiln to fire the pottery. So when I saw a wheel throwing class online, I immediately sent the link to my friend, and he replied with an enthusiastic “yeees!”
Fast forward to this weekend, and we finally made our way to Yingge, Taiwan’s famous pottery town, to give wheel throwing a try. Yingge feels like a small town hidden in the mountains, filled with pottery shops and artwork everywhere. The old buildings, combined with the fog surrounding them, made the place almost dreamlike. It felt like we’d stepped into another world, far from the city.
We entered the pottery shop where we’d made a reservation, and the owner, along with his friendly cat, greeted us with big smiles. The shop owner was kind and took us on a little tour, showing us all the different pottery items we could make. There were bowls, plates, mugs, photo frames, and even little figurines. It was hard to choose because I wanted to try making everything! But since it was our first time, the owner recommended we start with something simple, like a bowl or a plate. My friend chose to make a bowl, while I decided to go with a plate.
When I first touched the clay, I was shocked by its unique texture? It felt both wet and dry, smooth yet a little gritty. It took a while to get used to the feeling, and it was surprisingly challenging to work with. Above all, keeping the moisture is the most difficult part. Too much water makes it hard to shape and may slipping out, but if it’s too dry, the clay doesn’t mold as smoothly. The owner gave us a few tips, showing us how to test the clay’s texture by pressing lightly with our thumbs.
Once I got the key points, I was able to keep my clay in control. I used my left hand to steady the clay, keeping it from wobbling, while my right hand pressed it down into a flat plate shape. It was funny because if I pressed too hard or didn’t balance the pressure just right, the clay would turn into a strange shape! But after focusing on each movement and following the owner’s advice, I managed to shape a plate that I was pretty happy with.
Once the plate was shaped, I decided to add a personal touch by drawing a small picture of my dog in the center. It was just a simple outline, but seeing it on the clay made me smile. I can’t wait to see how it turns out once it’s fired and glazed! Hopefully, it’ll come out just as cute as I imagined.