In January of 2003, I started studying with Jerry Bennett who introduced me to an incredible new way of making pots. As a ceramicist, Bennett perfected the art of paper clay, which we made the first day of class. Paper clay is made by adding paper fibers (cellulose insulation) to a clay body, (porcelain for me) and mixing the paper fibers and the clay with water and bleach to obtain a paste. To view the step-by-step process, click here.
The paste then lays for a week on big plaster trays. The resulting mixture was perfect for experimenting with forms and textures. The addition of the paper to the clay increases the clay’s strength while reducing its weight, enabling me to produce thin delicate walls for my pots. Moreover, the fibers reduce the danger of air bubbles when hand building, resulting in much more successful first firings.
