Behind the Scenes: The Art of Pottery Making
Watch the transformation of raw clay into tactile, nature-inspired stoneware. From the rhythm of the wheel to the final glaze, here is the journey behind my work.
The process of throwing a large vase on the wheel. My favorite part is cutting it in half at the end to check the cross-section for even wall thickness. It's a great way to learn and improve.
Watch me pull the walls of the clay up on the wheel to create a tall, elegant vase. This requires a lot of control and a steady hand.
Creating a long-necked vase on the pottery wheel. The final step is "collaring in" the top to create the narrow neck, which is always a delicate moment.
Exploring different vase shapes on the wheel. The process is so meditative, just feeling the clay respond and take form in my hands.
Another wheel-throwing session, just enjoying the process of shaping the clay.
A peaceful moment of throwing in my studio, with my snake plant keeping me company. The connection to nature is always present in my work.
Wheel-throwing after a long break always feels so good. It’s like coming home.
Just a simple, satisfying video of me throwing on the wheel. It’s my happy place.
Wheel throwing isn't always as easy as it looks. This video shows a real-life struggle with a larger amount of clay. It’s all part of the learning process.
I’ve been practicing throwing bigger vases lately. It takes a lot of patience and practice to master, but I love the challenge.
About A Story in Clay: The Making Of
Pottery making is rarely a straight line. Before you get a finished ceramic piece, the clay spends weeks drying, firing, and then glazing. Whether I am centering a mound of clay on the wheel or meticulously hand-building a planter, the rhythm is slow and deliberate. It usually takes 3 to 4 weeks for that first lump of clay to become a bowl or vase you can actually use in your home.
The process here at my Uttarahalli studio is grounded in nature. When you watch the wheel spin, it looks peaceful, but it requires serious focus. I start by wedging the stoneware clay to remove air bubbles, which is the most important step for durability. Then comes the centering, pulling the walls up, and finally shaping.
Not every attempt works, and that is part of the charm. If a wall collapses or a rim gets too thin, I reshape it or start over. This practice of letting go is what makes the end result special. After the wheel work, the pieces dry to a leather-hard stage where I do the trimming. Then they sit for a week before the first bisque fire. The glazing process is where my nature inspiration really comes in, with colors like earth browns and sea blues applied in layers to mimic the world outside my window. It is a long journey, but holding a piece that you saw being born from wet clay makes every minute of that 3-week wait worth it. Whether you are curious about wheel throwing or want to try hand-building, this is the reality of the craft.
Ihalo Studio
I run Ihalo Studio here in Uttarahalli, where I turn nature-inspired ideas into tactile stoneware. It is a quiet, meditative space where you can get your hands messy and learn the rhythm of the wheel. I believe that creating something from scratch brings a special kind of peace.
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