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Helen Cole 05/03/2025
If there's something the Indytute knows well, it's pottery.. Head of Experiences, Helen, reveals all about her pottery passion...
Idon’t know why, but I find something truly magical in watching
a lump of dull clay being turned into a perfectly formed pot. Cue my obsession with The Great Pottery
Showdown, approaching its 8th season final this weekend! I’m deeply invested in who Siobhan announces as
Potter of the series? Will it be Natalie, the double gourd champion, or James the hell mouth fireplace
hero or perhaps Steve, with his whimsical statement mantlepiece clock? They’ve each won Potter of the
Week 3 times so it’s all to play for. Keith and Rich’s surprise challenges keep it fun and risk pottery
disasters which, let’s face it, are highly entertaining.
It’s soothing, it’s hypnotic, and if
The Great Pottery Throw Down has taught us anything, it’s that it’s also deeply emotional. Who knew a
perfectly pulled handle could bring a grown man to tears? Or the repeated mention of knobs would reduce
the entire cast into fits of giggles.
If you’ve ever found yourself glued to the screen, quietly
rooting for a wobbly vase to make it through the firing without cracking, then welcome to the club. This
show has turned us all into armchair potters, critiquing the consistency of slip decoration as if we’ve
been throwing pots for years. And let’s be honest, it’s also made us all secretly want to have a go.
Get Your Hands Dirty
Pottery is not about perfectly piped icing or precision cut
patterns. It’s raw, tactile and wonderfully unpredictable. The wheel spins, the clay takes shape (or
collapses spectacularly), and somehow, through patience and perseverance, something beautiful emerges.
Most of the time. Across the UK, pottery workshops are popping up, giving us the chance to try out
throwing, coiling, and glazing our own ceramic creations. And yes, you absolutely should give it a go.
Channel Your Inner Throw Down Champion
If you’ve ever shouted “IT’S GOING TO CRACK!” at the telly
or teared up at a delicate raku-fired bowl, then it’s time to swap the sofa for the studio. Whether you
want to try wheel throwing or fancy hand-building your own mug (because tea tastes better from a cup you
made yourself), there’s a pottery workshop waiting for you.
We can’t promise a Hollywood-style
slow-motion moment at the wheel aka that Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze moment in Ghost. Ok, I appreciate
that was 1990 (showing my age there!) We can promise that sinking your hands into cool, squidgy clay is
one of the most satisfying things you’ll ever do.
If you’re itching to get your hands dirty and
have a go, why not book a pottery workshop and see what all the fuss is about?
You may find
your new craft passion but, at the very least, you’ll have a wonky bowl that’s 100% unique. And that’s
something worth celebrating.
