Dateline Dayton — If you have followed my essays for some time, you may remember in December 2009 I wrote about our Thanksgiving trip to Gatlinburg.

We visited a pottery shop and actually made a piece of pottery. The small vase I made, with much help from the staff, turned out so well it is on display in our home along with the dish Pauline made.

I have been so fascinated with my pottery and the experience I had of throwing that piece, that last September, for our wedding anniversary, Pauline gave me pottery classes.

Since then, I have been attending classes and visiting the recreation center one additional evening each week. I wish I could say the items I have made turned out as well as the piece I made in Gatlinburg. Not true.

I have good days and many bad ones. Our instructor always tells us how long it takes to get the knack for this hobby, especially centering. She has spent years doing this. Still, she has days she is not satisfied with what she produces.

Look at His First Try

At a craft show, I was talking with a gentleman selling pottery. He told me it took him more than a year to produce a piece he felt he could sell. When he showed me his first piece, I was encouraged. Mine looked similar.

Here is what I have learned so far:

Any piece of pottery probably is worth the asking price. In many cases, if the vendor would charge a fair price for his time, the price would need to be much higher. Potters usually love what they are doing.

What About Equipment?

To produce a piece of pottery, you need a wheel, which you can rent or buy. You must purchase the clay and tools, and there are many. Now you make the piece, which takes time.

Next, trim your item. Since it must be fired, you either pay to have that done or you rent — or take the big leap and purchase a kiln.

After the piece is fired, you must glaze the item, so you must purchase different glazes for your items.

Then comes another firing. The piece could have broken in either of the firings. In that case, you would need to start over, having nothing for all your effort. You even could be doing some additional glazing requiring yet another firing.

I haven’t said anything about water. You will need a lot as well as electric, cleaning supplies and the list goes on.

Still, pottery is a bargain. Support your local potter.

By the way, have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Mr. Hennessey, who is celebrating St. Patrick’s, may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net