Here are a set of bottles that I talked about throwing in the last post. I had someone ask about why I throw standing up, which I guess I should of written about in the last post so..here it goes.
Back in undergrad I did throw sitting down. I guess I had been making pots for about 3 years at that point. As we all get at the beginning, I would spend hours at the wheel just working on one form. I found after awhile that my tail bone was really giving me some pain the shot down the right side of my leg. At that time in my life I was also going to the gym everyday and doing a lot of power walking so I'm not sure all that physically activity worked well together. In the summer of 2005 I did a workshop with Silvie Granatelli and watched her throw standing up. When I got back, I decided to put my wheel up on cinder blocks and work that summer on teaching myself how to throw a totally different way. It did take a few months to get the hang of it and when it comes to making big things, I have to admit sitting down would be better. I am so use to throwing standing up and "side saddle" as I call it, that I would never got back to sitting so I've figure out ways to modify my throwing. I have no more pain in my lower body now but there is a trade off with some shoulder issues I kind of baby.
I highly recommend going from sitting to standing if your having any lower back issues.
1 comment:
I had been a distance runner for 15 years sleeping on a futon for 15 years and assumed lower back pain came from being a full-time potter. My dog and running partner had a sore leg and so we started walking for a bit instead of running, and DANG if the back pain disappeared, esp. when I got a Sealy posturepedic mattress. I still throw sitting. :) But we sure do have to baby our backs and our joints, don't we?
::le sigh:: gorgeous bottles...
Post a Comment