One of the best parts of being at Fireworks is the exposure to the artists that maintain studios there and their various working methods. Today I watched Dan Allen make  a figure using very thin pads of paper clay, less than a quarter of an inch thick and a few inches in diameter, which he pinches together to form the figure. He uses two sticks to prop the figure to give it support as needed as he is building.

It's been fascinating to watch Welsh ceramicists work, who seem to typically use far less tools and equipment than we do in America. I have found myself inspired by this low tech expertise and am  only using about three tools out of the entire large red tool box I brought with me.