A Good Stretch: Creating Interesting Surface and Form with Stretched Slabs Jim Robison and Ian Marsh

One of the magical properties of clay is its ability to stretch and change shape under pressure. This is easy to see when on the potter’s wheel, as the hands coax a hollow mass into an elegant shape, but most of us are less aware of this potential when working with slabs.

Thick slabs, cut from a block of clay, may be stretched into thin and surprisingly uniform sheets. To do this, the slab is picked up by one end, thrown from side to side and dropped upon a board or unvarnished wood table. Friction from contact with the table increases the slab’s length through sideways motion. When doing this, it is important to let the trailing edge contact the table first, while you continue the directional motion with the hands. Otherwise it bunches up in a rather interesting fashion – creating more of a lump than a slab.

Any impressions, drawings, marks or textures made in clay develop an irregular, spontaneous quality when stretched in this fashion. An example of this may be seen in the sculpture done with young schoolchildren. They drew creatures found in the nearby nature reserve on clay tiles. When stretched slightly, the drawings’ linear qualities became uneven, slightly abstract, and I believe this variety makes them all the more interesting.

Eddie Curtis creates a fascinating surface by stretching thick slabs. He first dries out one side by rolling it into powdered clay. This side may also be textured before stretching. The slab is then tossed from side to side until Eddie is satisfied with its surface and reduced thickness. These slabs then become the sides and other elements of his dramatic handbuilt pots.