Wheels of future fortune

Bitten by the pottery bug, two Central Valley High School students plan to set up shop at the Liberty Lake Farmers Market this summer to sell some of the bowls, mugs, pitchers and pots that are bulging out of the storage space at their homes.

Junior Micah Blyckert and senior Holden Newberg have formed Throw Down Pottery and plan to be at the market starting May 16. Both have access to pottery wheels and kilns at school and at home and create polished, colorful items that are sure to draw shoppers’ interest.

In each student’s case, the obsession with pottery started innocently. They were just looking for an art elective, starting in their sophomore years. “Everyone said pottery was a cool elective,” Blyckert said.

Last summer, Blyckert grew antsy without access to a pottery wheel. He signed up for classes at Clay Connections and used that studio to create. His parents got him a pottery wheel for Christmas and he got a kiln in March. He uses a lot of blues and browns in his glazes and even has a signature of sorts. “I have a turtle design I make with wax,” he said.

Newberg said that he’s more of a seagull guy, incorporating the bird’s form on many of his items. While he makes all kinds of bowls, mugs and vases, his favorite thing to create is decorative teapots.

Even after three years, he has to pause and think when asked what he likes about pottery.

“I really liked it and just kept coming,” he said. “It’s just being one-on-one with the clay. It’s kind of soothing. And it’s fun to make new shapes.”

Newberg laughs when he acknowledges that his work is much better now than when he started three years ago. “This is way better,” he said. “You definitely learn as you go.”

In class this week it took him less than 15 minutes to transform a chunk of clay into a pitcher, using generous splashes of water to keep it moist as he used his hands to shape the spinning clay. The challenge, he said, is to attach the handles firmly and make the pitchers light enough to be used.

Pottery teacher Sue Mihalic is impressed with how far both of her students have come. “(Newberg) was pretty timid,” she said of his early efforts. “Things were a bit off, a little heavy. He could self-critique and fix it.

“Both of these guys are perfectionists. They ask a lot of questions. They’re both very nice young men.”

Blyckert came up with the idea of selling some of his creations to ease the burden on his mom’s closets. “I give a lot of my stuff to my mom,” he said. “She has a lot of mugs and pitchers and stuff.”

Newberg’s mother also has a healthy collection. “My mom actually tries to give them away because we have so many,” he said.

Blyckert asked around at local craft shows and was told that the best way to get started in the pottery business was at a farmers market. The one in Liberty Lake is the closest. But he said making money isn’t his primary goal. “I’d probably make them if I couldn’t make money.”

Newberg expressed the same feeling. “I wouldn’t say it’s to make money, but making money won’t be bad either. I guess it’s more for the experience.”