Monday, May 18, 2009

Left or right?

The students finished up the heads today and they have been left to dry this week. I'm hoping to get them in the kiln on Friday to fire over the weekend. I had some time to throw some pots yesterday, finally, and some time to trim today. For years, I have thrown right handed. It was just easier than fighting for the few wheels in the community studios that would switch to left hand. I adjusted to fit, but threw very awkwardly and trimming was a mess. Now I have my own wheel and I made sure I got one that would go both ways, but still throwing right handed because that's what I have gotten used to. Today, I decided to switch and trim left handed. OMG! It was like someone took the pencil out of my right hand and said "here, you are left handed, write with your left hand, fool!" So, the trimming went so well, I gave throwing left handed a go. Centering is hard to get the hang of, I have developed some bad habits with my contortion throwing, but I have so much more control pulling with my left hand. I feel like I'm learning to throw all over again, but I think this might be better on my body in the long run. My pots have a lot more life to them as well. Interesting....At least my posture was better today. Has anyone else put themselves through this?

5 comments:

Pottergirl said...

LOL! I was taught by a lefty, and it changed my world. I'm a righty and still throw like a lefty. Good for you :)

Hollis Engley said...

Brave woman, Tracey. I'm interested to see how this all ends up when you get used to throwing lefty. I'm lefthanded, but was taught by a righthander and never even thought about it. (Maybe that's why it took so long to learn to center ... hmmm ...) But I can't imagine I'd switch by this time. I still bat righthanded in softball, because that was the way all the kids in the old neighborhood hit when I was about five years old.

Tracey Broome said...

Trying to learn to center again is a bit of a challenge. I like the way the things I have thrown look, but the centering is taking forever, and then it's not spot on. I bat left handed, used to drive the kid crazy that had to pitch to me.

Hollis Engley said...

Come on up to the Cape, Tracey. Our team needs a decent female lefthanded hitter. Or any gender, for that matter.

Linda Starr said...

My husband is left handed and his teacher in grammar school used to smack his hand with a ruler and make him use his right hand - back in the days - now he has an aversion to writing, but he is ambidextrous with certain tasks.