A demonstration session will emphasize the evolution of personal forms — pots with a unique identity. Using the cup as a take-off point, Jack will demonstrate several phases of his own development as a potter, showing how the cup reflects his concern for functional and aesthetic values. Some of the points he will illustrate include surface decoration, tactile qualities, inside-outside considerations, spontaneity and control, as well as focusing attention on the cup as a whole: lip, foot, body, handle. Thrown cups will be altered by faceting, carving, paddling, and stamping. A slide talk on contemporary Japanese teabowls will follow.

Jack will also demonstrate a simple means of extending the scale of work, and will apply a variety of altering techniques to thrown forms so as to keep them from becoming generic pots — the white bread of the ceramics world, as well as making one of his original designs — a squirrel-proof bird-feeder. Pitchers, jars, bowls of various scales will be thrown and altered.

Jack Troy's anecdotal style of information-sharing covers a wide range of topics, including, technical and aesthetic issues in ceramics, personal goals, sources of inspiration, and the dilemma of being a literate potter while knowing that most of the world's best pots were made by people who couldn't read, write, or do glaze calculation. He welcomes questions and dialogue.

The aim of all this is to encounter ideas that will help extend our present knowledge of potting so that we can make informed choices about our work, and put life into the clay we use.