Wheel Throwing Class

Teacher's response

Hi Sarah,
Really nice to meet you both, your mum loved your birthday gift, and didn’t she do well!
Best wishes
Sandra

Teacher's response

Hi Fin
It was not a pleasant session yesterday, yet it started out so well, Diana was delighted with your gift when she walked into my wee studio, this is the usual reaction on arriving and leaving…Joy!
Unfortunately, Diana decided not to follow my throwing instructions, as she said she’d ’found a better way to do it’, this was why I was so surprised or ‘wide-eyed’ as you describe it, (with a smile as I recall), I was surprised but didn’t mind. In my opinion Diana was frustrated that ‘her way’ wasn’t not working. This resulted in her slamming my wee wheel, which I didn’t appreciate, plus her beautiful wee pot I’d helped her retrieve, fling open my studio door, leaving it open, and go outside to cry. I offered tea and coffee shortly afterwards to try and calm the situation, as well as to try pinch pots as we’d spoken of earlier in the session. If my methods had been so varied with you both, why did you only say this after you’d been outside to console Diana? You said nothing prior to then, which I assume to mean you didn’t see any difference, because there was no difference.
As I recall I’d pushed back your sleeves on a couple of occasions (this happens during most sessions as peoples sleeves slide down, sometimes I’ve put hair bands on both men and women as their hands are dirty, and I’ve cleaned clay off a few pairs of glasses too), which you’d not minded. I did the same with Diana to prevent staining her lovely vintage jumper, it’s called being helpful, not ‘weird’ as you unfortunately interpret it as. Oh and I do feel sorry for people who have to sit in-front of a computer all day, as ‘personally’ I’d not like it at all, as I said more and more creative people who do so, are booking in for a session as they want to use their hands for a change…their words!
I’ve no idea what Diana said to you during the 10 mins you were both outside but for both to return, tell me you were leaving, then putting your coats on and bombarding me with insults, accusing me of liking men more than women, (which is laughable to those who know me), have a negative energy (positivity is a political statement, is my motto) and that I taught Diana differently to you are all derogatory statements, untrue and your own personal opinions of me. My instructions were not ‘do this’ or ‘do that’ I’m afraid you were totally misinformed! I realised this and was why I asked you both to ‘kindly leave my studio’. Diana only made eye contact after she’d convinced you of her version of events and said with a smile, ‘aaah so your problem was that I’d found a better way and didn’t do as you told me’, this seemed to please her.
Both of your energy towards me was negative! It was a horrible experience and one I hope never to experience again.
As I’ve asked, why come to a class to learn something new and ignore ‘basic’ throwing instruction, is not something I’d come across until yesterday. The basics are the same but people use different hand positions and methods. That is why I left Diana to it, but kept an eye on her, since I didn’t know what her way was, but was interested, it may have worked, every day is a school day. Unfortunately for her it did not work out, I then went over to help retrieve the pot. By that time there was no eye contact from Diana and no answers to my questions or acknowledgment she’d heard me. Yes I asked if she was in a bad mood now (since her way hadn’t worked) it was half jokingly said to try and lighten the very dark mood she was getting herself into. She then abruptly shouted at me to turn down the music, which I did, on my return I tried to talk to her kindly as I could see she was upset about something, but had no idea what.
When you were hurrying out to attend to Diana, you said ‘no, it’s something else’ which I interpreted to mean there was an under-lying reason for her behaviour, I still believe that to be the case, it’s the only explaination that makes any sense to me,
She asked me to ‘use different words’ I wasn’t sure what she meant, I was using the same words I always use. Blind and deaf people can throw, I showed her hand positions on numerous occasions, I did also describe what I was doing exactly the same way I did to you. I demonstrate throwing the way I was taught at Glasgow School of Art. Up until Diana’s outburst, you said you were enjoying the class and were doing very well, you’d both thrown 3 pieces by then. Diana had thrown one fairly large one which I’d remarked upon, I treated you both the same.
I’ve emailed you offering £25 refund for the last half hour, ie your decision to leave not mine. You both threw 3 pieces each, you picked 1 each, you don’t want them now. You called me minutes after you’d left, and when I answered you hung up, you called back accusing me of ‘rudeness’ and requested a full refund?!?
I am self-employed, business electricity went up 3 times not 2 like domestic you were both on wheels for an hour! I take my work very seriously but I think it should also be fun, and I treat people the way I’d like to be treated myself.
I hope things improved for you both yesterday, they did for me, a lovely couple were in after you both and another 5 star review received this morning after a session on Friday.
At no point did I say to your partner ‘I told you what to do and you didn’t do it’, this is total fabrication on your parter’s side. I have never experienced such aggression in my studio as I did from Diana.
It’s really sad yesterday didn’t work out for you both.
This is the first negative review I’ve ever received in 20 years! I’m sure it will be only one.

I wish you both well,
Sandra

Teacher's response

Thank you Rob, you and Stephanie were both great on the wheel. So glad you both took to it so well. Fantastic results and lovely to meet you both.
Best wishes, Sandra.