SAT Question b5a399f1: Transitions answer and explanation

English - Transitions - Sequence Transition
0:00
FREE OFFICIAL BANK
Following the Mata Ortiz pottery technique, Mexican sculptor Juan Quezada Celado starts by creating the base of the pot with a slab of clay. ______ he builds the pot walls by layering coils of clay around the perimeter of the base. Celado then smooths out the pot’s walls with a hacksaw blade. At last, the pot is ready to be painted.
141
Difficulty:Easy
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?