Rufford

We've all now returned from Rufford. It was a good show but so exhausting! The weather was very good and the organisation excellent so that everything went very smoothly.
I have posted all the pictures I took which weren't very many and I've organised them in no particular order.
Hannah is above just coming to the end of her demonstration. I thought it was a difficult thing to do to stay calm and talk when you are concentrating on banding and slip trailing. It's fascinating seeing other peoples methods of working.
Chiu-i Wu ceramics was in the court yard where I was. I enjoyed the humour of her work.
Here's Doug watching his stand or are there some others watching his stand! Seriously though one of the good things about a pottery festival is meeting up with the other potters and having 'pot' speak. It's also very helpful and informative to talk to our audience of pottery buyers. It can be quite isolating working away in the studio and some how getting out to a festival refocuses the mind.


Tof Milway and his stand. (This one is just for Dan)! Tof's work is very vibrant. It is somehow very joyful pottery.
Jane Cox's stand was opposite mine, her work is perfection. The colourful glazes sang and the finish on her pots was exquisite.

Finally my stand. I was disappointed with my stand this time. I thought I would try something different to what I've done before but I don't think it worked too well.

Pots and garden

The day started very overcast and grey but this afternoon the sun sneaked out. I took advantage of the light to take a few photos of the garden and this pot.
I am showing the same tureen from both sides. I didn't have enough time to 'arrange' the photo as I had to press on with work.
It never ceases to amaze me how I continually over estimate the amount of work I can do in a day. I thought I would take a bit of time at the start of the day to glaze a kiln load of pots before going on to sgraffito a bread bin. The glazing took all morning and into the afternoon with a short break to run a boy to his A level in politics.
I did manage to decorate the bread bin but I didn't stop until about 8 o'clock!

Work work work!

Like most other potters I am busy getting work ready for the summer shows.
The first one is at Rufford. I have never been to the pottery festival before but I have visited the centre and enjoyed the sculpture park.
I've been for a swim this morning so really must get to work now!

In the studio

Last week was a busy week. It was very broken up by various activities. I prefer to settle down to working in the studio and getting a good working rhythm.
Wednesday I had to go to London to apply for visas for my two eldest sons to go to China in the summer. Well having cued there I felt entitled to a trip to the V and A's ceramics galleries. Hence the plate above. I seem to see different things every time I go.
Last Saturday we went to Brighton to Artists Open Houses. I decided which ones I would like to visit without consulting the map. As a result we seemed to walk miles around Brighton.
The botanical curiosities above and the framed bugs are by Linsay Pol and Mark Oliver.
I thought they were humorous but also exquisitely done.
Back in the studio I've been working on some tureens. I am enjoying working on these. I wish I had a better camera so that I could take my own photos of birds. We get wonderful birds coming into our garden onto the bird feeders and plants. I have tried photographing them but my camera just isn't up to it!
Below are teapots that came out of the kiln on Thursday and some jugs that didn't make the grade for The Ancient Mariner.

Ancient Mariner

Thought I would quickly photograph these whilst I remember. Last year I took very few photographs so I am trying to record what I do this year. I have not really got to grips with this theme in the way I would like to. I feel I am only now developing some ideas and it's time to move on. I have played fairly safe with these but wish I had been more humorous with the theme.

Playing with templates

Today I was looking at this bowl. I made it many years ago when the children were little and I had very little time to pot. My work really starts in my sketch book and for some of the work I make templates. This is because when doing sgraffito mistakes can't be rectified so it's good to get the image in the right place. Also I like the process of making the templates. It tends to make me simplify the images. Even cutting them out helps to reduce them to a clear,simple image. Otherwise I think my work might get very detailed.
I have my trusty 'bird' scissors to aid in the process.
I had hoped to find the template for the ship in the bowl but I had thrown it away. But in looking for the template I realise that I have scores of templates. So I got some blu tac out and stuck some onto a sheet of paper.


I am thinking that I want to make a very large pot and put lots of these images on. Just have to get to grips with throwing large!

Another short week!!

Just a quick peep at what I am doing this week. I took my eldest son back to university on Monday so yet another short week. My damp cupboard is yet again full of work waiting to be decorated so I must get out to the studio and get stuck in! Probably the biggest decision I may have to make today is what to select to listen to on the computer whilst I am working.