I've been finger-wipe decorating flatware today. I love the feel of cold slip on the finger tip. Apart from the occasional sgrafitto jug like the one in my recent firing, I like to keep my decoration spontaneous and flowing, celebrating the wet and dribbly qualities of freshly applied slip. Whether they work or not, only time will tell.
Different Dave came by today and put the roof on my kiln shed extension - hurrah! It's a bit of an on and off job this building at the moment. I'm desperate to get on and finish it off, but there's so much else to do and building sheds, doesn't pay bills. It'll revolutionise the place when it's finished.
Next stage is to dig the rest of the floor out(the conventional method would have been to have done this first), then crash a hole through the inside wall into my existing kiln shed to make a new doorway. The whole thing's a bit of a shabby lash-up job - plenty of big nails and filler, but it'll look ok when I plant some climbers to provide a screen of foliage and cover over the tell tale signs of the cowboy builder. It's been made almost entirely from salvaged materials. The plan really is to make it appear to the planners like it's been there since Tudor times :)
I've just been getting the camping gear together as I'm off in the morning to the Cotswolds to take part in the Slipware weekend. I'm going to be doing a puzzle jug making demo and a session on mark making - not sure what that'll be like, the puzzle jug one will be ok, but mark making - well I just slap it about really. I'll make a few pots when I get there to decorate, it'll be much clearer in my head then how I'm going to conduct the session.
It'll be a chance to catch up with bloggers Hannah, Andrew and Matt as well as other slipware dudes like my old chum Paul Young and John Edgeler who has organised the event. I feel a bit apprehensive about it at the moment, but I'm sure once I'm there and the tent's set up, it'll be fine and I'll have a great time.
We're going to go to Toff Milway's Conderton Pottery at some stage over the weekend to meet up with Blogger Dan Finnegan who is over from the States and has an exhibition there - I'm looking forward to meeting him and seeing his pots for real.
It's a crazy month this one, having started with The Contemporary Craft Fair a couple of weeks ago, the slipware event this weekend, then Earth and Fire at Rufford the next weekend, not much time for family stuff. At least I'm in the fortunate position of having recently fired and so I have plenty of pots to choose from. I'll be taking a whole lot of different ones this weekend, from the ones I'll take to Rufford the next weekend. I like to have as many fresh pots to show at each event as I can.
Right, must go scrub in the tub then pack the car. Happy weekends all and special big love to my Dad a it's Father's Day on Sunday.
2 comments:
Ciao Doug,
I think that after all this work you deserve a good rest. Even for me here in Italy has been a tough week, the economic crisis has led to a decrease in funding in the culture, I have a company that works for the art museums, mounting exhibitions and technical advice for exhibitions and the work more difficult is to look for work, public relations, I am just full. I am still waiting for a weekend at the beach with my children and spend the evening in the studio with my wheel. Good Father's Day
the slip looks lovely...ave a good wkd and happy camping...
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