My friend Jon, pictured on the right, lives near where we were holidaying and took me for a trip out to see Mark Titchener, here in the blue shirt.
Jon has a very fine collection of studio pottery, check out his website to see some wonderful pots, click.............. here.
Here are some pictures from Mark's place, a beautiful house and workshop in rural Suffolk.
This is his showroom.
Inside the workshop.
huge jars, glazed and awaiting firing.
Mark has a big downdraught kiln, similar in design to Clive Bowen's - here's the chamber
and this is the chimney, reminiscent of the many ancient windmills that we saw across Suffolk and Norfolk.
I came away with this fabulous jar.
More later, with news from Art in Clay and Ron and Sarah's visit to England.
6 comments:
That kiln, workshop and pots are fabulous!
I was really intrigued by the big greenish pot with the two handles and long top section in the photo of Mark's showroom, it is not pretty, but has a real presence about it that is enormously arresting and I admire greatly. Ohh, that chimney!! Can you bisque fire pots in the lower part?
Best Wishes to you, lovely to see what you have been up to as well. P.
That's a great tour, Doug. That chimney is amazing. Great pots, too.
Howdy Chaps - good description of the pot Peter. There was a smaller version sitting on the side of the kiln that had had a good battering in the firing and I was very tempted by it, in particular because it wasn't pretty, but opted for the jar in the end. I think Mark said that he'd decided not to build the chimney like the chimney of Clive's kiln(an updraught bottle) because Clive had said to him that in his experience, the second chamber is never that efficient, prticularly as the first chamber has a relatively low firing temperature as it's earthenware. Certainly in the nearly twenty years I've fired Clive's kiln, we only ever fired the second chamber once, full of flowerpots and it was a lot of work. Mark had other kilns too - it's an amazing set up, a quiet and sweet man too.
That's a great tour, Doug. That chimney is amazing.Thanks for sharing..
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Andrew
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Just came across your blog Doug. Thanks for sharing. Love your work. Slipware was my first love and I've been revisiting it recently. Great to see such a fine tradition being nurtured by potters like yourself. Love Marks work also. Great strength.
Keep the faith.
Just bought a jug of Mark's from the Leach Pottery in St Ives, very pleased. Must buy a Doug Fitch jug as well. Love Devon Jugs. Live in Exeter
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