Tuesday 8 February 2011

Advanced Pottery

A couple of weeks ago a parcel arrived at the workshop.



When I opened it, inside I found a copy of this book, Advanced Pottery by Linda Bloomfield. What a lovely book it is, packed full of numerous photographs of wonderful pots, historical and contemporary, accompanied by a thoroughly well researched text.

Linda asked me a while ago for some images that she might include in the book, so I employed the fine skills of my photographer friend Johnny Thompson. John takes a lot of pictures for me and they're always top quality. Because of the high standard of his images, Linda was able to use quite a lot of them and it was a lovely surprise to see my pots and my working practices scattered throughout the book. On the left page, one of my puzzle jugs and on the right, slipping and decorating a large jug.



I remember this jug well, because it was the first pot I ever bisc fired in my new at the time, electric kiln and I blew it up into a million tiny pieces.

Here, demonstrating leaf resist, a traditional technique used by the country potters of North Devon.

A finished leaf resist jug and on the opposite page, Hannah demonstrating her great slip trailing skills.

The book shows a whole range of processes, handbuilding, slipcasting, throwing etc. with sequential photographs showing how it's all done by leading exponents of each discipline. It also has all the chemistry, maths and clever stuff, that usually brings me out in a cold sweat, explained in a way that even a simple potter like I can understand.

If you'd like to get your hands on a copy, you can buy it from Amazon, but it's cheaper and better to get it from Linda via her website

It's a great book, congratulations Linda.

12 comments:

Hollis Engley said...

That's great, Doug. Nice to get that kind of coverage, isn't it?

Linda Fahey said...

looks like a great book! congratulations on being featured!

Linda's next book about color in glazes looks very interesting as well.

Linda B said...

Thanks Doug, I'm really glad I recorded your pot that blew up into a million tiny pieces.

ang design said...

hey that's brilliant... nice to see inside the book!!! might have to get you to bring me one :)) I'm off to check it out on Linda's site...

Paul Jessop said...

looks great.

Linda B said...

To all those Americans out there, I'm working on my publishers to make the book available in the USA. It should be on Amazon.com soon

Anne-Berte said...

Great book :-) I am ispired! I also want a book with glazes if there is someone you can recommend ;-)

Linda B said...

I have written a book on Colour in glazes too, out in Nov 2011

Anne-Berte said...

I am from Norway,and I love the internet-I can travel around the world. So I will check out on Amazone if i can find Linda`s book on glazes :-) or if there is a easier way to get the book?

Anne-Berte said...

Oh sorry-I look forward to the book about glazes from Linda out in nov 2011

cookingwithgas said...

Well done! and well deserved!

Karrie treating ceramics said...

Thanks for sharing Doug! I need to get myself that book :)