Sunday 7 August 2011

Home

Hello all

We're home again after a great holiday in the Netherlands and a 1200 mile drive. What a beautiful place Holland is. A couple of highlights, watching Spoonbills and Herons on the canals and a trip to the Van Gough Museum in Amsterdam, which was amaaaaazing. Saw some fab pots too - I'll stick some pictures on later.

A sign on the wall in Amsterdam - is that Paul Young or Paul Jessop?
This was our home while we were away. The wheelbarrow contains logs for the campfire. We went with our friends Phil and Heather and their kids. Their two are the same age as ours and have grown up together, so are like extended family. Not that they're really kids any more.
Back in the workshop, the tiles I made before I went away have dried ready for firing.
I've got two big orders for these type of tile and they're nearly all made now, so lots of glazing and firing to do to finish them. I need to make a few more spares this week.

This tall jug was made before we went away, kept soft under polythene, then decorated yesterday.

These three pictures were taken at Kigbeare Manor, just before we left, at the private view of the Potters Tea Party Exhibition. Here are some of my teapots and 'drinking cups' that are in the show. You can see better pictures of the pots by all the makers in the gallery section of the Kigbeare web site, here.
This is the beautiful manor house
Lunch in the sunshine. That's Clive Bowen far left and Nic talking to Hil on the right. It was a lovely day, thank you Maddy and Lisa and thank you to the people who bought my pots too.

Lots of things happening at the workshop at the moment, more about that soon. Many pots to make for my solo show at Thoresby Hall too, so I'll be back with lots of pictures.

Have a good Monday all.

5 comments:

Ron said...

Glad you and the family had a nice time on holiday. Well deserved. That looks like a fun little cabin.
Your pots look super there on the Kigbeare site. Well done. I hope you sell a few more, you should as they are really nice and priced v. reasonably.
Hope we can catch up soon. We thought how nice it would have been to have you all here for Sarah's party!

doug Fitch said...

Howdy Ron, I thought to myself that I'd love to be there :)I hope you both had a lovely day.

Glad you liked the pots - first attempts, I think I'll make some more, I enjoyed the challenge. Catch you soon some way or another

Peter said...

Goodness, everything seems bathed in glorious sunshine in your part of the world. Interesting seeing your tile production, and they'll be lovely when glazed and fired. As I write this I'm waiting for my electric kiln to get to temperature with the third load of stoneware tiles that will complete a commission I've been working on. Some of mine have leaf decorations pushed into them. I suppose that we're making fossils really!

Anonymous said...

Hi Doug,

Glad you had a good holiday. Tiles look exciting!!!
I didn't notice a teapot with a woven willow handle on your picture.......

Dave

doug Fitch said...

Hi Peter, yes we're enjoying our 'summer' at the moment - I think tomorrow's going to be sunny all day. I like the fossil idea :)

Dave, the tiles will be ready soon, end of next week or early the next. I still have the teapot - I decided against a willow handle because I want a bent wood one made from wood from Hollyford, so I'm keeping it back for my solo show in November