Insomniac's ramblings

I can't sleep, so what better thing to do at a time like this, than write a blog post. We're working in Scotland at the moment, which is stunningly beautiful. We've been here a few weeks now, making pots for a wood firing on Saturday. It's taken me a while to settle in to the rhythm of making, it always does when we come here and I know it's the same for Hannah when we work in Devon. We've both worked on our own(with occasional visitors) for ten years and our workspaces are set up to suit the way that each of us works best. Hannah prefers for instance, to have the wheel looking out across the room, while I can only find my focus, by turning it to face the wall. I hadn't realised just how much difference this makes until I moved the wheel the day before yesterday and suddenly the pots began to flow again.

These jugs won't be ready in time for the wood firing at the weekend, they'll be for the next firing in a month or so time. This kiln load are pots for The Wardlow Mires Pottery and Food Festival in Derbyshire, where we'll be exhibiting a week on Saturday. With fifty potters and lots of top quality food, it's well worth a visit if you're able to get there.

My lovely Dad is very poorly at the moment, which is one of the things that's keeping me awake at this hour of the morning. I hate being so far away from my parents.

That aside, life is very good. Hannah and I have a very special relationship and we love each other completely. She is the sweetest, kindest woman and an amazing potter and I relish every moment in her company. We have a wonderful life together. This is the view from our back garden here in Scotland. Our Devon home is beautiful too. We'll be heading there after the Food Festival for a few weeks.

I left this jug drying last time we were in Devon. It's for an exhibition in October, at a gallery called Designs in Castle Douglas. It'll be our first joint exhibition in Scotland and we've been pulling out all the stops to try and make it a really good show.

While we're down South, we will be presenting a weekend slipware workshop at Kigbeare, near Okehampton. I think there are still a couple of places available, so if you fancy having some fun learning some slipware techniques with a bunch of enthusiastic people, in a beautiful setting, follow the link here.

I suppose I should try and get some sleep. There are still a couple of hours before the alarm goes off. I'm making large lidded jars today in the workshop, I'll post some pictures later. In the meantime, here are four little films that we made in recent days here in Scotland. Bye for now