tuesday

Back to work today, collecting wood ready for Sunday's firing. It was a nice surprise to find the workshop all tidy - I forgot I'd given the place a bit of a clean up before leaving last week.

It feels like the events of the last few days were all a dream - a very good dream, but it's as if it didn't really happen and there I was today, back in the shed in the middle of Devon.

Well here's proof that it did happen.



Here we are outside Hannah's workshop. It's beautiful there, I thought my place was remote and secluded, but her place really is in the middle of nowhere - you can see her place on the next picture, it's part of that collection of farm buildings, away in the distance. There's so much space and scale to the countryside in Hannahland.



It's great to have visited and to have seen the place where all her wonderful pots are made. She's laid the concrete plinth in readiness to start building a wood kiln in the forthcoming weeks - watch this space, it's going to be an exciting development.



Here's part of the complex at Kindrogan Field Centre, where the event took place. I wish I'd had more time to explore, the surroundings were stunning.



And here's Hannah, decorating a puzzle jug that I made during the demo. We transported it with the other pots, back to her workshop. They didn't travel terribly well, nevertheless, Hannah will fire the ones that survived the journey and the best will be raffled at next year's event. We're going to do some more limited edition collaborative pieces at some stage in the future.



Matt came along to help me and spent the weekend kneading clay and supplying me with plenty of cups of tea. He did a bit of throwing too.



This is Fergus Stewart, one of the other demonstrators. He's a Scottish saltglaze potter from way up north, you can see his work here. We had a good few drinks with him over the weekend.

We also got to meet Nicola, who was a student with Alan Gaff who was tragically killed last year. It was good to meet her and it struck home how important it is to pass knowledge on, as his work continues to be made, through her hands.



On the Saturday evening there was a ceilidh. I'm not much of a dancer, but Hannah swung me around a bit and we caused some mayhem on the dancefloor with my lack of experience at such things. The Scottish Potters Association has been running for thirty five years and so to celebrate this history, the fancy dress had a seventies theme. We really were that blurred.



I overslept the next day and didn't get time to shave the ridiculous moustache off. In fact I still have it, much to Hil's delight - not, tee hee!

It was a fantastic weekend, spent with some lovely people, I had the best of times.

Now back to reality, with a mammoth day of glazing to look forward to tomorrow. Jess will be there so I'll get her to give me a hand. I'm going to the wood place again in the morning to collect some more, then we'll brick the door up on the kiln and get a fire in it to make sure it's good and dry for the weekend's firing.

Back in the country

Home again tonight after a brilliant weekend, having travelled over 1200 miles in the past few days.

Thank you Hannah and Matt and many thanks to the members of the Scottish Potters Association.

More about the weekend tomorrow, right now, I'm off to bed because I'm absolutely exhausted, goodnight.

A mug for Mr Perry

Sunshine came to Devon in the past few days, which has meant that I've been able to dry stuff outside - that's made life a lot easier as I've been frantically firing bisc kilns every day. It's been such hard work, fifteen hour days and working all weekend, but it's done. All made, the majority biscuited and ready for firing a week on Sunday/Monday.

Tomorrow I head off for the long trek up North to Scotland to demo for the Scottish Potters Association. I'll stay overnight in Gloucestershire with Blogger Matt tomorrow, then w'll head off to Hannah's in Castle Douglas on Thursday. Friday, with Hannah on board, we'll drive a further three and a half hours to Kindrogan and the venue.

Because everything's been so frantic, I've not had time to even think about the weekend, which is good, because I haven't got worried about it either, although tonight it did all become real as I was trying to assemble my slide show.



I've made many pots in the past few days. Our computer, which holds most of the pictures of what I've been making, has pretty much ground to a halt again, so I'm using Hil's work laptop to write this. My apologies to folk to whom I owe emails, I'll get on th case as quickly as I can.

I've made bowls, jugs, a sgrafitto puzzle jug, all sorts of stuff, but the photos are on the othr computer. One of this week's projects has been to make eighteen mugs, all different - I enjoyed doing them.



This one's for my blogging chum, Clay Perry. I'm swapping it for one of his very fine carved canes. I thought I should make him a special mug, so this is a portrait of the man himself. I'll get it sent off hot from the kiln, very soon Clay.



This is fab. Here's one of Jess's mugs that she made last week. She came up on Monday evening and I taught her how to pull handles, which is a very tricky technique to master. The handle on this little mug was only the second one that she's ever made - I think that's pretty impressive.

Well there's so much more stuff to write, but I'm going to sign out now and go to bed because I'm shattered. I'll leave you with this video which shows the pixies at work unpacking Nic's kiln. The best pots from this firing will be available when his on-line Spring exhibiton opens on Friday at 6 pm. It runs until Sunday 22nd March. I dashed up to Nic's on Monday to borrow some big kiln props and had a look at the pots while I was there. He's got some very tasty looking pots, so do take a peep.

To check out what's been happening and to view the finished pots when the show is launched, click here.



Well that's me done for now. I'll report back from Scotland next week - wish me luck!

Take care everbody, bye for now.

Thursday

Been sticking things to pots all day. The deco is all from stuff that I see around me daily, leaves, fir cones, trees in the orchards etcI .



I've worked a long, long day again. Tomorrow will be the last major making day, so I need to think carefully what I'm lacking. More jugs needed perhaps?



One thing's for sure, it's going to be another busy one, still lots to make and lots to decorate. I'm just getting into the swing again, and as ever, I need another week to do all the things I want to do. Oh well, off to Scotland next week so that's not going to happen. I haven't had time to think about the trip to Scotland yet, which is a good thing as I haven't had time to worry about it yet either.

Right now, I've got to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Kiln build the Collins way

Here's Nic's latest video complete with punk rock soundtrack - the sensitive amongst you beware.


Nic's currently taking bookings for his Kiln Building Course. This course has changed the lives of quite a few people over the years. You not only get the full-on Nic Collins Dartmoor experience, which is enlightening and inspiring, but you also get the Love Daddies at the closing party - what else could you wish for?

I just found the following passage on Blogger Andy's blog, so stole it! Ha ha.


'I did this last August, and I can tell you, it's great fun. You build a kiln almost from scratch - an anagama type kiln - then fire it with your own pots in it for two or three days - then visit some other potters - then party like there's no tomorrow - before opening and seeing the results.

For anyone who makes pots, it's a real opportunity to try something new, or if you want to build your own kiln, it's an opportunity to get expert tuition and advice from one of Britain's top wood firers. Wood firing is like nothing else - the intensity and connection with the process of firing is extreme - and the results are rich and rewarding and utterly unique every time.

Normally I wouldn't advertise anything on this blog (and he hasn't even paid me to do it either!), but this is really worth doing and if you have the time, I highly recommend it. The course runs Friday 28th August 2009 to Sunday 5th September 2009. At it would be cheap at twice the price.

I'd also recommend taking the camping option, for maximum effect (although having champagne for breakfast each morning in the hotel was quite nice...)'

So there you go, what are you waiting for? Book today to avoid disappointment, right here!

Starlings

This happened this afternoon outside the workshop when I took Digger for a walk.

Tuesday

Another exhausting twelve hour day today. That's how it's going to be for the rest of the week. I'm loving it though and the workshop's filling up fast.


Today I've been decorating.



And throwing 8lb jugs. These too will have applied decoration tomorrow.


I also pressed some more dishes


Then decorated one of yesterday's in a traditional manner.



I based it on this old North Devon baking dish that was made in Fremington in the nineteenth century. The slip-smeared melamine board is my 'sketchbook'. I use it to work out my design, before hitting the wet pot. It helps me to loosen up too.



The rest of the day I decorated pots made earlier in the week - just simple combing. These will look much more interesting when they're fired - a lot more definition in the slip.



Jess is coming tomorrow. I think she might be rather surprised just how much the workshop's filled up since last week. I think she won't be at all surprised to see the chaos. I'm running out of room.

Well that's it, I'm off to bed, knackered. Goodnight all.

Re-made those crazy lids - these are a bit more sensible I think. When I made the taller ones, I was thinking about Taketoshi's pots.

Taketoshi is a Japanese potter who came over and worked at Clive's place a few years ago. He made some lovely slipware jars while he was there and they had similar domed lids. They were quite unusual and very Japanese, they looked odd in slipware, but not in a bad way, just unusual in these materials. I'm happier with these ones I think, although I'll fire both.



I made some smaller jars today too...................



and seven pressed dishes. I want to fire twelve of these rim-to-rim in the top of the kiln.

Very tired so that's all for now. Sweet dreams all xx

Sunday

We went to the Boot Sale this morning. Luke has to do an eight hour painting paper for his GCSE and one of the titles is Car Boot Sale, so he went to seek inspiration. I went to seek bits of pottery and found a sweet little Svend Bayer jug for 50p - bargain. Hil found a lovely bit of celeriac and Joe a computer game, so a successful trip out all round.



I went to the workshop this evening to try and get some pots made. It was in need of a bit of a sort out, so I gave it a quick tidy up before making three ten pound jars. With a bit of force drying from the gas burner, I was able to turn the lids and throw the knobs on. The lids are very tall, I weighed out too much clay, but thought I'd go with it and see what might happen. They look a bit like the Keystone Cops, but I think they'll make more sense once they've had their finger-wipe decoration - time will tell. Maybe a bit oriental for my brown English mud?



There's so much going on at the moment. I have to get the last of my pots made this week ready for the next firing. There are lots of pots that need decorating tomorrow, then force drying for bisc firing. I've got to go to Scotland towards the end of next week to demo for the Scottish Potters Association and I'll be away for nearly a week. The firing of the wood wood kiln will be at the end of the week that I return from Scotland.

The pots will be taken virtually hot from the kiln, to Winchcombe for the Derby Boys show.

I still have to finish the drainage trench off too and I have to collect the fuel for the firing. Lots of pots to make this week, force dry and bisc fire aaaaaaaghhhhhhhhhhhh too much to think about!

Bowls and platters tomorrow.

Happy Monday all

Saturday

Bliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimey I'm tired.

I had to go to work today, but spent most of the day putting it off. Yesterday was such a hard day. We were digging all day and the jiggering my hands took from pick axe hitting against rock, plus last night's bass playing up at Nic's, made kneading clay an achy, painful process this afternoon.



Nevertheless, it was a constructive afternoon's work that ran on into the evening, I haven't been home long. There were lots of handles to put on and jugs to decorate.....



...and bits of clay to stick on to big tankards.



The drawing on these harvest jugs is the fanciest I've done in wet slip.





When they're fired, the type of lines should look something like the ones on this big jar from my last firing.



Because the drawing is scribed through very wet slip, the stylus pushes the slip aside as the mark is created, resulting in an outline to the line that captures the spontaneous movement of the mark making. Ha, try saying that fast, don't know if any of that made sense - I know what I mean. Anyway, it's one of those things you get one shot at, so it's challenging and I have to be in the right frame of mind in order to get it right, but today it felt like it went well.



And finally, here's another picture of my new trench - I'm proud of my new trench. You can see by the water that's in it, what a problem I've had with drainage. The trench has also proved to be a really useful hole to fill with loads of old work that I'm sick of the sight of - I've enjoyed smashing all that up.

Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

Digging it

Marky Mark and I spent the day digging a drainage trench, before heading up to Nic's party in the evening - good to see Bloggers Paul and Andrew there. Sore hands today.



Here's Mark breaking through the dam, allowing the water to run through the trench, then away down the road. It'll be filled with broken crocks and stone and should sort out the trouble of the flooded kiln shed for ever!

Off to work now to put on handles and do some decorating.

It was a surprise to wake up to snow again this morning - there I was thinking Spring had arrived. The boys' school was closed so they had a day at home.



I walked to work across the fields. It was beautiful.



More little lambs.



Then I had a really productive day of making. Marky Mark and I worked on until eight this evening. Earlier in the day I discovered £30 in a jacket pocket that I didn't know I had, so I took Hil out for a beer tonight which was very nice.

Mark has the day off work tomorrow so we're going to dig a drainage trench to stop the kiln shed flooding, before heading up to Nic's in the evening for his belated birthday party.

Time for bed, goodnight.

Happy Birthday to my Dad!

Today's my Dad's birthday, so I made him a cake, It'll be baked in a couple of weeks.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Hello again

It's been ages since I blogged - there's been lots of stuff going on and I just haven't had time to sit down and do this. It doesn't take long to get behind, not just with putting on here what I've been up to, but keeping up with what everybody else has been doing too.

Here's a catch up from the last few days.

Last week ended with the slip on these big jugs. I decided to keep them fairly simple, with the pinstripe emphasising their tall, slender form.



This one should become black with golden stripes. There was a small jar that came out of the last firing, the stripes were fiery orange - I hope this one works like that, it'll be quite striking if it does I think.



This one is green with black lines. I've used this design on a few pots in previous firings, but never on a straight sided form like this. It seems to work well on either straight or bellied shapes. I'll use a very pale glaze over it so that the green slip should be a lively, bright shade.



And this one will be amber and yellow - maybe a little green glaze, I haven't decided yet whether it'll need it or not. When it's fired, there'll be a lot more contrast in the areas that look quite flat at the moment.


Luke turned sixteen at the weekend. My boys are growing up so fast, it feels like they're growing and I'm shrinking - I guess the fact is, that's the truth. Luke's quite a few inches taller than me now. We had a fab day out at the footy on Saturday and watched Exeter win, which was a great birthday treat.



On Sunday I went up to Fursdon House to meet up with a group of artists with whom I'm doing an exhibition in May. The show is to be of work created in response to the countryside of the estate.



It was a beautiful day. I used to live on the Fursdon Estate, so I know it really well. I miss it too - we moved back into the village a couple of years ago because it was too remote for the boys and they needed to be closer to their friends. Here are the artists exploring the environment. I'll write more about them on a later post.



On Monday John Edgeler came to stay. He's the author of some really excellent books and owns the Long Room Gallery in Winchcombe where the Derby Boys Show is going to be held in April.



I made these small jugs - I'll sgraffito some of these when they're toughend up

John and I talked about plans for a forthcoming Slipware event that's to happen later in the summer. I'll post more about this later too - it's going to be really good and requires a more thorough explaination than I can manage in tonight's post.



Yesterday we went up to Nic's. He was firing his kiln full of pots for his spring on-line show. Blogger Andrew was there helping with the firing and so was Pete, a former student of Nic's - great to see them. Sabine was busily putting the music to one of Nic's latest videos - nice choice Nic!





John left at about lunchtime.

Here are the little jugs I made earlier in the week, all handled, and in the foreground, some mugs that Jess made today. She's getting quite a few orders for her pots now which is really good.



Marky Mark came up this evening



And slipped a moulded dish. We worked on into the evening. We'll do the same tomorrow - lots to do, many pots to make before heading off to Scotland in a couple of weeks.

So that's what's been going on.



My head's in a really good place at the moment - full of the joys of Spring, in spite of today's snow.

Happy Thursday everybody.