Sunday

Home again after a punishing schedule and looking forward to getting back in to the workshop in the morning. First job on the list, tidy up in readiness for full scale production. There's much to do, with Earth and Fire and Art in Clay, looming not too far in the future. It was great to catch up with Blogger Andrew, Jon and Blogger Matt Blakely, who came to the opening of the show in Cambridge. The show's on until a week today - I'll be heading back across the country again next weekend to pack up after it closes on Sunday. Yesterday I went down to Porthleven, near Land's End, to play a gig with The Love Daddies. There was quite a crowd there as it was a food festival which attracts 12,000 people - I'm sure we left quite a few folks feeling bemused - I certainly hope so! I met up with my old buddy Frank and his good lady at the festival - always good to see them. Frank and I have been working on more collaborative pieces - this amazing sgraffito work is a jug commemorating the forthcoming Queen's Diamond Jubilee which Frank is currently scratching. I'm sure you'll agree, he's a clever boy.

Have a great week everybody

Here's what's been occurring

Hi folks

Well life has been really busy lately. Since I last blogged, I've fired the kiln, taken part in a two day workshop on Dartmoor with Nic and Adam, said farewell to Adam and Hannah, driven to Cambridge and hung an exhibition and now I'm visiting my parents. Back to Cambridge tomorrow for the private view, home Friday, gig in deepest Cornwall on Saturday. Sunday, maybe I'll have a lazy day.

Here are some little videos and pictures of it all going on



This is a shot of the pack. Adam and I had worked long hours to get enough pots together for the firing, with a short deadline.




Here's a video of the firing. Hannah came down from the frozen North and Frank came up from the sunny South to help. It went really smoothly - it took about fourteen and a half hours.



It was all too much for one particular stoker.



I wonder if it was something she drank?



Frank scratching on a big puzzle jug



The obligatory post-firing sofa picture.

And here are the results. There were some very dark pots, but some splendid shiny bright ones too. It was a firing full of information - I had new glazes throughout the chamber which worked well and a number of raw pots, including 'The Cardinal', so named by Dixie - the big, raw glazed baluster jug that I'd placed in the hot spot. It's a very green Cardinal, if there can be such a thing. It fired really successfully, which bodes well for future kiln loads of large, raw pots, although I fancied it to become much more gnarly than it did - I must try harder to over fire next time.

We unpacked the pots, then headed off to Nic's workshop, where Adam gave a talk on Friday evening.

The next day we were there again, bright and early and Adam, Nic and I demonstrated our various and varied skills to a crowded workshop. It was quite daunting for me, sitting between these two amazing craftsmen. Nic and I were at college together over twenty five years ago and in spite of my nervousness, it was great to be doing this alongside him all these years later. His attitude and approach have really taught me so much in my relatively short career as a full time potter. The video isn't very good, as I was supposed to be working, not filming, but it'll give you a rough idea of what was going on.

This final film was made on Monday night and Tuesday in the gallery in Cambridge and the studio of one of the exhibiting painters, my almost lifelong friend, Simon Jowitt. It also features Jono Lloyd, another of the exhibiting artists. It's very unusual for a potter to get the opportunity to exhibit with painters of this caliber, I'm really pleased to be part of it all. The show opens tomorrow evening. You can find out more about the group here.

I'll report back from the show after the opening. Time for bed for a tired little me
Goodnight all

Thursday

Hi folks
We're coming to the end of the make. In fact we're not making any more - it'll take us all our time to finish what we have on the shelves. Everything we can fire in time will go through the bisc kiln, the rest will be raw fired. I haven't done that in a long time. Mastering raw glazing will free me from the scale restrictions of the electric kiln, so that I can make some much bigger pieces.

Getting the glaze on to raw pots is a lot more challenging than it is on bisc - there's so much of it that is about timing. I glaze mine when they're leather hard. It's critical not to touch the slip too early as it's easily marked or smudged - if they dry too much, they crack.

I glazed the big baluster jug today which was tricky as it has a lot of fragile applied decoration - it was a relief to get that done. It's going to be fired right in the hot spot, where the flame comes in to the kiln chamber. I'm hoping it will provide the most dramatic effect, hopefully earthy and reminiscent of old medieval pottery - it's an experiment, it'll either work or not, there'll be no middle ground. Wood firing is all about taking chances......and making seconds.



I really do keep meaning to take some still photographs, here's another film

Happy Good Friday everybody

Tuesday, early on Wednesday

It was another long day today. I came home tonight and left Adam working hard, late into the night. He has a lot of lids to make for the jars he made earlier in the week. It'll be nice for him to have the place to himself for a while, without me rambling on.

We're counting down the days to firing time. There's still a lot to do, but if we keep focused, it'll happen. Well it's time for me to get to bed and get some much needed sleep. Bye for now

Thursday to Monday on Tuesday

Hello everybody
Life continues to be very busy, so I've had little opportunity to keep on top of my blog. Here's a quick update, before I run away off back to work.



At the weekend, we went to visit a wonderful exhibition of work by Anne Mette Hjortshoj, at the Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham. Here's a beautiful film, made by the gallery, about Anne Mette's work.



And here are a couple of rather more randomly shot films of what Adam and I have been up to in recent days in the workshop.



In a week's time, we'll be preheating the kiln ready for firing, so we've been putting in long hours to get pots made. I'm very tired, but it will be worth the extra effort at this stage.

Well, please excuse the briefness of this post, I hope the films say it all for me, I must get to work.

Happy Tuesday everybody, back soon

Busy busy busy

Lots to report, but not enough time!!!

Had a great weekend,the demo went well, the conference was great, the museums, inspiring and the company fantastic.

I have videos of it all which I need to string together. Adam arrived on Monday and we're frantically making pots for a firing in a couple of weeks. We're having a great time. This is a really brief post as we're off back to work in moment, but here's a short video I shot yesterday so you can see what's been going on. I'll write more and post pictures soon.



Back soon

Bye for now

On my way

Another long day yesterday, getting everything finished off so it can dry while I'm away, then packing and tidying. I also had to prepare a good supply of clay for my demo at the weekend.

My friend Heather delivered her little caravan to Hollyford. Adam will be staying in it, just outside the workshop. We were going to have him to stay at home, but our house is tiny and he is allergic to cats, so he'll be more comfortable in his own space. I'm excited about meeting him on Monday.

So far 110 people have booked for the demo - that's pretty scary. I always dread these things, but it's good fun once it gets going and folks start to interact.

I packed a box full of pots to take along to sell. It's mostly bowls that were surplus to my requirements for Japan - I made so many. The box was too heavy to lift after a long day, with a tired back and in the dark last night I wasn't going to take a chance. I have to head off to the workshop shortly to load them in to the car, then I'll set off on my journey.

The motorway is such a contrast to the lanes that I drive on every day - I really don't like driving on busy roads, but it will do me good - it's too easy to become reclusive, much as that is my desire. I'm looking forward to seeing my folks later today.



Have a good day everybody, back soon

Out and about

Morning folks



Here's what happened yesterday.

I'll not be back in the workshop until Monday afternoon and I wanted to get everything finished up so it can be drying while I'm away. It was a long day, I got home some time after 10pm, tired and grubby. Tomorrow I set of on a lengthy journey, spread over the duration of a few days.

In the morning I'll be heading to my parents' place in Bedford, then on Friday, to Suffolk, to stay with friends. I'm going to Suffolk via Cambridge, picking Hannah up from the station en route. We'll spend some time, along with our friend Jon, in the Fitzwilliam Museum, which has a remarkable, historical slipware collection.

I'll also be checking out a gallery space in Cambridge, where I have an exhibition with two painters and a printmaker which opens in a few weeks time.

On Saturday morning we'll be heading in to London, to the V&A, where we'll be attending the Spring Conference of the Heritage Craft Association. Back to Suffolk in the evening and an early start on Sunday, to drive to North Norfolk where I'm doing a demo for the Anglia Potters Association. After that, I'll break the back of the journey home, stay in a travel lodge, then head the rest of the way back on Monday morning.



On Monday afternoon, Adam Field arrives - he'll be staying for about three weeks - exciting stuff.

Phew, I'm tired just thinking about it all - I'd better get motivated and head off to work, lots to do.

Bye for now

Here's what's been happening

Here are some short films from the last few days.

Back soon with words and pictures. Happy Monday all

Thursday

Howdy folks

Back in the workshop today after a trip to Plymouth yesterday with Luke, to look round the Art College.

The courier came today and took my boxes, loaded up with fifty of my pots, away on the first leg of their journey to Tokyo. It's a relief to have them on their way. The show is with Hannah and Clive Bowen - it's a big deal to be exhibiting with them. Clive is one of my greatest heroes and has had a very apparent influence on my work. Hannah and I have had many a panicky conversation in the run up to this show. I hope the Japanese like our works.



I gave the place a good clear up today, getting it ready to start making again. These four jugs have been hidden away under polythene for a while. In fact one of their siblings is fired, finished and on its way to Tokyo. I was surprised that they were still ok when I came to decorate them today.

The bird song at the end of this little film was so beautiful, I had to post the whole tune.

The pots I'm about to start making now are for an exhibition in April in Cambridge, more details soon. I'll need to work hard again in the next few weeks.

Have a good Friday all

Spring cleaning

Yesterday was Spring cleaning day at Hollyford Pottery. There were so many pots in the showroom that just didn't make the grade, so I decided it was time to take action and make room for the new ones.



That felt good.

A day in the city today, seeking out packaging ready to send my pots off to Japan and then for an eye test which is well overdue.

Late night working this evening with Marky Mark.

Have a good day y'all.

New pots

Hello all

Thank you for your comments on the last post. It's been a tough few days.



Here's a little film of the unpack. Some good pots, but too many losses. I'm still grumbling over the losses, rather than celebrating the successes as is often the way for a while after a firing - ah negativity. I have to get my positive head on tomorrow.

I have at least got all the pots that I need for sending to Tokyo, which is a huge relief, they'll be packed and dispatched in a couple of days.

A tidy up in the morning, a few minutes introducing some dodgy pots to a hammer, that'll feel good, then back on the wheel and on to the next lot.

I'll post some pictures of the pots soon

Happy Monday all

Fired and finished

Frank lighting the kiln

Well I'm glad that's done - it's been hard work and long hours leading up to that firing.

Luke called me during the day to say that Eric the cat wasn't well, so I had to leave the kiln in Frank's capable kiln gauntlets and rush home to take poor Eric to the vets. The vet just called a minute ago and he didn't make it, so it's going to be a sad house here this evening.

The firing seemed to go well - we finished stoking just after ten o'clock in the evening, although by the time we'd clammed the kiln up with wet clay and tidied around, it was approaching midnight that we finally all went our separate ways.

Here's the obligatory post-firing sofa photograph of yesterday's team. The chap on the left of the picture is Dave Smith, who is a brilliant glass artist and designer(take a look at his site and you'll be astonished at the quality of his work). He's just designed the artwork for John Mayer's latest album.

Now we have to wait until Saturday and keep our fingers crossed that there are some good pots hidden away in that chamber.



Here's a haphazard little film of the day.

Firing day

It was a late night, Marky Mark and I finished packing in the early hours.



Frank's here, we need to go and fire it - back later...............much later. Here goes.

Glazy day

Today's glazing went well - still lots to do, but it's well underway and I can see and end to it. I worked late and broke the back of it.



Tomorrow I have to make an early start to take Luke for a college interview in Bath. I'm expecting it to take all day, so I doubt I'll get back to the workshop until the evening. I need to crack on and get the glazing done, ready to pack the kiln with Marky Mark on Wednesday.

Time for bed
Good night all

Looking backwards, looking forward

Morning all

The weekend, visiting my parents was lovely, as ever.

We got back late yesterday afternoon, so I forced myself, grumbling and moaning, out of the armchair in the evening and went to the workshop. I needed to mix new batches of glaze and clean the workshop, ready to start the mighty task of glazing all of these pots today. This is probably the part of the process I like the least, although I'm sure it'll be fine once I get going - the prospect is always worse than the reality.

The light coming through the window this morning tells me it's going to be a lovely day. I'm ready for Spring and the energy that it inspires, I'm really looking forward to seeing colour in the hedgerows and in my little garden.

It's easy in the depths of winter, to forget that the flowers and leaves will return, so I was happy to look back over this footage as a little reminder. I strung it together into a short film to share with you. It's of some stuff I did back in September - pots that I made for my solo show in Nottinghamshire, and the beautiful, late summer blooms, in my workshop flowerbeds.



Happy Monday everybody, have a great week.

Happy Friday

Hello all and a happy Friday to you.

My brother picked me up just after eleven this morning and we're now at my parents' house in Bedford.

I had to make an early start at the workshop to get everything finished up to date before we set off on the long journey up country. Sometimes it's a good thing to be put under a bit of time pressure, because it forces me to decorate things rather than dithering an avoiding it, as I spoke of yesterday. It seemed strange to be leaving the workshop in broad daylight for a change.

Everything should be dry enough for the wood firing next week. I'll have to be selective when it comes to bisc firing, as I'll not get it all through in time - but it's good to be able to chose a bit of everything. The rest will either be put through the electric kiln, (which gives me a different range of tones and colours from the wood kiln), or saved for the next wood firing in a few weeks time.

Here's today's little film.

Happy weekends all, bye for now

Hollyford in the Springtime

Humph, still no camera, it didn't show up.

It was such a beautiful Spring day today. I was able to dry pots outside in the warm breeze for the first time this year. It's good for the head and the heart this sunshine stuff.

There are quite a few pots to finish off in the morning before I head to my folks', so it's going to be an early start. There are jugs and bowls to decorate and slip - who knows, maybe my new camera will arrive and I can take some pictures.

Well I'm going to go and scrub this clay off my aching body, then I'm going to go to bed, I feel dead beat. Goodnight all

Wet slip is the best

Morning blog folks

Today's the day when my new camera arrives, so normal service will resume at last.

Yesterday was a very, very long day. I had to get as many pots finished and drying, as I could before going home. Marky Mark came up after work, so I had company for most of the evening and he tolerated my cursing and moaning(of which there was much) as I attempted to decorate lots of pots.

Decorating is the thing I struggle with more than anything and I'll leave pots under polythene for days, keeping them damp as long as possible, to avoid the moment of having to decorate. I find none of it comes easily, although it may sometimes look simple. I aim to have everything finished and drying by 5pm this evening.

Today is my older son Luke's birthday - nineteen years old, where did that go? So tonight we'll be celebrating that with a curry and a beer. Tomorrow morning I'll be heading away up-country with my brother to visit my parents, as it's my Dad's birthday on Monday. I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Here's some footage from yesterday. There's a short clip in the film of beautiful, battered North Devon harvest jug from 1774, which somebody brought to show me yesterday - what a beauty.

Here's bit more film of the jug - ooooo, lovely.

Right, I must away to work. Happy Thursday everybody

Bowls, dishes, tiles, mugs........

Good morning all. It was another long day yesterday and the same again today. I'll have company this evening from my good buddy, Marky Mark. Teapots didn't happen, nor small plates, but I made a few dishes and some tiles for an order.

Lots of finishing and decorating to do today. There's not time to make much more for the wood firing, so soon I'll clear the decks and set about glazing everything in readiness for the big burn next week. I'd like to try and make a few hump molded dishes before then though - maybe today if there's time - we'll see. I'd better get to work or nothing will happen at all, unless the pixies have been round in the night.



Happy Wednesday all

Monday on Tuesday

Yesterday was along one - I finally left the workshop at 10pm. It was good though and I got a whole lot done. My intention was to make some teapots, but I got distracted by making jugs and bigger bowls - maybe teapots will happen today. It's going to be late nights all the way this week.

I'm really enjoying blogging again. There was a time that I found it hard to keep up with because I'd be so exhausted after a day in the workshop, that my mind wouldn't function properly. I've taken to doing it in the mornings now, when the house is empty and my brain is recharged - it's so much easier.

Here's a shabbily thrown together film of yesterday's action. I must get around to buying a new camera so that I can put some stills on here - I know not everybody likes the video format and to see me moving around, frightens the children.

Well, I'd better get to work.

Have a lovely day my blogging chums, catch you later.

Saturday and Sunday on Monday

Good morning and a happy Monday to you all.

Well the last few days of making for Art Fair Tokyo are upon me. My assembled team will be firing the wood kiln next week. There are still quite few things that I have to get made, so it'll be a case of putting the hours in this week. To bring you up to date, here's some stuff from the weekend.

On Saturday I went on a rare visit to Exeter. I rarely venture in to the big City these days - there's nothing much there for me. New clothes? Don't like 'em. Haircuts? Don't do them (well only twice a year and it''s not warm enough yet). Shelf brackets from the Army Surplus store on the other hand - ah now we're talking, that's proper 'man- shopping'. Ooooo, lovely new shelves in the kiln shed, hurrah!

After the excitement of the Army Surplus, I took myself off to The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, allowing Hil to visit the various boutiques and boot shops that Exeter has to offer, withou a grumpy old man in tow.

The Museum boasts some wonderful pots and unlike some museums, they allow photography of their collections. Here's a little film of some of the medieval pots and the North Devon slipware that are in the collection. There's also a little something by the Martin Brothers on there for the benefit of Dan. I could spend hours in that place - come to think of it, I did - how time flies when you're having fun.

Yesterday I went to work, accompanied for the morning by Marky Mark. It was a beautiful day, after a chilly start. The birds were enthusiastically proclaiming tales of the imminence of the Spring. I don't think they were fibbing, it's definitely coming, woohoo!!!

Well this won't do, I'd better get to work, there are teapots to be made. Have a great week everybody, catch you soon.

Friday

It's been a busy day today, I got loads of stuff done. It's late and I'm tired, so I'll let the video tell the tale.

Goodnight all

Thursday

Well it's taken me all day to get yesterday's pots handled and the bowls from earlier in the week, slipped. I didn't even get the lids made for the jars I made yesterday, so that'll be tomorrow's job.

I'm feeling a whole lot more positive at the moment - I always struggle in the winter, my confidence hits the deck and I start to question whether I have the ability to do this stuff. It's so much easier to spend all day alone in a shed with a positive head.



Here's a short film from my day today. I'm going to buy a new camera next week so I can get back to posting some stills.

Goodnight all

Wednesday

Evening all

I had a good day today - long, but good. Marky Mark came up after work and we stayed on until about 10 o'clock.

It was good to get back to making some familiar forms - 3lb jugs and six pound jars. I'll make the lids for the jars tomorrow. There are still things to make for the Tokyo shows, but I feel the need to make a few larger things now to fill the kiln chamber quickly, then I can go back to making smaller things with a sense that some of the pressure is reduced.



It feels like I've been working really hard, but without much to show for it. Everything I've made recently has been small and fiddly with lot of turning. Most of it has been bisc fired now and is in little stacks in the workshop. This is the worst stage - the pots just go flat and white - the decoration on some just becomes invisible. They'll all come back to life and reveal their secrets again soon, with a covering of glaze - that's always the exciting bit of course.

I'm firing the kiln in a couple of weeks - I'm nervous about it, there's a lot hanging on this firing, so it needs to be good.

Happy Thursday all

Tuesday

I finished turning bowls today, then turned footrings on some little cups that I threw yesterday. These will all be decorated tomorrow. I wanted to get some more pots made today, but it took all my time to finish up yesterday's make. Late night working tomorrow with Marky Mark, so I should get plenty done.

Here's what today looked like.....

Bye for now

Monday

Hello all
Well I've been back on the wheel today, making even more bowls. I can't be far off completing the run of fifty of these that I'd like to make for my next firing - I'll do a count tomorrow and then move on to something else.

These ones were decorated before I went away last week. The one on the left is covered in black slip, the dots are clay from the field. The one on the right will be green.
Unfortunately this is the last picture my camera will take as the on/off switch broke after I took this shot, so there will be no more stills for a while until I can afford to buy a new one.

Here's yet another bowl throwing video - tomorrow, hopefully I'll be making something different, so I may be able to show you something more interesting!

Sunday

Hi folks, thanks for your votes :)

Well I'm back home in Devon after a busy week of travelling.

I had a great time at Hannah's place and it was lovely to see her and Alex. I hardly took any pictures while I was there(she worked us too hard so I didn't get a chance), but there are plenty on Hannah's blog. Here's one of Alex and Hannah packing.

The chamber gobbled up a good number of pots.

Hannah lighting the kiln. Her firing turned out well and she was happy, so that's fab. Unfortunately we had to leave before it was unpacked, but check her blog to see the treasures from her chamber. I got home late on Thursday night. I wish we didn't all live so far apart. I'll be seeing Alex again soon, when we fire my kiln in a few weeks.

On Friday, Frank came to stay. As well as being a traditional signwriter, he's an illustrator and puppet maker. Thirty years ago, when we were teenagers, we went to see a Jim Henson film together called The Dark Crystal. To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the film, it was being shown in Exeter, as part of the Animated Exeter Festival. There are some great pots in this movie! Yesterday Wendy Froud, the woman who made the puppets for the film, presented a workshop, showing how she makes her characters - it was fascinating.

While Frank was here, I took advantage of his great lettering skills and got him to sgrafitto some text on to a couple of jugs that I've made for an order.

These will be glazed yellow, using my traditional glaze.

A busy week ahead, I've a lot of pots to make. Bye for now

Love Daddy Rock

Hello folks
Well I haven't got to Scotland yet as there was a slight change of plan, so I'm back in Devon now after a lovely visit to my parents' place over the weekend. I'm heading off early tomorrow morning to Alex's house, then on from there to Hannah's. I'll have covered a few miles by the time I get home on Thursday.

Here's something not related to pottery, but to another major vent of expression which is really important in my life, my band The Love Daddies.

My son Joe just stitched this video together. He's a bit of a whizz on computers, (although he was unable to make any of us look any prettier I'm sorry to say). I'm always left baffled when I see the way youngsters can find their way round these machines.





We're trying to get a gig in Exeter, supporting the singer songwriter Graham Coxon. I'd be really grateful if you'd follow this link and then click the 'Like' button or Tweet button to help our cause. Of course we'll remember you all in our wills when we become an internationally renowned rock stars. Hmm, that might take a while, so in the meantime, I won't give up the day job. Thank you :-)

Back soon with blogging from across the border - how exciting.

Bye for now

Friday

Hello folks

I'm writing this blog from the comfort of my parents' house in Bedford, which is my first port of call, during a week of travelling about the country. It's a journey that will culminate in an adventure across the border to visit a certain red haired potter, with whom I'm sure most of you are very familiar. See clue below.....

On Sunday I'll head off from here to Bolton, to stay with Hil's family for a night, then across to Alex' house on Monday morning and we'll travel up to Scotland together from there. Note Hannah clutching a hot water bottle, it's a lot colder up there - I've packed my thermals!

It'll be great to see Alex and Hannah, I haven't seen either of them for a while. We're going to fire Hannah's wood kiln on Wednesday, which will be very exciting.

So I got everything finished off in the workshop this morning before we left - actually these particular ones were decorated yesterday as the video below will show.
Here are some I made earlier.

So on to the video.

I walked to work yesterday as Hil's car was in for repair and so she had mine. It was a bright, cold, winter's day, but absolutely beautiful. I need to walk more often. The Devon countryside is such an inspiration, whatever the weather.

Well that's all for now, I expect my next blog will be from the frozen north.

Happy weekend everybody.

Thursday

Morning all
Koichiro, the owner of the Gallery St Ives in Tokyo asked for some photographs of the inside of the workshop for use in some of the publicity. My camera is so full of dust these days, that everything has a soft focus.
More bowls, thrown off the hump on the kickwheel.

Fingerwiped decoration.

Yesterday's video is much the same as the the ones from last couple of days(but with a much more abrasive soundtrack) - more turning of footrings on even more bowls - there would have been other stuff, but my batteries went flat.

There will be even more bowls to turn today, but not until after an invigorating walk to work through the cold Devon countryside. Hil's car is having some work done today, so she has my car and I have my feet. Well I'd better get out on those lanes and see what excitement lies in store for me on my journey. I consider myself so lucky to live in such a beautiful place.

Happy Thursday to you all

Bowls, jugs, slip etc etc etc

This is a brief post as I have to get going in a minute and as ever, I'm running late. I'm going away on Friday for a week, so lots of stuff to finish off - more about that later.

An 8lb jug.
and some more which I decorated yesterday.
These are some bowls which I threw off the hump yesterday. They're bigger than the ones I made earlier in the week. I really enjoy doing them - I'd like to have fifty of them in my next wood firing.

The bowls I made on Monday, with turned feet.




This evening Marky Mark's coming by and we'll work on in to the night. Well I must fly now, lots to do today.

Hollis, please give my love to Janet and Betty and all at the coffee shop, I wish we lived closer.

Have a good day everybody, bye for now

Monday

Hello everybody
Well I've had a few frustrating days since my last post. The tail end of last week I felt dreadful and so took some time off to get myself better. I feel fine now, I think I needed to recharge and shake off the man flu.



Yesterday I tried again to make more of the large harvest jugs that were causing me struggles last week and yet again, failed. I realized after several attempts and much pugging, kneading and cursing, that my difficulties were due to the new tonne of clay that I recently took delivery of. Whenever I get a new batch of clay, it's sticky and lacking in strength, as it needs time to 'sour'.

I don't turn any of my jugs, they're 'thrown to finish' and so the clay needs to be absolutely right in order to be thrown to the optimum thickness - this stuff is puddingy and flops too readily. So for the time being, I've decided I can waste no more time trying to make these big fat jugs.

The little film shows a batch of bowls that I threw 'off the hump' before I went home last night. I enjoyed making these, and it felt liberating to throw this way, after a day of struggling trying to make something of a specific size, from a specific weight of clay.

Today I'm going to carry on making lots of small stuff to send Japan - it won't fill the kiln as quickly as the big jugs, so I'm just going to have to make a lot of it - I'd better get busy.

Have a good Tuesday everybody

Big jug

Well I was really rough yesterday, waking in the morning with not only man flu, but a migraine too. I treated the migraine and went back to bed to sleep it off. I did get to work, but not until 3.30 in the afternoon. I was keen to see Marky Mark for our weekly workshop night. As it turned out, I just slept on the workshop sofa, but it was good to get there, to talk some rubbish and light the fire to keep the harsh frost away.

This morning the roads were so icy, that I got stuck half way up a hill. Fortunately one of the locals with a big truck was there to tow me to the top of the hill. The little lanes don't get gritted round here any more.


I only managed this one big pot today - I lost another four. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. I'll try again tomorrow - I still feel quite exhausted from the migraine, so a good night's sleep will help no doubt.



Here's a little film from today
Goodnight all

Tuesday

Today I carried on from yesterday, decorating drinking bowls. It seems to be taking forever to make a kiln load of pots this time around - everything is small or flat. I still have a lot of small pots to make to send to Japan, but I'm stressing about getting a kiln full of pots in time for the firing deadline. Here's a link to an album of pictures of this month's production.
I decided I should take a bit of pressure off and make some bigger pots. I felt back in my comfort zone today with these 8lb jugs. I'll make some more tomorrow, or maybe some bigger jugs if I feel well enough. Man flu is coming over me this evening, so I'm feeling sorry for myself. A hot bath and an early night is called for I think.

Here's a short film from today

Goodnight all

It's behind me

Happy Monday everybody

I went to work on Saturday morning. Marky Mark came over and we spent a few hours sipping tea, talking rubbish and decorating pots. These are some basins that I fingerwiped.
And some shiny, dribbly slip on a jug.
Saturday night was the final performance of the pantomime, Cinderella. I enjoyed it all very much this year, nevertheless, it'll be good to have my evenings back again now that it's all over. It's a huge commitment, with at least two rehearsals a week for several months. I played the part of a baron, although I look a bit like an ancient member of some dodgy re-formed, '80's New Romantic band!

Here's a little film, showing Saturday's workshop activity and the 'it's behind you' scene from the panto. I wonder how much sense it will make to you folks across The Pond. We're very easily pleased, we Brits!

Have a lovely day all, I'm off to work to make some big fat jugs, woohoo!

Keith Maskell

I took Luke to his college interview yesterday. During the day I was remembering back to when I was his age and my Dad took me to my interview in Derby.

I recall being very nervous, but was soon put at ease by Keith Maskell, who was the head of the course. He chatted about the poorly-made, lumpy pots that I had taken with me, in the kind, encouraging manner, for which I grew to know him, before offering me a place. I was greatly saddened when I got home last night, to receive the news that he has just passed away.

He was a sweet, gentle man and a fine and ever-enthusiastic teacher. He profoundly affected my life and the lives of the many others who studied under him during his lengthy teaching career.

Thank you Keith for everything.

Wednesday

A day of turning and decorating today. Tomorrow I'll not be in the workshop as I have to drive Luke to Winchester for a college interview. Here's a short snippet of today's action.



Back soon

Tuesday's pictures, Wednesday's words

Hello all

I should have been at work ages ago, but here I am blogging instead. I'm tired today, Marky Mark came up last night and we worked late. Here's what's been going on.


I've been busily making domestic wares for the exhibitions in Tokyo. These are some basins, which I'll be slipping today. I haven't made pots for food in a long time. I'm missing making big jugs - that'll be next week's task.

These are drinking bowls that I made yesterday. I'll go through them today and eliminate the dodgy ones. It was fun making these as they were thrown 'off the hump', rather than weighing out individual lumps of clay, which is how I usually work. I will be sending mugs to Tokyo too, but somebody told me a while ago that my mugs will be too big for general use in Japanese daily life and although I'll make some smaller ones, it seems relevant to me to be sending some drinking bowls. I wouldn't go so far as to us the 'c' word with all it's connotations - these are simply little bowls that can be used for drinking from.
Here are dishes, decorated in a sloppy slippy fashion with green, white and orange slip, over a black slip ground. The orange is made from the clay from the stream near the workshop an looks great on a black background. My trailing style is unashamedly squirty. I find the broken line more interesting that a continuous one - when it comes to circular stuff, nothing quite joins up, so you have a line with a beginning, a middle and an end - three for the price of one!
The dishes in the foreground will have white slip fingerwiped decoration today.

And here's the moving version.

I need to go to work, bye for now

Friday

Just in from the pub after the opening night of the panto, which went really well. Same again tomorrow night.

Here's a video of some stuff that happened today, which I'm pleased to say does not include any footage of this evening's performance, with my solo rendition of this

It does however show Different Dave wiring in my new lights in the 'showroom' - now I can sell pots after dark. It also shows my friend Heather decorating a wassail pot that she's made during the last week.

Bedtime for me now. Happy weekends everybody.

Wednesday and Thursday

I'm running a bit behind with these videos.

Here's what happened on Wednesday.......

and Thursday.

Happy Friday everybody!

Pots by Ray and friends

I knew Ray Finch through his pots and in that respect, I knew him very well indeed - I've lived with them since I was eighteen. I thought you might like to see a couple of the treasures that I own.

This teapot was made by Ray at his son Joe's pottery in Wales, in the 1990's. It is unusual as it is a slipware pot - Ray had made the transition to stoneware in the 1960's, but revisited the materials and techniques, I would guess, for a bit of fun. His are the most fantastic teapots.

This tankard was made in the 1950's. I think this is really clever potting, as it stays true to its traditional roots, but also has a clear sense of the style of that era in design.

The next two pictures are pots that were made by dear friends of mine who worked with Ray at Winchcombe Pottery in the 1970's. This small dish was made by Alex McErlain in the 1980's....

and this tankard was made by Dan Finnegan last year. He gave it to me when Hannah and I visited Virginia back in the Spring. An example of the Finch influence, spread across the Globe.

I'm not saying this very well, but the point I'm trying to make is that I connect with these chaps because we understand the certain kind of pottery that Ray made - they are pots that are a part of each of us. I'm pretty sure that if it hadn't have been for Ray, that we would never have met. I have a lot to be thankful to him for.

Ray Finch

Ray Finch passed away today, peacefully at home aged 97.

I met Ray a good few times over the years, but regrettably I never had the chance to really get to know him well - I wish I'd had more opportunity.

I know a lot about him though, through close friends whose lives he has touched. He was a greatly loved and respected man.

He was an exceptional craftsman and I owe a huge debt to him. It was after a visit to Winchcombe Pottery many years ago, that I decided I wanted to become a potter. There's a bit of him in every pot that I make.

His spirit will live on through the hands and minds of the many, many people whose lives he has enriched.

Tuesday

Marky Mark came up to the workshop at the weekend and helped me build a new bench between two of the wheels. I've been struggling to get going since I made all those jugs a couple of weeks ago - I feel like I've been falling over myself, so I decided to invest the time in organizing the workshop so that it flows properly. It's been through so many transitions in the past few years, changing when new equipment arrives or a new shed is built. This is the best it's ever been.

I have Adam Field coming over from the States to stay and make pots in a couple of months and the space needs to be sorted so that we can work together. I'll write more about Adam's visit later, it's exciting.

I think there are still a couple of places left for the demo weekend that I'm doing with Adam and Nic Collins in April - more details...... here



It was a delight to be able to go in to my clean and tidy workplace this morning. I got started making a few mugs, then a jug for a student who came to take some photographs and then a small dish, which I'll be making more of tomorrow. I need to start cranking out some pots now.

Life is busy at the moment. I've a rare night off tonight from pantomime rehearsals. Dress rehearsal tomorrow night, final rehearsal on Thursday, then opening night on Friday - I still don't know my lines, eek. Performances this weekend and next weekend, then after that..... well it'll be behind me :)

My day today

My day yesterday

Today in my shed

Monday

Happy Monday everybody.



I've been catching up with decorating the little jugs that I made this time last week....



and also some small tapered jugs that I made on, I think, Wednesday.


I'm a reluctant decorator, so they've been tightly wrapped under polythene since last week, until I could leave them no longer and had to get on with them before they dried out too much.



These were made from 1.5lbs of clay and are about 6" tall at a guess.

This morning I delivered my car to the local garage, about a mile and a half along the lane from the workshop. It needed an MOT test. The walk to the workshop was inspirational, I love living in the countryside. There's a sense of the season moving along now, with the flora enjoying the mildness of this year's winter. I shot a short film of today's exploits, I'll post it on here later once it's uploaded. Oh, the car passed by the way, which is pretty good, as it only cost me £100 a few months ago.

The next couple of weeks are going to be hectic. I'm taking part in the village pantomime again, which opens a week on Friday, so most evenings will be rehearsals. I still haven't learned my lines, so I'll be practicing tomorrow in the workshop - I hope I don't alarm too many passers-by!

Ah, here's the video it's just uploaded.

Handled

It's a New Year!

Hello boys and girls and a Happy New Year to you all! I wish you all a wonderful 2012.

I got back to work today after a lovely Christmas break. It was just what I needed, I was feeling pretty burned out at the end of last year and it was a welcome rest. So today, I was back in the saddle/swivel chair and making pots again for what seems like the first time in weeks. Usually I'd start off a fresh making session by throwing my favourite thing, 8lb jugs, but I already have some of those made, so instead I got started with a couple of dozen 1.5 lb, dinky little jugs.

I struggle with small stuff, it uses different skills which I rarely practice, but by the last few, things seemed to be going along nicely. I have to send fifty pieces to Japan, for exhibitions at Art Fair Tokyo and Gallery St Ives, also in Tokyo. It costs a fortune to ship these pots round the world, so I can't imagine I'll be sending any of my big heavy pieces. I need to make a lot of small pots in the forthcoming weeks.

It's been crazy weather today, gale force wind and torrential rain. This winter we've only had a few frosts and none of those have been particularly hard. The flowers in the garden seem very confused by it all. I'm glad of it though, last year at this time I was unable to get to the workshop because we were snowed in.

Here's a little film I shot today at the workshop.

Late night working with Marky Mark tomorrow, I'm looking forward to that. Bye for now.