Monday 10 March 2008

A good day's making

A speedy blog, we've got crazy weather at the moment and the power keeps cutting in and out. Joe's getting all the candles ready. More severe weather warnings for the South West tonight.

I got loads done in the workshop today. Lots of finishing and more making tomorrow. I'm loving it at the moment in spite of last week's firing frustration. Right, I'm off before the lights go out and I lose all this.

5 comments:

Ron said...

Looks great Doug. Hope you made it through the rough weather.

Becky said...

Hi, Doug. Wanted to stop by and say hello. I'm a student of Ron's & found the link to your blog on his.
I love your work and your descriptions of the surrounding countryside. Have been reading about the "perfect storm" that you've undergone and am hoping that you managed to escape too much of it's wrath.

Hannah said...

Hi Doug,
Hope you are still in one piece with the wild weather you are getting, we seem to be relatively calm at the moment (touch wood!)Some of those new pots are beautiful, the colours are great. What on earth was wrong with the glaze? Was it an old batch as just been there a while or an old recipe? It's such a shame. Mr Godfrey said something at the weekend about the mentality needed when you unpack the kiln and it's horrid but you just turn round and start again, and we do don't we, we just go and throw some more. I am really looking forward to seeing more pots at ClayArt but I'm so many miles away from being anywhere even vaguely iin the state of ready for it. Did you go to the Bovey Tracey information day? Have you heard anything more from them? Best wishes.h

doug Fitch said...

Hello Becky
Thanks for checking in. I've been to your blog too via Ron, great pots,love the cave art, good luck with the raku. There's a fine picture of Mr Philbeck on there. Is he a good teacher? Don't worry, if you think he's rubbish, you can confide in me, I won't tell him.

The storm wasn't too bad here thanks, we're a little way inland, I think it was worse on the coast, but even then I don't think it was as bad as they were predicting. Look forward to seeing how your little birdie comes out.

doug Fitch said...

Hi Hannah
I was so stupid with that glaze. Ages ago I bought some bisilicate from a local company and it bubbled like crazy. I remixed it and it did the same so I went elsewhere and all was well. Stupidly I didn't throw the old batch away and because I fire fairly infrequently, got confused. Lesson learned the hard and expensive way!

I've thrown myself back into making and the pots are better so I'm happy enough. I learned a lot about a few decoration ideas from the last lot so it wasn't at all wasted. I'm going to try refiring some of them.

I did try to go to the Bovey info day, but I got the wrong day! Anybody might sense that I'm a bit disorganised - never!

I've started making with a viw to having some pots ready for Clay Art. I'm going to be firing that bottle kiln with Paul Young(and blogger Matt), the one Clive and Paul built last year, so I've got to make pots for that too. I'm looking forward to catching up with you there, I'll bring that English Slipware Dishes book with me for you to have a browse.

Right, what a huge load of waffle, I'm going to see what you and the others have been up to, hope all's going well, cheers, Doug