Thursday

Yesterday was a day of decorating and tidying up. Last year, on my trip to America with Hannah and Ang, Dan took us to visit Guy Wolff in Connecticut. Guy gave us some slip trailers that he had made. They consisted of a clay reservoir, with a goose quill, through which the slip flows. I've been wanting to have some fun with these for a while - I like the challenge of decorating, with the material slightly out of control. I need to come up with some new ideas really, the design that I messily trailed is a traditional one, used extensively by Michael Cardew. It fits these dishes well, as the moulds were made by the great man himself. My method of applying the design however is rather more haphazard than his. It'll be interesting to see how they come out, they'll either work or they won't. Today will be another day of tidying up. The place is such a state at the moment after all the chasing round the country in recent weeks - it's not been sorted out properly for ages. Joe, my younger son is going to come and stack wood for me this afternoon, which will be a great help. We're going away next week for a family holiday, so I want to have everything organized and in it's proper place, ready for when I get home. While we're away, I'm hoping to spend a few hours in the Castlegate House Gallery in Cockermouth, where I currently have an exhibition alongside Hannah McAndrew and Paul Young. Well I have to walk to work today as the car is in the garage for a service, so I'd better get out on those lanes - I think the sun might be shining - hurrah! Back later, bye for now