Some of the good 'uns

None too good

Well that was a disappointment.

I used to mix my dark glaze using Fremington red earthenware from North Devon, sadly no longer available, so the latest batch I had to use Valentines red clay. Well there must be a LOT more iron in the clay, because when I opened the kiln there were many brown pots, most had runny glaze that glued the pots to down, damaging every single shelf and destroying a large percentage of the firing. My glazes won't work in an electric kiln so I couldn't test it first. Maybe I was a bit foolish to have used so much of it.

Poor Jessica, a young girl who is coming to do work experience with me this week, was there to get her first taste of this risky game. At least it stopped me cursing!

However, all was not lost and there were some pots that worked very well, but the spoil heap will be mountainous tomorrow. Every large jug copped it, all the big jars and most of my mugs. In fact, most of everything including that crazy puzzle jug.

Well, the only thing I can do is get stuck in to making again tomorrow and try again. Fortunately I did get a few lovely pots out in the other glaze so I'll have plenty for Earth & Fire next weekend, but I'll need to go for it now to get some more through for Hatfield in August. What a bore.

Scary looking hillbillies

If you happened to be strolling down a secluded country lane and you stumbled upon these two guys playing with a big box full of fire, would you stay for a cuppa or run for your life?









Kiln opening this evening, I feel quite nervous but really excited, woohoo!












Back later, either happy or sad....................

Fired - tired

All seemed to go well, finished about midnight. Cross your fingers for me, unpack on Sunday.





Firebox 1, 8:20 am


























Firebox 1, 8:20 pm



















Spent a bit of time sorting out the garden too, my rose is looking and smelling wonderful, more than can be said for me, off to scrub my sooty body then a good long sleep, can't wait to hit the hay, nighty night.

Ahead of the game

There we go, kiln all packed and ready to fire a day early. What a long day it's been, seventeen hours in fact, no wonder I'm tired.


Earlier in the week I had a call from World of Interiors Magazine asking me for some images of my work. They called me again today and asked me to send some pots to London to be photographed on Tuesday. Unfortunately I've sold all the bowls that were requested, so in order to get some more through in time, I've packed the kiln in readiness to fire tomorrow. That means new pots a day early, hope it's a good one. Chuffed about the mag, it's really posh.

Oxford Ceramics

I had a visit earlier in the week from Oxford Ceramics, who now have some of my pots for sale. You can see them here

Craig Edwards

Here's a blog full of tasty pots to check out, woodfired stoneware made by Craig Edwards.

Kipper thinks he's ace.

I really, really, really, really, really don't enjoy glazing

But it's got to be done.



Most of it is, I'll finish tomorrow then start repacking the kiln ready for Saturday's firing. New pots on Monday, yippee!!!



I had a great visit today from a couple who really understand where my work is coming from. We had a long talk about the need for tradition and the importance of passing on traditional skills and accumulated knowledge. That's something that's very important to me.

I've learned a huge amount about traditional skills from fellow potters on this crazy blogger thing.

I wonder what Edwin Beer Fishley or Michael Cardew would have had to say if they'd had a blog.

I wonder what I used to do with my evenings before I had a blog.

Bisc

The bisc firing. More later................

Sorry Clive

I feel bad tonight because I had to let Clive down at the last moment. The fuel tanker strike has hit hard here and all the petrol stations locally are closed. Hil has just enough to get her to work and back tomorrow, so I couldn't go. It'll be walking again for me in the morning.



The bisc firing looks good, although I haven't unbricked the whole door yet. The wall pocket Brad made from field clay fired up a pale buff colour, there it is beside the puzzle jug. I was chatting to the farmer who owns the woods opposite at the weekend and he said that if I show him which seam of clay I want to use, he'll dig it out for me - that's going to be incredible. This particular seam's a bit too pale, but the stuff higher up in the woods is a beautiful rich orange.

Today I mixed glaze, a job I don't enjoy much, but it wasn't too bad as the workshop's pretty organised at the moment, although a lack of running water meant I ran out and wasn't able to finish the job.



When I got to the workshop I discovered that the plate that I use on my bird table had been knocked off and broken, I think probably by a squirrel that visits occasionally. I've been meaning to make a slipware bird table for a while, so that's exactly what I did. It's based on the small, ancient, market buildings that some of the little towns have round here. It's a bit of fun, hope the finches like it. Not sure why I put a cockerel on top, weather vane I suppose.





The birds are great company and eat very well at my place. The photo shows the woodpecker who comes every day. That's the view I have of him from my wheel. I need to wash the window, but at the moment he can't see me so I'm reluctant to do so. Sadly Woody's destroyed my swallows nest in the kiln shed so there'll be no young in there this year. Nature is a toughie sometimes.

Loads of glazing tomorrow.

A beautiful place

Here are some shots taken on my walk to work this morning



Dog roses


Fragrant honeysuckle

Monday 16th

Firing seemed fine, although long. We finished at just after 1am. Thanks for your help Marky Mark, Blogger Matt and Tig. Here's Matt giving it some kickwheel action.


This is a fine jug Matt gave me from his most recent firing, filled with foxgloves and bracken that Tig picked from the field.


The last shot shows the chimney smoking away, I love to see it that way. The kiln shed is usually filled with piles of wood and all that stuff that won't fit anywhere else and it becomes unworkable. At firing time, that part of the workshop gets sorted out, and when the chimney's smoking, it's alive.

Luke's gone off to Cornwall for a few days to do his work experience and Hil's taken him to the station. I'll be walking to the workshop this morning, I bet there will be some lovely things to look at on my way there.

Lots of glaze to mix today before I get the pots out of the kiln. I'll then spend the next couple of days glazing - boo hoo(hated job), then repacking ready for glaze firing on Friday, then new pots a week today -woohoo(best job).

Off to Clive Bowen's tonight to do some of the nightshift on his huge bottle kiln. It's ages since I saw Clive last so it'll be cool to catch up.

Well, I'd better go to work or it'll be time to come home before I get there, more later...............

Packed up and poker in

Thanks Mr Cardew for that deco idea.



All packed, chockablock, including a damp puzzle jug, placed next to Blogger Matt's 25kg candlestick, directly above where the flame first enters the kiln and next to a small vase made just this morning - hey, it all adds to the excitement!

I think it'll be ok, the gas poker's preheating overnight so everything should be nice and dry and hot by the morning. Hoping to start at about eight in the morning. Marky Mark's coming up at about ten and Blogger Matt's coming some time in the afternoon.




Just waiting to watch the Sex Pistols on the telly, live at the Isle of Wight Festival, before going to bed. It gives me a great excuse to put this picture of Luke and Johnny Rotten on here again. I know it's been on before, but hey, it is pretty cool, so here it is again!

Puzzle jugs and espresso mugs

Here's the crazy puzzle jug all slipped up. Don't know if it'll make this firing, the kiln's almost full.






These are some little espresso mugs I made today. They fill all the little gaps a treat. Brief tonight because I'm pooped and I've still lots of other admin stuff to do. Sweet dreams.

Puzzle jugs and kiln packing

I made a few puzzle jugs today. I haven't made any of these for ages. The sunshine, with some help from the gas burner meant that I was able to throw, construct and decorate them all within one day so that they'll make the firing on Saturday.



They're based on sixteenth century ones made at Donyatt in Somerset.


The diagram shows how they work. They must have been very easily entertained in the olden days.



The dog roses are in full bloom in the hedgerow at the moment and inspired this large, ornate, three-spouted puzzle jug - you'll either like it or you'll hate it.






Marky Mark came up this evening and we cracked on with packing the kiln. The back's all in, I'll finish the front tomorrow. There are going to be loads of pots left over so I'll fire again in mid July. It seems like ages since I had any new pots so I can't wait to get these ones through, I'm really pleased with this batch.



These pots are mostly for Earth & Fire and Art in Clay.

A few more small pots to make and blast tomorrow for gap fillers in the kiln, then all set for a long, slow pre-heat on Friday and a big burn-up on Saturday, woooohoo.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh

Kitten update



Kipper




Sprat

Tuesday

Hot hot hot in Devon today.



It was perfect weather for drying pots in the sunshine. These two mugs are made from clay dug from the stream in the field by the workshop. It's so much easier to throw with than the brick clay blend I've been using, it makes me realise that I make things difficult for myself with my ususal clay body. Nothing else I've tried has given me the same granular, earthy quality, though I'm tempted to try other options if it makes throwing so much easier.


Here's a teapot I assembled and decorated today, the camera's made it look a bit odd, honest.


The poor sheep in the field were panting away in spite of their new haircuts. It's a strange noise that a whole flock of panting sheep makes.



I spoke to John Edgeler yesterday about Friday's opening and book launch. Apparently it was a great evening. Alan Caiger-Smith gave a fascinating opening speech, I wish I'd been there to hear it. Henry Sandon and Tanya Harrod were there too. It's a thrill to know that such folk are looking at my work. Somebody bought one of my large platters too, so a good night all round.

Today I had a call from John Foley, owner of The Imagine Gallery in Long Melford, Suffolk, asking me if I'd like to take part in an exhibition in August with Clive Davis, Mark Griffiths and Lisa Hammond. Of course I said YES!

Late night working tomorrow with Marky Mark, packing the back of the kiln ready for bisc firing on Saturday. Still haven't made all the pots yet so a big day for the gas burner tomorrow.

Cheers

That was a very tiring weekend at the craft fair, early starts, standing all day, then late to bed. I met some fantastic people. Great to see Hannah and the Pauls.

I had some fab chats with John Maltby, my old friend Marianne deTrey and a fascinating talk with a lovely old lady who is Bernard Leach's daughter.

Quite a few of my old work colleagues turned up - seems I made the right decision to escape that place - no surprises there then.

It's difficult to sell 'brown pots' at the best of times as such work only appeals to a small section, of the small section of people who buy pots, particularly at a mixed craft fair where many folk were buying jewellery and textiles, so I was fairly pleased to have sold what I did.

What I really enjoyed more than anything was meeting the people who understand what I'm trying to do with my work and I had some great conversations with them. Thank you for buying my pots and thank you to those who talked with enthusiasm about my work.



One such person was a lady who owns the amazing 900 year old Priory in the picture. She usually buys a lot of my pots from a local gallery and this was the first time I'd met her in person. It sounds like she has great plans for the Priory. I'm hoping to go and pay her a visit in the near future, I like the sound of the period gardens. It looks like an amazing place to stay, check out the web site here.

Back in the workshop this morning and it was hard work. I struggled to get into the groove, but got three teapots made. I'll get some pictures tomorrow. It'll be the last making day before this weekend's bisc firing. There's going to have to be a bit of force drying, so hopefully more sunshine tomorrow.

Happy Tuesday to you

Today at Bovey Tracey

Here's a speedy post. It's the middle of the night and I've been at the workshop decorating after the day in Bovey Tracey. The show's going ok. Blogger Paul and Marion came to the Private View last night, good to see them. Need to sell more pots, two more days to do it in. Will try and get some more shots over the weekend.

I wonder how the opening went tonight in Winchcombe. There are some amazing Cardew pots in the show, try and get along if you can, I had a sneaky preview of a few of them a while ago.

Got Hannah and Paul Young coming over tomorrow evening after the show to see my workshop. It's all a bit messy - oh well, I can't imagine they'd expect anything else.

Happy weekend everybody

Book launch this Friday

LONG ROOM GALLERY & COTSWOLDS LIVING PUBLICATIONS
WINCHCOMBE [tel. 01242 602319]

MICHAEL CARDEW AND STONEWARE
SATURDAY 7TH JUNE TO SATURDAY 28TH JUNE 2008, 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (closed Sundays)
(PRIVATE VIEW FRIDAY 6TH JUNE FROM 6PM TO 8PM)

A major retrospective of the career of Michael Cardew after World War II, focussing in particular on his work in Nigeria at Abuja and at Wenford Bridge in Cornwall, to be launched at a private view on 6th June by the well known potter, Alan Caiger-Smith.

The pots in the exhibition have been drawn exclusively from private collections, so visitors will have the rare opportunity to see some 200 pots not normally on display to the general public. Traditional pots from North Devon and Africa will also be exhibited.

The show will see the launch of a new 160 page full colour book on Cardew’s pottery made in stoneware, a companion volume to the well received title we published in 2007, Michael Cardew and the West Country slipware tradition. Some contemporary pots will also be on sale by Svend Bayer, Clive Bowen, Mike Dodd, Doug Fitch, Michael OBrien and Danlami Aliyu.

Long Room Gallery is situated in the centre of the Cotswolds town of Winchcombe, which is equidistant between the towns of Cheltenham and Broadway, on the B4632.

To purchase this excellent publication, or for details of earlier titles, please contact John Edgeler on (01242)602319 or by email John@edgeler852.freeserve.co.uk