Harvest Jug Wars

My big jug came out of the kiln yesterday Doug, you can tell we've both been looking at the same books recently.

This is the largest in a set of three jugs. Still the smallest one to go but it is thrown and ready.

I have got some pots that I acquired at the Geffrye to show you still, I haven't forgotten them.

More last minute making for the S.P.A and S.B.M.C exhibition going on. Lizzie has been working her magic with these two small bases that I made. Another of these still to come and possible a lid for the leafless tree one too.

I'm going away again on saturday down to Origin to try to help Amanda who is exhibiting at this very prestigious event. I know she is in a complete panic but I think that her work will go down fabulously well because it is such amazing work. If you are in London do come and visit so you can see what I mean.

It's another week with lots and lots to do, getting pots decorated and finished so they can be drying slowly while I am away next week. It has been such a busy year so far I can't quite believe it and there is still a list a mile long!

Warm Weekend.

This weekend we had the pleasure and amusement of a visit from my potter friend Debbie who now lives in the British Virgin Islands in a place called Tortola. We were at college together and obviously I don't see very much of her these days but she came up for a too short trip to Galloway with Matt her great bloke.

At Cairn Holy along the coast from us, a neolithic burial site.

It was sad to see them go this afternoon but they are off to enjoy the Lake District for a few days now. Maybe we'll meet next time over at their place, a boat that they are rebuilding to live on.

Back into the workshop today, packing a bisque, throwing, some decorating, some packing of parcels to go off to an exhibition opening at the weekend and general straight back into the chaos.

It's a busy friday day.

What a list of things to do today, so long that I couldn't even shake a stick at it. Some of it got done, some of it didn't but isn't that always the way. Monday's list is forming as we speak but some might just be crossed off tomorrow morning. No weekend working proper this week because we are being visited by my mad crazy wonderful friend Debbie who runs a pottery on the beach these days on Tortola in the Caribbean. We haven't seen her for two years so she is visiting to cause chaos throughout south west Scotland for a couple of days. It'll be great.

I managed to get my wide shallow handled dishes that I didn't copy off Blogger Matt - honest Matt, decorated this afternoon. There is I think sometimes some weird potting clay molecule connection sometimes as I think it is amazing how many times you do something only to find that at the same time some other blogging potter is reporting almost the exact same thing. Matt made some handled dishes on tuesday too, I'd seen some at the weekend that spurred me on. I've drawn them numerous times over the last couple of years but never gotten around to actually making them and then there you go, same day we both do them. What's all that about?

Lizzie popped in this afternoon to try her hand at some slip trailing inspired by this Scottish Potters / Scottish Basket Makers collaboration. I think she did just great for her first attempt. Maybe we'll convert her yet. This is her having a trial run on a board. Personally I think it was the expert tuition that did it.

I had made a second slab dish but sadly I managed to collapse that this afternoon, the piece below was salvaged from the wreckage, no idea what I'll do with that but it seemed a shame to waste it.

You can indeed tell that the season has changed. It's long fingered gloves on the bike in the morning time, it's more like three days than one before pots can be slipped time, the making time has just doubled if not more overnight. However autumn is for me the best time of year, the colours, the crispness, the falling leaves, the purply heathery hills, misty mornings, the blackberry pies, the being able to wear woolly chunky jumpers and snuggle up by the fire - yummy scrummy.

Baskets and pots from across the sea.

There's nothing like a bit of pressure is there to set you off making new things. For months and months now there has been in the planning a joint exhibition between the Scottish Potters Association and the Scottish Basket Makers Circle. The handing in date is now about 9 days away so here is a fabulous time to really get into the idea of making pots inspired by baskets and vice versa and yes you guessed it that's exactly what myself and Lizzie are doing. We've had it at the back of our minds for months and now it's suddenly flung itself forward.
I've been making some dishes with basket imprinted handles and Lizzie has been making some clay baskets and we're hoping to do some stuff together too. Will it get finished in time? Watch this space. . .

This is not a basket. It did however arrive today from a Mr Hollis Engley of Hatchville Pottery in the USA. That was a rather lovely surprise Hollis, thank you very much. It's a corker. Does it have some of the Antarctic mud in it? I now have my very own little bag of Antarctic mud to amuse myself with too. I'll save that for the time being and maybe use it when I have a bit more playing time.

Thanks again Hollis, it's a great pot and is sat as all new comers to the house do for a while, on the kitchen table to be looked at and handled while we eat fr a few days.

I've also been using my mold that I have been wanting to use for the last three months but never quite getting around to. It too has been used incorporating the basket impressed clay. I am really pleased with them so far. The decoration threw me a bit, I sort of panicked with the first one. It didn't need much. I'll have a longer think before I do the second one.

So it has been a busy couple of days. I'm trying to get all my orders underway and the Christmas exhibitions work started, there is a surprisingly short amount of time before all that has to be at it's respective galleries too. No rest for the wicked.

To be going on with

Back home again and exhausted. It's been a crazy busy but very enjoyable trip. Annabel and Elissa it was really great to see you both again. Thank you so much for your hospitality it is very much appreciated.
The show went well, it's a small show really on the London scale of things but I really enjoy it precisely because of that fact and the staff at The Geffrye Museum were brilliant.
As I said briefly in the last post I did manage to run to the Victoria and Albert Museum for the opening of their new ceramics gallery. I knew it was happening on friday but really didn't think I'd be able to go until I discovered that the museum is open till 10pm on a friday evening! What on earth else better is there to do of a friday evening in London? So myself and Linda Bloomfield and Blogger Andrew went there to meet my friend Eleanor who now works there.

Linda and me were like excitable school children, when we saw the hoarding outside with the pots on we could hardly cross the road fast enough. It was too much to take in really, my brain felt like it would explode if I tried to look at any more. These three pots above are so much bigger in real life than I thought they would be. Beauties.

A general gallery pic with Eleanor, Linda and Andrew. There are so many pots, a whole section of world ceramics, like a time line I think it was though I may be muddled now about that. Lots of British things, lots of slipware, oh just lots of lovely lovely things, and bits of things and a set up of Lucie Rie's studio and saggars and pully outy drawers with things in and boards to turn over and films to watch and pots, and more pots and did I mention the pots?

I just wander around London agog most of the time, it's so busy and chaotic looking to me and there is stuff happening all over the place. I liked these bollards, we walked past these every day on the way to the show. More London pictures to come and I might just get them all up before I go away again a week saturday to London again!

The potter next to me at Ceramics in the City was Chito Kuroda who took this video of the show.

New V & A Ceramics Galleries!

Oh my! WOW! Kid in a sweet shop doesn't describe the half of it. The new ceramics galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum are out of this world!!! Nearly went onto melt down, too much to take in but fabulously well done. Hoping to get another hour there tomorrow before my train home.

Wheeeeeeeeee!

Off to London

Today I had the office staff from the Turning Point Scotland office in Dumfries at my workshop, they were all here to watch some demonstrations and have a try themselves at decorating some plates. I hope you all enjoyed your day. Your pots will be with you in a couple of weeks.

I finished off this large Harvest jug today, the mermaid looks a little more attractive now after some plastic surgery. This can be sitting drying merrily while I am away as tomorrow I get the train down the road to London town. The big smoke. The busy busy slightly scary place. I am however looking forward to it, pop into the Geffrye Museum if you are around and come and visit Ceramics in the City. There is a special Preview on Thursday 17 September from 6 till 8.30pm, then it's open Friday and Saturday from 10am till 5pm and sunday from 12 noon till 5pm. Do please say hello if you get the chance to visit.

Lastly but by no means least, we haven't forgotten you Alan. A whole year ago, still not particularly believable. You wouldn't believe the number of times this year I've thought you'd be the one to give me the answer to something I needed to know.

Splendid sunsets and slipware pots.

We have had a week of utterly fabulous weather, most of it I have spent inside on a course, inside in a photography studio and inside at a Scottish Potters meeting oh and driving to and from Edinburgh and Perth. Typical. Anyway we have been having beautiful sunsets, the sort that make me go out into the garden and twirl around in a happy manner.

A couple of weeks ago Amanda took some pictures for me for my Spring Fling application as I was in a slight panic not having any new pictures in time. These two on this post are two of hers.

This sunset was just as I got home from Perthshire last night. What a welcome home.

Both these pots will be traveling down to the Geffrye Museum this weekend to Ceramics in the City, Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week. Pots are packed and the courier is coming tomorrow and I'll be catching the train down on Wednesday morning. That really is the way to do it you know.

CEO

Day out today in Edinburgh at a Cultural Enterprise Office event on marketing. It was a very early start for us and its been a beautifully sunny day while we sat inside all day doing sensible things. Great to have Amanda's company for the day though. We always have a good old natter and put the world to rights. Thanks Amanda!

It's always useful to be reminded of the things you know you should be doing within the business, introduced to new things to think about and actually have a day where you are able to put effort in and concentrate on these things which lets face it are not our strengths or the things we crave to do as craftspeople, if we did I suppose we would be marketing consultants not potters.

Philbeck Frenzy

I went to the opening of the Feast of Pots exhibition on sunday afternoon, a very pleasant way to spend a cold damp sunday afternoon. Met a friend of mine walking down the road to the gallery who said she had come specifically to buy a Ron Philbeck washing line plate. I told her she'd have to fight me for it but thankfully Ron had sent two so we didn't need to start a punch up in the gallery. As we were looking though and ooohing and ahhing we drew a crowd who got well into the swing and within minutes all bar a couple had been sold. Good work Ron!

I've been spending a lot of time sgraffitoing this big jug, I'm loving it but blimey it does take some time.

Mermaid with a lovely body but she could do with some surgery n the face I think. Oops.

Thinner middles, wider edges.

Fresh slip again, still wonderful, this time across a set of three plates, you can't quite see all the etext but I like the idea of these things that go in sets and I want to keep playing with it. I've got lots of deadlines coming up as I'm sure I have said already and as always when it is just that bit too late I think I am making the most progress. Things always just really start to make sense once it's too late. I am never completly satisfied with what I make and always think there is a better one waiting in the next bag of clay. I suppose that is a good thing but it's really frustrating too when you want to have your best work for something.

Some new pots out of the kiln though, this is the insane plate that I was decorating during the "rain madness" period. I have calmed down hugely you'll be glad to know, I have cycled to and from work twice now without getting wet. Fabulous news.

Today I threw some plates with thinner middles and wider edges. I think I need a plate change.

I made a plum and blackberry crumble last night, it was great, it was a big crumble, there was lots left. Now sadly there is just me at home to eat the left overs. Guess what's for dinner for me for the next two nights? Thanks Alan for the plums, they're great. Thanks hedges for the blackberries, they're great too, the freezer is well stocked for the winter.
Off to the private view at the McGill Duncan Gallery in Castle Douglas tomorrow to join the throngs of customers who are trying to get their hands on a piece of Philbeck pottery. I'm working on gathering a crowd of screaming girls fainting for your possums Ron, watch this space.

Some dry weather!

Lots of slipping being done at the moment in between checking to see if there is any more wet stuff falling from the sky. A whole afternoon of dryness today! That staves off the insanity for another day - just.

Wet slip is just the tastiest thing isn't it.

And finally, this paint brush is the one I use for dusting off my bisque pots, especially sgraffito ones. It was when I got my first studio, a proper paintbrush, I just realised last week how much of the brush I have worn away over the years. I think it may need fixing with a new one.

Square Dishes and not raining jigs.

Somebody was asking about how I made my square dishes so here you go. The photo above shows the base on the right and the walls on the left, I've already moved the walls into the shape that I want them to be. The sections were thrown the evening before and so were still pretty wet so move easily and can be joined easily without too much faff.


The shaped walls placed onto the base ready to be joined.

The joins smoothed into each other.

The excess of the base cut away and the profile cut with a tool, once these are a little tougher I'll turn away some of that excess on the walls, the bit that looks a bit ugly here, and that's that.

Extract from the "Oh my it hasn't rained for an hour" jig.