Sprouting

Spring is sprung the trees are sprouting.

Last Chance!

This is your very last chance to place your votes in the Craft&Design Selected Awards for 2010 Voting closes tomorrow, Friday April 30th. I would be thrilled if you took the time and fancied voting for me. You can vote for more than one maker but only once for each person. To go to my page at the website follow this link.

www.craftmaker.co.uk/hannahmcandrew

Thanks and happy voting.

Woodwork = Hard work!

Today I made the former for the catenary arch of my firebox. It's taken me most of the day and I am exhausted from it but pretty chuffed.

It may not be the neatest nor the prettiest but I think it will do the trick.

I quite like the odd bit of wood working but by 'eck I'm not that great at it. It's a blooming good job that I'm not a furniture maker else the world would be full of shoddy furniture.

Anyway there you go, all done. Right, NEXT!

ooooooooh

So tomorrow will be a wood working day. Oh dear, poor wood.

Friday's fun

Some quick pics from yesterday for you. I had a half dozen or so of these jugs with feet to slip, I liked them very much the last time I made them. I don't think I've sold any yet but they make me chuckle so I thought I'd make some more. The first batch of unslipped ones are photographed in the May / June issue of Craft&Design Magazine. I've just received the second one with my article in it through the post this weekend. It's exciting seeing it all in print again. The next deadline is a week tuesday, how on earth does it just keep coming around so soon?

This afternoon I travelled over to Stranraer with Hazel to be at the opening of the Spring Fling Taster exhibition at Stranraer Museum. It was a great turn out over there, some people had come big distances to be there and be part of it. It was a very enjoyable afternoon and I was too busy chatting and catching up to take pictures of any of the work that was there. You will have to believe me when I say that there were some wonderful things on display. I'm not generally a jewellery type person but I was very taken with one of Natalie Vardey's long necklaces with crochetted silver panels, the link takes you to the range that I was looking at.

This evening I have finally finished getting together the next issue of the SPA newsletter, this one had to turn into a 16 page issue as I had so much to go in there, that'll probably up the postage costs but never mind, there's a lot of interesting things in there I think, I'll get that in to the printers first thing monday morning.

I unpacked a glaze kiln on friday, most of it an order to go to the Royal Exchange Craft Shop in Manchester, it's a place I used to work at before I moved up here all those years ago now. They have ordered Birdie and Footprint pots, so they should be there by the end of the week. Let me know what you think if you happen to be passing the theatre there and have the chance to pop in.

Tomorrow I think will be mostly spent at the workshop catching up on the things that I have been neglecting due to the attention I have been lavishing on my kiln. Hopefully the weather will stay this fabulous way that it has been for the last couple of weeks as I fancy a bit of a cycle in the afternoon all being well. Enjoy the rest of your weekend all, till next time, toodle pip.

Hohr-Grenzhausen, Germany

My lovely Northumbrian Craft Pottery friends aka the Geordie Boys, have just sent a message mentioning these fliers and saying "nice fliers though noticed Hannah has her jugs on display (wonderful pair) you seem to show them at every opportunity Hannah, ROLL ON GERMANY." Charming boys they are.

I suddenly realise that I might not have mentioned this on the blog, or have I? I can't remember, my brain is pickled. I'm going to Germany in June, as part of an exchange with the potters market in Hohr-Grenzhausen, seven Potfest potters will be exhibiting and doing some slightly serious slightly silly demonstrating during the festival. I'm travelling with my Geordie potter friends, that'll be a laugh! The only down side is that we leave the day after Spring Fling, how can it be that everything that happens seems to go all at once, never nicely spread out? Oh well.

Arch ie bald the great

Apparently Archibald the Grim built Threave Castle just down the way from here in the 1370's, I know this as Paul is just reading an article from the Galloway News as I write this but I thought called my kiln roof grim wasn't a very auspicious name, so great it is.

This is what we were up to yesterday, all in, it's a bit of a hash being as there weren't enough arch bricks and the skew backs were a bit battered and worn so we cut some more and generally sloshed it together. The bracing isn't in yet so I can't try to take the arch out yet. Maybe next week. I need to make the former for the firebox next week.

There it all is, hope it stays there...

I've had a few offers of help for people to come down and help build it to learn about it too and I feel a bit bad for not yet taking any of them up on it. The thing is it's not that big a space or a kiln and I realised after the first couple of days working on it that actually two people is plenty in there. Most of the time you can't progress any faster than two people can go anyway because you're waiting for cement to harden and what have you. So my apologies to those of you that were keen. Next time I build one though you'll be drafted in I'm sure.

Things got done today

Hurrah! I managed to get a good bunch of things on the "to do" list done today. That makes me feel much better. I had two chargers needed slipping which have been a sat sitting for a good few weeks now waiting for some crazy decoration.

I nipped outside briefly to have a gander at the beech trees out there that are bursting with buds at the moment. My trees are usually very much what I think a tree looks like rather than what a tree actually looks like. Ok I know this one isn't an exact tree either but the branch structure is still visible on the trees outside the workshop so I thought now was as good a time as any to try to improve my trees, in fact probably a better time than some times as if I left it another couple of weeks they'd be all fat and green again. The leaves morphed back into oak leaves though - oops.

I did some throwing too and quickly slipped this little creature, it doesn't resemble anything I would usually make or even the way I would usually put things together. Quite cute I thought though.

Surprise!

It

all

seems

to

be

happening

very

slow-

ly

at

the

mo-

ment.

I don't seem to be making huge progress with anything but yet seem to be silly busy with lots of things. It's suddenly that time again and the Scottish Potters Newsletter needs putting together, this time I have more than enough to go in it, too much in fact, I think we might be rash and go with 16 pages instead of 12 this time. I bet I won't have that problem with every edition though. I am slowly slowly making pots but they seem to be hanging around at every stage for weeks on end which I think may be a small exaggeration but it's certainly what it feels like and what with Spring Fling being just around the corner I should be far more in control. The kiln is growing but again slowly, I know it's something that will eventually get there, Jason is coming back on wednesday and we'll hopefully get the roof of the chamber in place. Fingers crossed.

I did manage to get some pots decorated this afternoon, some more of the Humbug mugs and a couple of ordered plates. There's more to do tomorrow and I have a big list of things to be thrown as well.

This weekend's surprise was an email from Debbie my potter friend who lives in the Caribbean saying she was back in the UK, only just here before the volcanic ash stopped the flights, just for a week and that she was going to be in Manchester. I was a bit sad that I couldn't get down to Manchester to see her because I had so many things happening and a couple of meetings booked that couldn't be moved. Then another message that her dad was travelling north and could drop her off down in Lockerbie on sunday night and collect her again monday lunch time. Needless to say we hatched a plan and I went to get her last night. Deb is a star, she causes chaos and cheer wherever she goes and I just love her to bits. We had a very late night catching up on everything and anything and then the morning at the workshop where she was feeling the cold somewhat even though it was a beautiful sunny day. Here she is nursing a warming cup of tea in a Doug mug.

Just as I was off to drop her at the bus stop I had two more surprise visitors who were popping in on their way north. Great to see you John and Angela, it was great to be able to finally show them where I am, we usually meet at shows you see. They are incredibly kind people and brought me some plants for the garden and - how lucky am I- this great dish in the picture above. It's been made by Geoff Fuller a slipware potter in Derbyshire, he has been working on making replicas of some old pots and trying to recreate the exact colours and feel. Now if that swirl of slip isn't enough to make you squirm then I don't know what is. It's fast and confident but incredible simple and beautiful all in the one go. That takes some practise getting it just so in the middle of the dish. I was very touched with the gifts so thank you again.

Exhausted

The mortar is AOK to go so today it went. Nearly at the top inside, vermiculite in between the two layers. Three more courses to do tomorrow and then it's onto the next bit. I'm shattered, had a couple of late nights at various meetings this week and a head too full to sleep very well. So short and probably not that sweet tonight. Bye.

Clive Bowen

Well, out to the big city for a day with Amanda today. We've been meaning to do it for ages but somehow never get round to it. Today we made it. I'd heard about a show at The Scottish Gallery, a solo of Clive Bowen's pots. Well that was well worth the trip.

What a display. Beautiful. Fabulous pots, well displayed. It's been a long time since I've seen what I might call good proper traditional pots given so much dedication, attention, space and focus. That little dark jug in the middle on the top shelf there possibly my favourite of all, I think you'd maybe say it was more of a potter's pot than the others, very dark I assume for the black slip getting really hot and metallic, I loved it but I think I'll get more use out of the bowl I bought than I would of the jug.

Of course they deserve it entirely. From the street they look stunning through the window, all shiny and glossy and scrumptious.

Inside they are cleanly displayed, they have enough space to let each piece shine and be seen and they are thoughtfully displayed. I know that to most galleries out there the craft is every bit as important as the art that they carry, however I'm sure most of the crafts people reading this will have come across one or two for whom this may not necessarily be true where it can feel that craft is a bit of an after thought. As I say not true of all by a long shot.

This was though good for the soul. Beautiful pots, pots to bring home and fill with soup and enjoy and to make you smile and yes there were a good few that I would have liked to give a hug to and one or two that had I been in private I might well have licked.

OK it's out in the open now

Well there's the proof you've all not been needing to confirm my lack of sanity. The pot above has been around for a good few months now, it came out during a bit of a mad phase at the end of last year, it got fired in Doug's kiln the other month. What was I thinking? I have no idea but it was good fun when I did it and the decoration is very loosely globe artichoke based. There were a few slightly less than my usual type of pot things but only this one survived.

Today, again where my head was I'm not quite sure but this appeared, much smaller than the other and this one was just thrown and assembled bang bang bang as everything cam,e off the wheel hence the soft wobbly not quite straight nature of it. Looks like a fish standing on it's tail. It's for no particular purpose other than just to have a go I suppose.

The sun continues to shine in south-west Scotland, it's been positively hot the last four days or so, today I was out cycling wearing just jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt and the sleeves of the t-shirt were rolled up! I know! Can you believe it. It's lovely. My pansies are starting to say hello at work.

Stripey field time, I love how it looks when they've been ironing their fields. There is I'm sure a more correct word than 'ironing' but that's essentially what they're doing I suppose.

The daffs are out in force, well ok not in this particular plant pot but out and about in general they are. The verge in the middle of Rhonehouse is a riot of dancing daffodils, it looks fabulous.

Oh and in response to the "Don't ask" post, I was trying desperately to modge up the weird cement for the lightweight kiln bricks as it had gone too hard to use but I was assured it would water down well enough. I'd just broken my paint stirrer thing that I use for breaking up and mixing my glazes and slips and so was resorting to feet. It was very very cold and highly amusing and did no good what so ever but Jason found it hysterical. It's now, after much TLC (and a very sore thumb from impaling a slither of rock hard cement up under my thumb nail yesterday - ooooooooouch!) happily sitting in buckets in a much happier and more usable state. Hopefully friday will see it not in buckets anymore but between bricks. Fingers crossed.

Ne'er cast a clout till May be out

The sun has been out today though I did this morning maybe in a state of too eager a belief that summer was her, cast away my vest and long johns only to be cursing my rashness by the time I got to work, it took quite a few hours for the chill to burn off in fact it wasn't until this evening when I got home that I felt it warm and spring like enough to go and pot some plants in the garden - without a coat!

Twelve by 1:16 Michael, the thought was there but I just didn't quite manage it though the phone calls I made and took in the morning will aid the continuation of the kiln build so I think that's allowable don't you?

I am a pretty rubbish gardener, I never know whether things should be in at what time of year and then I probably plant them wrong or upside down or something and as to whether or not things will come back next year, assuming I haven't managed to kill them off of course, is utterly beyond me. Tig and Doug would probably curse me for cruelty to plants but it isn't malicious honestly just easily confused I think. Every now and again though I get the urge to plant some things in my pot collection at work or at home. Most of these twigs in the pots here are little trees, I do like my little trees, I know where I stand with those. The fritilary is about the only thing I can name, oh and the lavender, I got the fritilary the other week because I recognised it in the garden centre after I drew some sgraffito ones on this harvest jug set last year.

Lastly for today I forgot to say when I delivered them but there is now a small display of my pots at Barnbarroch Pottery with Christine if you happen to be in the Kippford area and fancy popping in for a look. I think you would be foolish to miss a browse around Christine's shop if you are in the area anyway, it's always full of her amazing gems of pots. Go see for yourself.

Don't ask

Freezing cold feet as a result though.

Trees and rain or trees in the rain

It's been raining for what feels like an age but I think in fact is only about 36 hours. We had a soggy but great walk at Mabie Forest on monday and along with all the plantation of spruce that's in there are a few sections of old trees that have escaped the saw and are still merrily growing away, you can just tell that they are the safe hiding places of many an elf and tiny bird dragon.

Today back to work and a day for clearing away the stack of plastic that has been covering a growing stack of pots on the shelves. I've been throwing things but never actually getting them finished and all of a sudden progress has been made.

Wet slip, is there anything better?

Dingly dells perfect hiding places for the mischievous creatures that I sometimes draw to put on my pots, as long as you are quiet they don't mind you drawing them but they don't like cameras, not at all. I told them I didn't have time to be drawing yesterday as if I took as long as I would have needed to get these trees drawn then my paper would have turned to mush. So off they went skipping into their hidey holes, if you look closely you might catch a glimpse of a stray hat or a wing tip not quite pulled in far enough behind the moss.

Easter Biscuits

Happy Easter all.