SPOTLIGHT ON: MIDDLEPORT ON: MIDDLEPORT POTTERY
ClayCraft PINCH, COIL, SLAB
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Issue 8 £4.25
SLIP-CASTING CYLINDERS Using a mould for repeat makes
CREATIVE IDEAS
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STEP-BY-ST STEP-BY -STEP EP PROJECTS PINCH POTS
Practical scoops MEET THE POTTER
Intricate carving
SURFACE
NEW WORK
DECORATION
Water-etching Water-etching & slip-trailing
LONDON DESIGN FAIR Where craft meets commerce From FRESH show
ALSO INSIDE:
Issue 8 £4.25
Readers’ makes • Settling tank
Contents
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28 Happy anniversar anniversary! y! It’s Potclays’ 85th anniversary this year: there's plenty to celebrate
33 PROJECT 3: slip-casting Using a mould to produce repeatable work using casting slip
36 London Design Fair Where craft meets commerce. Paul Bailey reports
39 Linda Bloomfield 6
Glaze application methods: brushing, pouring and dipping
News
42 PROJECT 4: sandwich tray
10 Your photos
We bring our tea set build to close, with a tray. Put the kettle on!
A selection of work sent in by our readers
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Fixing a batt
46 Doug’s Diary
For easy removal of fresh work from the wheel head
Doug Fitch on the importance of keeping notes, and the Rev Richard Coles
12 PROJECT 1: thrown teapot Step-by-step guide to throwing Step-by-step all the parts for a teapot
18 18 Meet the potter Amberlea McNaught’s intricate carving showcases her training in Morocco
22 PROJECT 2: pinched scoops We continue our ‘spoons’ theme with this larger version
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25 Material matters Alan Ault of Valentine Clays explains how to choose the right clay for your work
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CONTENTS
54 62
48 Next month
73 Events
With Christmas looming, we get in the swing of things with decorations and gifts
Your guide to pottery and ceramics events right across the country
49 Pots from the past
78 Emerging Potters
Thomas Hayman reports from a dig at the Leeds Pottery site
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50 Keep your cool! Damp box options to keep greenware workable for longer
51 Letters Share your thoughts
52 Glossary Your essential guide to the most commonly-used pottery terms
54 Project 5: woven basket Using flattened coils to weave a useful basket for bread or fruit
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Paul Bailey introduces more up-and-coming new potters who are destined for success
80 Courses listing 59 Settling tank build A DIY option for keeping your sink’s waste water clean
Fancy signing up for a class? Find one near you in our handy free listing guide
62 Project 6: slip-trailing Mark Dally shares his tools and methods for getting this decoration right
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65 Pottery suppliers directory 67 Spotlight: Middleport Pottery This historic site has so much to offer visitors
70 Project 7: surface decoration Water-etching, with wax resist SPOTLIGHT ON: MIDDLEPORT POTTERY
ClayCraft subscriptions offer 76
Save money and have the magazine delivered to your door. You know it makes sense!
Cla y Cr a f t PINCH, COIL, SLAB
33
AND THROW
Issue 8 £4.25
SLIP-CASTING CY LINDERS Using a mould for repeat makes
CREATIVE IDEAS
7 P RO JECTS
STEP-BY -STEP PINCH POTS
Pra ctica l scoops MEET THE POTTER
Intr icat e ca rving
SURFACE
NEW WORK
DECORATION
Wa ter-et ching & slip-tra iling
LONDON DESIGN FAIR W her e cra ft meet s commer ce From F RESH sho w 1 C l C r f t C ve r I u e . i n
ALSO INSIDE:
Issue 8 £4.25
Readers’ makes • Settling tank
1 1 11/ /
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E H T I N
S W N E
If you have a news story, product launch or details of some other topical item you’d like our readers to know about, email
[email protected]
KBJ @ FRSC
Tana West, (UN)WOVEN, 2017. (Photo: Joel Fildes)
Eusebio Sanchez, Antropomórfico. (Photo: Joel Fildes)
AWARD AND FRESH WINNERS ANNOUNCED Tana West has won the British Ceramics Biennial’s £5,000 Johnson Tiles AWARD for her monumental new work (UN) WOVEN . Rising star of the ceramics world Eusebio Sanchez has been selected as winner of FRESH for his collection of sculptural objects. Forming the centerpiece of the British Ceramics Biennial (BCB), AWARD and FRESH bring together work by some of the most talented established and emerging ceramic artists in the UK, giving a snapshot of contemporary ceramics practice. As well as the £5,000 prize, Tana West has been awarded a commission for the 2019 edition of BCB. The judges were impressed by the scale and impact of (UN)WOVEN , which has been made on site at BCB in the former Spode factory site. This work is part of the artist’s ongoing investigation into idea of the barriers and divisions across Europe, both real and perceived, and what this means in the context of Brexit. She was selected from a shortlist of 10 artists by a judging panel chaired by Alun Graves, senior curator in the Sculpture, Metalwork, 6
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Ceramics and Glass Department at the V&A. The 10 shortlisted artists all created new work for BCB, which collectively exemplifies the abiding interest in clay as a medium for making and exploring ideas. FRESH winner, Eusebio Sanchez, has been awarded a one-month funded residency at Guldagergaard International Ceramics Research Centre in Denmark in 2018, and a BCB artist into industry residency, also in 2018. FRESH celebrates and gives a platform for artists at the beginning of their creative careers, and represents the breadth of work created across the ceramic spectrum. The 2017 shortlist featured 22 recent ceramic graduates from the UK and Ireland. Major new commissions by the 2015 winners of AWARD and FRESH, Sam Bakewell and Hannah Tounsend respectively, have been created for the 2017 British Ceramics Biennial. These works, together with the AWARD and FRESH exhibitions, will be on show in the BCB’s main festival hub, the China Hall of the original Spode factory in Stoke-onTrent, until 5 November.
Keith Brymer Jones visited the Forest Row School of Ceramics recently, to give a wonderfully entertaining talk and demonstration. His humorous and candid stories were very well-received, and the attendees learned a lot from his throwing demos. If you get the chance to catch Keith at a live event, jump at it! Keith is planning to move production of his porcelain ware to the old Spode site in Stoke-on-Trent, creating 50 jobs, and hopes to be able to offer apprenticeships and some teaching modules, in conjunction with Staffordshire University. We will be keeping you up to date with this as it progresses.
35th anniversary show dates The Craft Centre Puffins, Jennie and Design Gallery Hale. Leeds is pleased to announce its new exhibition programme, to mark its 35th anniversary. Over the coming months you can see work from many ceramicists, including Jane Muir, Gin Durham, Jack Doherty, Jennie Hale, Rob Parr, Sarah Saunders, Sophie Southgate, Duncan Ross, Christine Cummings and Anthony Theakston. craftcentreleeds.co.uk
IN THE NEWS
INNOVATIONS IN CERAMIC ART APPLICATIONS OPEN Online Ceramics is looking for people who produce quality work with clay to take part in the next Innovations in Ceramic Art. They are keen to include work by artists who challenge what can be achieved with the medium, regardless of it being destined for domestic, gallery or any other settings. This will be the third Innovations, and has moved from the autumn to early spring 2018. It will be the first major ceramics show of the year, three weeks before Ceramic Art London. Craft Potters Association members will receive a 10% discount. Closing date: 21 October. For an application pack and more details, visit: onlineceramics.com
Science for Potters Science f or Potters
Linda Bloomfield’s latest book, Science for Potters, is now available at ceramicartsnetwork.org/shop/ science-for-potters You can choose to receive it as a book ($29.97), or if you can’t wait to get your hands on it, it’s also available as a PDF download ($19.97). The contents cover chemistry, geology, clay, crystals, the science of colour, and glazes. We will let you know when it’s available in the UK.
Two Atomic Bottles by Kate Malone , courtesy of Adrian Sassoon.
MODERN MAKERS SEMINAR Thursday 9 November, 10am-3pm Theatre Royal, 66-68 Shakespeare St, Dumfries DG1 2JH Who will be the skilled craftspeople of the future? How can we show people the joys, and sometimes the disappointments, of designing and making a beautiful object from scratch? How can we encourage young people to try their hand at making when arts provision in schools is under threat, when colleges are reducing their craft courses and the computer screen is a dominant pastime? This seminar will debate these questions with the makers and young people who have taken part in Upland's Modern Heritage Craft and Modern Makers projects. They will be joined by speakers who are investigating other ways of providing openings into a skilled craft making career. The seminar acts as an opportunity to broaden the discussion around creative apprenticeship models and routes into craft. Speakers include Carol Sinclair (Applied Arts Scotland), Robin Wood MBE and Tam McGarvey (GalGael), along with past makers and participants from the Modern Makers and Modern Heritage Craft Projects. This event is free but booking is essential. Please book here: bit.
ly/2gp2mHB
Linda Bloomeld
‘The Teabowl: Past & Present’ The Leach Pottery’s new museum exhibition tells the story of the teabowl, a highly valued ceramic form closely linked with Japan and becoming increasingly popular in contemporary Western ceramics. The exhibition presents 55 examples of teabowls, including historic teabowls from the East, teabowls made in the West in the spirit of tradition, and teabowls made with a sense of subversion. Curated by artist and writer Dr Bonnie Kemske, and Dr Matthew Tyas
of the Leach Pottery, the exhibition also tells the history of the teabowl, as it arose in the East through use in chanoyu, or Japanese tea ceremony, and its journey to the West. Outside Japan, many potters have venerated traditional teabowl techniques and aesthetics, while some have chosen to subvert and challenge its deep cultural legacy. The exhibition runs in the Cube Gallery until 11 March 2018. Selected works for sale.
leachpottery.com
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BCB picks The following is a small selection of what’s on offer at the British Ceramics Biennial, the sixweek festival in Stoke-on-Trent, which runs until 5 November. For a full list of all the artists taking part, see: britishceramicsbiennial.com
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The Annual CoCA Lecture 2017: Why China? Felicity Aylieff and Takeshi Yasuda Saturday, 28 October, 4pm-5pm Takeshi Yasuda has been living and making pottery in Jingdezhen, China since 2003. The initial draw was an invitation to set up and run the Pottery Workshop artist’s residency programme. Fourteen years later, he continues to spend the majority of his time over there. In 2006, 2006 , Felicity Aylieff joined Takeshi in Jingdezhen and discovered the potential the city offered to work with large-scale porcelain vessels, and realised new talents for painting and pattern-making. She goes back and forth to London on a regular basis, where she teaches at the Royal College of Art. Working in collaboration with small family workshops and skilled craftsmen, they have seen the change in fortune of many of these individuals, witnessed the entrepreneurial spirit of the young and seen a growing optimism within the development of small businesses. Recently, they have moved to a brand new studio, supported by the local government,, and set up RedHouse government
IN THE NEWS
Chorley’s Auction House Chorley's Auction House is now consigning for its Modern & Contemporary Auction in November N ovember to include studio pottery. Contact
[email protected] for a free and confidential valuation. valuation. chorleys.com
Roundhouse Gallery Ceramic design studio with a Chinese partner and assistants. Here, they design and produce porcelain tableware, unique thrown work, undertake commissions and make work for exhibition. In their talk, they look at what took them to Jingdezhen in the first place, the challenges they faced making work in an unfamiliar culture, and how taking on these new experiences opened up opportunities and extended their creativity as artists and makers. York Museums Trust is able to run this event with the generous support of the Northern Potters Association and the Friends of York Art Gallery. Drinks will be on sale after the lecture. Yorkshire Museum Museum Street, York YO1 7FR
An exhibition of the latest ceramic work by John Maltby, Peter Hayes, Philip Evans, Sarah Jenkins, Robin Welch, Ben Arnup, David and Margaret Frith, Paul Wearing, Jane Hollidge, Albert Monserrat, Richard Heeley, and Lisa Ellul. Opens 4 November, at 10.30. Please feel free to come and have a look at The Roundhouse Gallery, Foston, Derbyshire. roundhousegallery.co.uk
Crafts in the Pen Ceramics and sculpture at the annual crafts market, at Skipton Auction Mart, 18 and 19 November N ovember,, 10am4pm. With over 230 stalls, there’s sure to be something for everyone, so put it in your diary now! craftsinthepen.org.uk
Help needed!
UAL: not just a shop not just a shop is UAL's new retail and enterprise learning space in High Holborn. It sells design products and artwork by the University’s alumni, while also providing a space for students to get support with starting and developing their businesses. UAL has long supported its students with starting and developing their businesses; helping students and alumni to embark on their professional futures in the creative industries, find jobs, set up businesses and sell their work. As the name suggests, not just a shop is much more than a commercial retail space; it also hosts a programme of talks and
workshops, on topics ranging from pricing work to protecting intellectual property. Proceeds from the shop are reinvested back into supporting the department’s enterprise programme, which includes free talks, workshops, funding and one-to-one business education. Join the mailing list at: bit. ly/2wIpdUG or follow them on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter to be informed about special events and offers. not just a shop 272 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EY
[email protected] Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm
arts.ac.uk/about-ual/not-just-ashop
Arts@theCrypt is a lovely gallery Arts@theCrypt is in Seaford, Sussex, built around a 13th-century vaulted, flint and stone, undercroft. The trustees and committee members are all volunteers for the charity and need to raise funds to keep this amazing space running. They are always looking for volunteers volunt eers and additional committee members who can offer their help and expertise. On November 11 and 12, they are having a ‘Sponsor’ weekend with an exhibition, and are appealing for donations of work to be sold at the usual selling price, with all proceeds going into the gallery’s funds. Any unsold work will be returned to the artist. If this is something you would like to take part in, or you’re interested in hiring the space, please call 01323 896444 or email chris_hesketh@ heskethps.co.uk
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Readers’ work We love to see what you’ve done, both with our projects, and your own work! Here’s a selection of pieces sent in by our readers. If you’d like to share your photos with us, please email them to:
[email protected] 1: Peter Teago: I’ve just finished this catfish, a nd thought you might like to see. It will get glazed and fired and put then into a frame. Made at Carron C arron Pottery. 2: Maddie Janes: I thought I would share this mosaic with you. It is for a project in The Potteries and inspiration came from a book entitled ‘Burslem Saturday’ by Len Barnett, illustrated by Anthony Foster. Foster. They gave permission for me to use it as inspiration for this mosaic. 3: Elaine Wells from Throw Down: I have been running a couple of classes at my studio and everyone uses ClayCraft for for ideas, as it ’s so easy to follow the steps. steps. Sarn has just finishe d a plate based on the ones demonstrated in issue one and so we thought you might like to see it. 4: Elizabeth Dawber: I thought you might be interested in this pinch pot made by my 91-year-old 91-year-old mother, following the method outlined in your magazine. She is from Southport and attends a weekly pottery class here. Sent in by Carole D awber.
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5: Sarah Vanic: Here’s a picture of our volunteer technician/trainee Hannah Weber on the electric wheel, practising techniques described in ClayCraft. We really enjoy the magazine and are using it as a resource for the students at the Art House. Thanks for all the great info, and I’m looking forward to next month’s issue. 6: Sian Griffiths: Thank you very much for an interesting and informative magazine. Your step-by-step projects are easy to follow. I've been making pottery for two years with Sue Zeppelini from Base Art, in Taffs Well, near Cardiff. With her help, I made the fish mobile from issue five as a birthday present. I didn't want to part with it! Looking forward to the next projects.
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DIFFICUL DIFFICU LTY RA RATING TING
hnical Tec how know-
Fixing a batt to the wheel head
Wheels come in many shapes and sizes, and some already have a wheel head specifically designed to accommodate batts for fast production work. It’s almost always alway s better to throw throw on a batt to avoid avoid having to remove the pot from the wheel head when it's still wet, and vulnerable to distortion. If you don’t have a wheel with a batt-locating mechanism (lotus wheel head, for example), then the following method is a good alternative.
1
2
Centre
your chosen weight of clay on the wheel head following the method explained in issue 2 of ClayCraft (details (details of this can be found on the ‘How to’ pages of our website at: claycraft.co.uk)) claycraft.co.uk Using the side of your right hand, held in a fist position and supported by the fingers of the left hand, as shown, begin at the centre and draw the clay outwards, towards your body, applying firm and even pressure until you’re within half an inch of the edge of the wheel head.
Using
your forefinger, and again supporting one hand with the other, make a series of concentric grooves in the clay, beginning at the centre and working evenly to the outer edge.
4
3
Position
Wipe
over the underside of the batt with a damp sponge to clean the surface and give a key to stick it to the clay.
the batt on the pad of clay, making sure it’s central, then give it a thump in the middle to ensure it fixes onto the clay securely. Before starting to throw, dampen the surface of the batt with a wet sponge, but don’t saturate it or the clay will slide off when you try to centre again. Issue 8
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SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
ONE
THROWING A TEA POT
he teapot is probably the most challenging of all thrown items to make because of the many different techniques involved in the component parts – body, spout, lid, handle, etc, plus the technique of turning or trimming. The key to success is to make all the parts in one session so that they all firm up at the same rate, to reduce the problem of cracking at the joints. This is a really comprehensive guide to throwing a teapot, with step-by-step guidance through each stage of making and turning to ensure a successful outcome. Next month we’ll be showing you how to assemble the pieces and turn them, so you’ll need to either wait until then to start the project, or store the parts in a damp box (on their batts), to ensure that they don’t dry and become unworkable. To make a simple damp box, turn to page 50.
T
Before you begin things to consider: Clay weights: Much will depend on the clay you’re using – earthenware will shrink less than stoneware, so the following weights will vary the size of the finished product accordingly.
THE TEAPOT BODY
See the ‘How To’ pages at clay craf t. co.uk f or a stepby-step guide to centering
Four-cup teapot: 1 ½lb (0.7kg) clay for the main body – extra clay will be required for the spout and handle.
This will make a pot 4 ½ in (11cm) high A standard round lid will require approximately 5oz (0.14kg) of clay Six-cup teapot: 2 ½lb (1.1kg) clay
This will make a pot 5 ½ in (14cm) high A standard round lid will require 8oz (0.2kg) of clay
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Tip:
1 Fix
a batt to the wheel head then centre your chosen weight of clay and lift it to form a basic cylinder. The width at the base should be approximate to the size you want it to be when finished, but remember to allow for the clay that will be removed when turning the foot. When finished, use a kidney to remove excess clay at the base of the cylinder and from the batt.
DIFFICULTY RATING
4 Using
2 Begin to belly out the body with the left hand inside, applying outward pressure and the other on the outside supporting the developing shape with either the knuckles, finger tips or a rib, as shown here, as the clay lifts into a rounded shape. Remember to compress the clay at the rim with your fingers after each lift to keep the shape true.
the second finger of your right hand on the outside of the pot, and supporting the underside of the rim with the fingers of the other hand, gently close the belly inward to form the shoulder – stopping when the opening is correct for the size of the pot.
5 Again
supporting the inside shoulder of the pot with the fingers of one hand, run a rib over the outer surface to remove excess slurry, compact and refine the clay.
6 3 Before
closing the rim to a point where you can no longer get your hand inside, sponge out excess water carefully, taking care not to distort the shape.
Still
supporting the underside of the rim with one hand and holding a rib almost flat, as shown, carefully cut a raised flange around the opening – this is where the lid will sit. Issue 8
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SKILL SCHOOL PROJECT
ONE
7 Again
using the tip of the rib, form a waist at the mid-point of the body. It is still important to support the body at the rim as you do this. Finally, work over the body with the rib one last time to refine the surface and remove excess slurry. The first part of the pot is now complete. Wire the underside but leave the pot on the batt, then carefully lift the batt off the wheel head and put it to one side for the body to firm up while you prepare the other parts.
THROWING THE SPOUT
1 Centre
and open up a small ball of clay, then lift the wall to form a cylinder. The shape should have a slight inward lean – be conical rather than straight – DO NOT allow the shape to flare outward. Remember to compress the clay at the rim after each lift, to keep control of the shape.
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2 Start to collar-in the shape using the finger and thumb of your left hand to pull up the wall, while pushing the clay inward gently with the fingers of the right hand. After the first lift remember to compact the clay at the rim again, using the tip of a finger.
DIFFICULTY RATING
3 Using
one finger only on the inside, lift the wall again applying pressure gently outward from the inside and inward on the outside.
5 When happy with the spout, remove excess clay and slurry from the surface of the batt with a rib, then cut a mitre around the base.
4 Continue
to narrow and lift the spout to your required height using the fingers and thumbs in a pinched position as shown. As the spout narrows, use your little finger internally if you need to refine the shape and lift the wall higher – other fingers will generally be too thick to make the spout narrow enough at this stage. Work over the shape several times until you are pleased with the shape and the height.
6 Wire
the underside of the spout making sure the wire is flat to the batt. You can leave the spout in situ on the batt to firm up, or gently lift it one side with a rib and transfer it to another board. The spout will be cut to size and shape later, so a little distortion to the base won’t matter. Issue 8
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SKILL SCHOOL THROWING A LID OFF THE HUMP
PROJECT
ONE
This is a good way of working if you want to make several lids at one time and it’s very much the practice when production throwing, where the maker has many lids to make for his pots.
1 Centre
your clay and lift it into a cone – do this a couple of times to make sure the clay is properly centred. Keep your thumb on the top of the cone to maintain a level surface as you lift the clay.
4
2 Cup
your right hand around the top of the cone, applying pressure with the side of the hand to form the top into a doughnut shape. Hold the left hand at the same angle to maintain the shape.
3 Still
cupping the doughnut shape between your hands, press the thumb of the right hand down into the centre and draw it sideways to open the shape out to a shallow bowl with a thick rim – you will need the extra clay at the rim to form the flange. 16 ClayCraft Issue 8
Supporting the inside of the bowl with the left hand, gently press down with the finger of the right hand to split the rim – leaving the flange standing upright. This will create a gallery to sit inside the pot (as opposed to the whole lid sitting inside the pot where the gallery would then be on the body). IMPORTANT – measure the opening for the lid on the body of the pot using a pair of calipers (use a ruler if you don’t have calipers). Check the caliper measurement against the lid and make any corrections required – you may need to collar in the flange slightly to make it smaller or widen the flange slightly from the inside. Once you have the correct size, using your fingers only, refine and lift the flange – remembering to compact the rim when you have finished.
DIFFICULTY RATING
5 With
the fingers of your right hand on the underside of the lid for support, gently press a finger down on the outside of the flange wall to create a slight groove as shown.
7 Using
the tip of a rib, carefully score a V shape into the clay on the underside of the lid to mark the point for wiring-off. Be careful to leave enough clay on the underside to turn the shape of the lid later.
8 Carefully
6
wire the lid off the hump at the marked point and transfer it to a board to firm up for turning. You could now throw another lid from the same hump if required, and it’s sometimes useful to make several at a time in case you spoil one when turning.
Tweak
the flange slightly to an inward angle then check the size is still correct with the calipers. Carefully sponge excess slurry from the inside of the lid, taking care not to distort the shape.
Next month, we’ll be constructing and turning, so you can either wait to start the throwing until you can do it all in one go, or store the parts in a damp box until then, if you’re itching to get started!
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MEET THE POTTER Amberlea McNaught’s life has been a rollercoaster, with not a little serendipity at play. A series of chance connections have led this extraordinary young woman to produce some of the most exciting work currently on the ceramics scene
A
mberlea describes the past year as being her first good one since graduating from Cardiff School of Art & Design with a First in Ceramics, in 2013. “It still feels like yesterday! I came out with no idea how to start the journey, and made loads of mistakes. It takes years to truly learn it all.” That journey was put on hold when, just after graduating from university, Amberlea moved home to Sheffield to then face the death of her best friend . “I was unplugged for a year, not making anything – just staring at the clay – my work changed a lot after that. It transformed from terracotta and gold lustre to heavily grogged black clay almost overnight. I made sporadically and it took me two years to really get back into making again. “I started making shrines. Big pieces, that I couldn’t exhibit or talk about. No one would buy them and my confidence was shattered. I was broken. Adrian and Dylan, from Northern Kilns, were wonderful; they installed my kiln, and told me to just start. ‘Don’t think about anything else, just make pots and don’t
Amberlea
Eunice Locher.
Fresh out of the kiln. Amberlea’s testing out new forms
works surrounded by inspiration and photos of her masters.
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give up’. They are amazing people. I have an incredible network of people who have been very supportive in helping me to heal through making. “Then a year later, another close friend suffered a great tragedy and I needed to care for her, but I had to get away from the darkness; it was consuming my work – you can’t exhibit your art therapy!” An email from a university friend set the next stage of Amberlea’s life in motion. It was details of a residency programme in Fes, Morocco with an organisation called ‘Culture Vultures’, run by Jessica Stephens. “I needed a new perspective on my work and my life, so I decided to go” says Amberlea. “For five weeks, I was exposed to lots of artisans
A piece of work given to Amberlea by her master. If you think her work is intricate…
and came back a totally new person. It was the best thing I ever did. I needed to be with people, immersed in a new culture and language.” Starting in the ceramics room, Amberlea quickly realised that she’d only be taught very traditional patterns on repetitive forms. “They really liked my unique designs, and even offered me a job in a factory teaching it to their workers,” explains Amberlea. “They said I’d made contemporary Moroccan designs, and they had international clients who’d love to buy my pieces. Which was crazy!” However, she wanted to do something different, and asked to move to the plaster room. “I’d never seen people carving plaster before until I went to Morocco. I’d seen Stucco at the Alhambra in Granada, and was desperate to do it myself, but I believed that all the craftsmen who made it were long dead. I wondered how I could learn and it was only when I saw the masters in Morocco I realised that this craft was still alive! It’s just across the water, THAT’S where it came from. Having traced the craft back to its root, I wanted to explore further.” In the plaster room, a master was teaching traditional carving skills, and Amberlea was hooked. “It was a busy room, with about 15 students, and the master was there, working alongside them, chiselling plaster plaques. At University I’d done a lot of intricate plasterwork – casting formers and carving moulds– using dental tools, but never a chisel. “In Fes, I learnt to carve using chisels on plaster blocks on the wall. It was
MEET THE POTTER
students.” Sadly, these are unlikely to be Moroccan girls. “Leaving was really emotional, we’d become a family unit. I don’t feel like a visitor anymore; I feel I’ve become one of them. My master told me that when I come I have an open-ended invitation to just come, stay at his house, and work with him”. “I went back for a couple of months this year in February, and he was very happy to see me. I took him some ceramic tiles, carved in a pattern he’d taught me, and he had never seen that before. I showed him pictures of what I’d been making and incredible. I only made three pieces in a he was blown away – he’d never seen it week, but they were quite big! I was applied to ceramics. absorbed, not taking lunch, or breaks, I “I’ll continue to go back, but I have to really didn’t want to stop. The college juggle making time to travel – to feed my focuses on teaching traditional craft soul and my work – and finding time for skills, but does not encourage innovative making and selling my work – to feed my design. The students don’t need to design bank balance – which allows me to go their own work; they are trained to back to Morocco. I’m trying to build in follow the traditional patterns set by the time to go for a couple of months each master. I was the opposite – bursting year, to further my training. with ideas but lacking in technical ability! There were a few students who would Ceramics commitments push the boundaries, and I really Once home, Amberlea continued working encouraged them. “I’m the only female plaster carver in Morocco. I didn’t know that at the time. Other Stucco Mallam (Masters) were travelling to see me in the college, they were intrigued and amazed to see me working with my master. It was because I’m a woman. It was amazing, upsetting, and daunting, that I was so unique.” The culture is such that even if Amberlea were to set up a school for women, taught by women, girls just wouldn’t be allowed by their families to come and learn what are deemed to be ‘male’ crafts. “I have a great relationship with my master, he respects me as an artist but also treats me like a family member. He gave me my own ‘master’s jacket’ – which was a massive honour –so all the students recognise that I’m a guest. They call me ‘Mallama’, (female form of ‘master’), but I was just learning like they were! They were impressed with the way I picked up the techniques, and my master said I taught him a lot . He would never have Carving is hard on the neck and thought that a woman could do it, and wrists. Amberlea needs to take breaks. (Photo: Ben Boswell) would now consider taking on female Issue 8
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in plaster, but she had commitments to shows, and needed to make pots. “I realised that I can’t solely continue plaster; my pottery has started to become much more sought after, so I’m torn. Everyone wants me to make the pots, so I’m having to put down my chisels – for the moment.” She applied her knowledge back onto her ceramics, working on curves, with a knife, not a chisel. “I changed the material and the tools, but it’s the same understanding of how to take a piece out, the angles, building the pattern, how to grid things. The transition just came; I didn’t need to be shown how to do it, it just happened. The basics were all there, I was just applying the knowledge in a different way. “When I took the work out for the first time, the feedback was amazing – people were buying it! They could see the Moroccan influence, straight away, so I continued to develop it, chasing the possibilities.” Moving from Cardiff back home to Sheffield meant Amberlea lost all of her network, and had to rebuild it. “I’d had a busy few years developing and making a whole body of work, being completely rejected at most shows, selling absolutely nothing – and doing that repeatedly. It’s been a hard exercise! You learn at every show you go to, getting feedback – good and bad, and while the positive stuff is really great, you really absorb the
Master Abderrazack Bahij, with the only female plaster carver in Morocco!
negative comments. I’ve been really lucky to have met some very supportive, established potters, who have taken me under their wing and kept me making when I was slipping. “The real key to success is never giving up. It’s a hard thing to tell someone, when they haven’t got the physical or mental strength, but you just need to keep making. I’m lucky to have a really supportive family, who want me to keep making – so I’m taking advantage of that! “I’ve realised there’s no point in making hundreds of bad pieces, so I’ve had to sit and have a slow making year, making really intricate pieces, one at a time, and thinking about quality over quantity. I’ve made less, but better, work; condensing it down and thinking about how I could tighten up my practice – I stopped designing hundreds of different forms, I selected one and nailed it. I decided to use two clay bodies, on one form, varying the patterns and shapes of the carving, so this became the central focus of the work.” Potter or artist?
Amberlea McNaught.
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Amberlea confesses that her throwing used to be ‘appalling, heavy enough to kill someone!’, so she began to explore carving, which helped reduce the weight. “There are functional aspects that I ignored, about the weight, thickness, and evenness. My throwing was lacking that, so now I’m spending time on the wheel
and I’m still constantly progressing, slowly improving my technique. But, you need to pick your area of specialism – you can’t be a master of it all. “I’ve had years of people telling me I’m not a potter, which was very hurtful. I went to university and did a ceramics degree! But the more I heard it, the more I thought, actually, they’re right. I’m an artist, not a potter. It hurts, but then it’s also a positive thing – it sets me apart from tableware potters. We’re all the same underneath; we all use clay, we just make different things. “It is difficult, but if I concentrate on my throwing, and improve the weight and the form, I ’ll then be making domestic forms into art. I’ll be combining Moroccan artisanship with British studio pottery, in a unique fusion.” Amberlea feels under pressure to make more commercially, but she’s adamant that it’s not for her. “I put my fingers in my ears! They don’t understand me, my aesthetic choices, or my values as a maker. There are reasons I carve things, a reason why I resonate with this kind of work, and I’m not devaluing what I do for money. That’s been a conscious choice. It’s hard to listen to your own inner beat when people are telling you otherwise, which is why it’s so nice to have a maker you respect say, ‘no, you make what you want’. Of course, you listen to advice, take it on, but then pour it back out, don’t keep it in and beat yourself up. I just don’t make functional stuff!”
MEET THE POTTER
Serendipity Amberlea has had several chance meetings that have led to extraordinary experiences. The first came during her gap year when she went to Ghana, and fell into a job training at a pottery in Accra. “I learned to throw on a wheel (with an arm-turn handle) and make figurative work. The clay was full of sticks and stones, and I had someone facing me, turning the wheel while I was working! I came home knowing that I wanted to do pottery, so I changed university courses at the last minute, from Applied Arts in Nottingham to Ceramics at Cardiff. The Cardiff deadline was that day, so I dashed off to the computer, sent my application in and got an interview. The stuff I’d done abroad really enhanced my Main image: Stunning work on display. Circled image: How many cuts per pot? Amberlea has no idea – hundreds and hundreds! (Photo: Ben Boswell)
application.” The second opportunity came after a lecture in her second year at Cardiff. “At the end, I went up to the lecturer Reyaz Badaruddin and asked, ‘If I come to India, will you help me find a job?’ He said, ‘yes, call me’, so I booked a flight to India, got there, and rang him! We met the next day, and he asked if I wanted to work with a traditional or contemporary maker? I told him traditional, and he drove me to Bhuvnesh’s pottery. Bhuvnesh Prasad is one of the most famous potters in India. I had no idea where I was going! “Bhuvnesh was invited to the Potters Haat festival in Delhi, and wanted to take some of my work too. I
was mortified – I’d only been there a couple of weeks – but he was adamant. OP Jain, the founder of Sanskriti Kendra, a cultural centre in Delhi, came over and picked up a terracotta piece of mine, and asked how much it was. I told him I was taking it home; it wasn’t for sale. Bhuvnesh was furious! OP Jain is the owner of an entire terracotta collection – like the Charles Saatchi of India – and I’d refused him! I wrapped it up and ran back to him. I told him I’d come to India to gain skills and knowledge, which had been given to me, and the least I could do was to give my pot to him. He took it for his collection!” Then the chance email about Culture Vultures took her to Fes, from where her current work stems. “I’ve been head down, working for three years and now suddenly it’s exploded,” says Amberlea, delighted but still – charmingly – surprised at the attention she’s receiving. “Every day, when I sit in my studio, I look at photos of my masters from around the world. They are with me, reminding me of my lessons, even if I’m not physically with them. The most influential points in my career have been going out of the country and working with artisans abroad, where I can’t speak the language but we have an amazing connection through our hands and our tools. I don’t know how I found them, I’ve been very lucky.” Yes, Amberlea has been lucky, but it’s more than that. Her thirst for knowledge, her courage to travel and discover new skills, and her undoubted talent and dedication to her craft, are just the beginning of this story. You can see Amberlea’s work at: Gwalia Ceramics, Llangollen, Wales Bills & Rye: (Coming soon) Last show of the year is Elemental at Westonbirt Arboretum 28th October – November 2nd. Issue 8
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SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT JECT
TWO FIVE IVE
PINCHED SCOOP SPOONS
his is our second instalment in a series of spoon-making projects, and this month we make two useful scoops to use in the kitchen – perfect for anything that needs to be scooped in larger quantities like flour, rice, salt, ground coffee, etc. You can make the scoops to any size you choose – the only limit will be the amount of clay you can successfully pinch.
T
The scoops have been covered with food-safe, brushon glaze and fired to the manufacturer’s recommended temperature. This type of glaze is very useful for small projects like this, where only a relatively small amount of glaze is needed, but they wouldn’t be cost effective for much larger projects. However, you can have great fun with these glazes, and there are huge ranges to choose from – Amaco, Mayco, and Duncan, to name but three – ask your ceramic supplier for advice.
SCOOP ONE
1 Weigh the required amount of clay to make the first scoop. The reason for weighing is to ensure you can repeat the build again to approximately the same dimensions, and you can only do this if you know how much you began with. The small scoops shown here used 50g clay each for the main body. Pinch the clay out evenly between fingers and thumb as demonstrated in previous issues of ClayCraft , to form a cup shape. You can also find the basic pinching technique on the ‘How to’ pages on our website (claycraft.co.uk). 22 ClayCraft Issue 8
2 With the pinched form in the palm of your hand, gently squeeze the sides together to change the shape to oval. Leave one end of the oval nicely rounded, but pinch the opposite end slightly to narrow it so that the outline shape becomes egg-like.
DIFFICULTY RATING
3 Firm
the clay up with a hairdryer so that the shape will hold, and when it’s more handleable, surform the rim to level it. When happy with the level, work over the edge, inside and outside with a kidney to give a rounded and refined finish.
5 Curl
the strip over to form a teardrop shape, as shown. The size will depend on the size of your scoop body, but whatever size you make it, be sure you can get your fingers comfortably through the loop. When happy with the size, cut the ends off with a metal scraping tool or a knife.
6 Check
the size of the handle against the scoop body and make any small adjustments necessary to ensure the size balances well, and is in good proportion. When you’re happy that the size is correct, remove the handle and firm the clay up with a hairdryer until it holds its shape and is no longer floppy. Be careful to only dry the clay to the same level as the body.
4 Roll
a thin strip of clay 10-15mm wide. Use the thinnest roller guides you have to do this – the clay should be about 3mm thick preferably, but 5mm max otherwise the handle will look too bulky for the scoop itself. Smooth over the strip with a kidney, then run your fingers along the edges to smooth and round them off. Repeat the exercise on the underside of the strip.
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SKILL SCHOOL PROJECT
TWO SCOOP TWO
1
7 Sit the handle on its side on a work surface, and cut the ends at an angle so that it will fit to the scoop body at a jaunty angle – slightly elevated from the body. Hold the handle to the side of the scoop and using a pin, mark the position for joining.
2
8 Score and slip the marked position on the body of the scoop and the ends of the handle, then fit the two sections together. Reinforce the join with a very tiny coil of soft clay – blend in well with a modelling tool until the join looks seamless.
9 24 ClayCraft Issue 8
To make the second scoop, repeat steps 1-9, then cut off one-third of the clay at the end of the scoop as shown, using a metal scraper to achieve a clean straight cut. Sit the scoop body on a whirler as you do this, to avoid distorting the shape of the handle.
Your scoop is now finished – you can decorate the surface with slips or underglazes at this stage if you want, or leave it to dry for bisque firing and glazing later. Support the scoop on a roll of clay or foam to dry if it won’t easily stand in position.
Carefully cut excess clay away around the newlyformed edge of the scoop with a sharp knife to thin it out a little – then work over the edge with a kidney as you did before, to round it off until it looks smooth and neat. The finished scoop; decorate and fire as for the first scoop.
3
Bisque fired scoops.
WHICH CLAY?
How to choose the right clay for you
There are many different types of clay to choose from.
should be considered when making your decision.
Firing range of your kiln
Alan Ault of Valentine Clays explains clay choice
O
ver the past few issues, we’ve discussed the different forms of clay and their uses. With so many options currently in the market, whether you’re a beginner or professional potter, choosing the right clay can be a difficult decision. Over the past 30 years, we have worked directly with the studio potter community, formulating and fine-tuning clays, using the best possible ingredients. This close working relationship has enabled us to identify seven key areas that
The firing range of your kiln should be the first consideration for any potter, as this will determine which type of clays you will be able to use. Lower temperature kilns are more suitable to earthenwares, whereas higher temperature kilns can accommodate porcelains and stonewares. The glaze you use with your chosen clay body is also af fected by the temperature of your kiln.
Application you plan to use The type of work that you intend to create is also an important factor when considering the most appropriate clay. What methods you choose to use –whether it will be thrown, handbuilt,
Modelling (Emma Rodgers), and… … throwing (Kevin Millward) require different clays.
sculptured or modelled – will dictate this, and in the same way, so will the end-use – ornamental, inside or outside use, functional, domestic, or oven to tableware. Issue 8
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.
Size of your work Another key area is the size of work you plan to create; larger pieces often require a more heavily-grogged clay, whereas smaller pieces of work can require more plasticity.
Texture you would like to create The texture of the clay body you choose is equally as vital when identifying the best clay for use. The feel and look of the ceramic piece you are creating is affected by the amount of grog within the clay body. No grog will result in a smooth polished finish, a fine grog will give some strength and stability, or by increasing the grog size and percentage within the clay you’ll be able to achieve a coarser finish and high-strength result.
Fired colour a key factor From terracottas to porcelains, and now black clays, there is even more choice for the studio potter. As most clay bodies can also vary with temperature, the decision is even more difficult.
Left
Patricia
Glaze compatibility and application Glaze compatibility and application can be a technical process, and it’s important to test glazes with the clay you choose. The
How
the clay is to be fired, will affect your choice of body. (Susanne Lukács-Ringel)
to right: red earthenware, stoneware, white earthenware and porcelain. 26 ClayCraft Issue 8
Shone creating texture with clay.
temperature of your kiln is also a contributing factor when considering the most appropriate clay and compatible glaze.
Samples and testing The most important key area is testing, as this will determine the ideal clay for use. Once the
Glaze compatibility is something you need to think about… (Peter Beard, Bulbous blue pink vessel)
ALL ABOUT CLAY
1
appropriate clay bodies have been chosen, based on the above key areas, then samples are the best method for testing. Technical Information Charts have been designed to further help when making your decision. This type of chart can offer information on chemical analysis, contraction, thermal expansion, texture and fired colours. Some of these factors may be important to you and the project you are creating.
2
3
The finished texture is affected by the clay type used. 1: Andrew Topliss 2: Jean Blood’s ‘Angels with Attitude’ and 3: Chiu-i Wu.
… as is the size of the finished piece. (Jim Robison)
Other useful tips Clay hardness is also a consideration when purchasing clay, and the use you intend to put it to. Most clays are produced to a medium consistency, of 6.5 – 7 as measured by a penetrometer (clay hardness tester). But you can also specify alternate types of hardness, as the below rating chart demonstrates: Clay hardness rating Description Hardness Soft 6.0 – 6.5 Medium 6.5 – 7.0 Firm 7.0 – 8.0 The above may seem a little daunting to those of you who are beginners, but many companies selling clay will offer a technical service to help you decide the right one for you. Ask for their advice, and then test, test, test! Issue 8
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T H G I
T L .. O S P O N.
POTCLAYS A POTTED HISTORY – CELEBRATING 85 YEARS
otclays celebrates its 85th anniversary this year. It’s still owned and run by the same family – now in its 4 th generation – and they still use the traditional manufacturing methods dating back half a century. They held a special Anniversary Open Day on Saturday 30 September, with factory tours, talks from esteemed speakers such as Tallie Maughan of Turning Earth and Lisa Hammond of Clay College, and throwing demonstrations from Tom Knowles Jackson, runner-up from series one of the Great Pottery Throw Down . Tom also judged the efforts of the competitors in the blindfold throwing contests. Photographer Ben Boswell covered the event, and some of his images accompany this feature. The company has a long and varied history, and its story begins with the purchase of a failing coal mine by William Warbreck Noake in 1932, when he was 65, following a chance
P
A
discussion with a pub landlord near Walsall. During the recession of the late 1920s and early 1930s, the British government implemented a number of policies to stimulate growth in British manufacturing, including the restriction of foreign imports. This gave an enormous boost to UK manufacturing, including the pottery industry. William had retired as works manager of Twyfords, which was at the time one of the largest sanitary ware manufacturers in the UK. He knew that the industry was crying out for a reliable source of pale firing clay, which, at that time, had to be brought up from the South West of England by canal and rail, at great expense. During his research, William discovered the work of a Professor Mitchell from Liverpool University; specifically, his report on the Northern part of the South Staffordshire coalfield, which was indicated as having geology usually associated with highly plastic clays. William came to know Professor Mitchell well and,
The
iconic Potclays chimney at the Brick Kiln Lane site.
realising the value of this specific type of fireclay, began prospecting the local coal mines and talking to workers in the public houses at the end of their shifts. The Swan pub in Pelsall Road, Walsall, was opposite a coal mine that was suffering financially. One
selection of images from 1947, showing clay being dug and loaded onto ships for transportation to the continent.
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POTCLAYS
Albion Pottery in 1932, from the north…
day, William overheard some miners complaining of the ‘awful, sticky mud’ they had to contend with in order to reach the coal. A conversation ensued whereby William discovered that the coal seams were so shallow that they came to the surface. The landlord consequently invited him down into the pub cellars, where a loose brick was taken from the wall, and from the cavity a lump of coal was retrieved, followed by a handful of the soft, buttery, pale grey clay he had heard about. He proceeded with a very scientific quality test: clay high in
… and from the south.
silica drags on the teeth when chewed, whereas a low silica content has a soapy feel. With a mouthful of clay, and confident this was the high-quality fireclay he had been looking for, William decided to invest his life-savings in buying the shaft mine across the road, which he named Swan
Works. He enlisted the help of a gentleman by the name of Samuel Rameses Jones as colliery manager and The Potter’s Clay & Coal Co Ltd was incorporated a few years later, in 1935. William died in 1938, whereupon his son Warbreck (who had been working for the company) took on the management. At this time, the clay was extracted from a deep shaft mine, loaded onto carts pulled by pit ponies and drawn up in tubs by hand. The clay was then transported to the company’s depot (yard and wharf) in Copeland Street, Stoke-on-Trent. Nowadays, Swan Works continues to produce Potclays’ red and buff clay bodies. The fireclay that was mined at the site still forms the basis of many of Potclays’ clay bodies, manufactured at both Swan and Albion Works (Stoke-on-Trent). The mining area was landscaped by Potclays in the 1980s, with thousands of trees planted, and is now home to a rich variety of wildlife, including red deer who use the area as a rutting ground.
The growth of Potclays In 1941, Potclays Limited was formed, to market the raw clays and the clay bodies processed at Swan Works. In 1947, the
.
Becky Otter and Sandra Whyles (who was a contestant in the first series of the Throw Down), taking part in the blindfold throwing challenge… (Photo Ben Boswell) … which was judged by Tom Knowles Jackson, runner-up in the first series of the BBC’s Great Pottery Throw Down. (Photo Ben Boswell) Issue 8
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Graham A Cat 910 wheeled loader
moving clay at the Valley Works.
premises of the Downing Brick & Tile Works was bought, and for many years it was used by Potclays as a grog processing plant for the ceramic market and steel industry (known as Valley Works). In 1963, Albion Works – formerly occupied by Kirklands, an earthenware producer – was bought. The building was built in the late 18th century, and appears on Ordnance Survey maps from the early 19th century onwards. During the 1960s, Warbreck made the inspired decision to buy the panmills, which are used to this day for manufacturing Potclays’ most iconic clay bodies such as St Thomas and Craft
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Marsden has worked for Potclays for decades… (Photo Ben Boswell)
… here in
the late 1970s, bagging clay…
… and
panmilling in 2017. (Photo Ben Boswell)
Crank. These panmills were originally from the Cadbury’s factory, where they were used to blend chocolate. On arrival at Potclays, the design was modified slightly to best suit the production of clay bodies. The Cadbury’s badge was recently revealed during maintenance work (see photo). Jonathan Noake joined the business in 1969, whereupon he developed, diversified and grew the business into one of the leading manufacturers in the craft ceramics market. He was responsible for upscaling the clay mining operation over a 50-acre site over the course of the next 15 years. Harry Fraser, author of a number of publications and articles in leading periodicals, joined the company as joint
managing director in the mid1970s, when Harry Fraser Ltd merged with Potclays. In addition to developing the non-clay channels of the business, Harry was instrumental in Potclays’ entry into the hobby market, and kiln-building. After training in ceramics at Cardiff, Becky Otter joined the family business in 2003. She oversees the ‘public face’ of the company through social media, marketing and events, and is wholly committed to Potclays’ mission to promote ceramics in Education (#educlaytion). Her experience at Cardiff has given her a unique insight into the
Potclays kilns are built on site. (Photo Ben Boswell)
POTCLAYS
Three generations: James and Becky Otter, with their daughter, Emily, and Becky’s father, Jonathan Noake. (Photo Ben Boswell)
The two
panmills came from the Cadbury factory. (Photo Ben Boswell)
potter’s experience. She has worked alongside their now-retired technical manager for a number of years, and is now first port-of-call for technical advice. James Otter joined the business in 2013, as director, after 12 years working in Tax Advisory. His background has enabled him to bring unique skills and expertise to the business, and he has developed a detailed knowledge of kilns and machinery. He works with Becky to promote and bring Potclays’ goods and services to a new generation of potters, as well as ‘doing their bit’ for the community they live and work in.
Education, education, education Cadbury
Bros panmill plate. (Photo Ben Boswell)
The
showroom was busy during the Open Day celebrations. (Photo Ben Boswell)
Over the past few years, Potclays has worked hard to bring its business to a new audience. It has invested heavily in its e-commerce, taking on new staff and working with key partners and social media resources. Education is still, and will continue to be, top of their agenda. Craft education has suffered in recent years, and both Becky and James firmly believe the arts offer children access to a richer and more fulfilling life. James is a signatory on the Bacc for the Future campaign letter to government, alongside luminaries such as Philip Pullman. Potclays has a long relationship with the Crafts Council and, as a Manifesto Partner, works with them to support their efforts in promoting craft in education. Potclays also continues to support the British Ceramics Biennial Education Programme and donates many tonnes of clay to the cause. It is an active
85 years on and the future’s looking bright!
member of other bodies, such as the National Society for Education in Art & Design (NSEAD) and offers numerous forms of support to teachers, including educational discounts and free of charge advice. Each year, Potclays provides a round of graduate awards to Further Education courses across the UK to encourage and showcase new ceramic talent. Some of the awardwinners from past years are building successful careers for themselves, and fast becoming renowned practitioners. Potclays offers a comprehensive service, both online, and through its showroom at Brick Kiln Lane, supplying clays, glazes, equipment and accessories. The staff are helpful, friendly and knowledgeable, and the range of products on offer is very wide. More details can be found at: potclays.co.uk Issue 8
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SKILL SCHOOL DIFFICULTY RATING
PROJECT
THREE his project follows on from last month, when we made a simple two-part cylinder mould for slip casting. This is a quick way of making items where they all need to be exactly the same, but this doesn’t mean that the process is limiting, because there are still many things you can do to change the look of the item once it’s been cast, if you want to. Casting isn’t for everyone, but it is something you should at least try, to see what potential it holds for experimentation and bulk making.
T
1
Stir the casting slip thoroughly using a wooden spoon. It will be quite thick to begin with, but will become more fluid as you stir. It’s ready when it looks lump-free and runs very freely from the spoon. The longer you mix, the better.
SLIP CASTING : l n e e d i l o u w Y in the last issue The mould you made
ware or p lier porce lain – a vai la b le f rom your c la y sup casts, 20 bout a s e k read ymade f or use. 12.5 l ma e ld. eac h needing a bout a pint to fi l l t he mou c la y and num ber of casts depends on t he t ype of su lting er, re t hinn size of mou ld. Porce lain is cast in more items. f uture We wi l l ma k e our o wn casting s lip in a t hose r f o issue, but t his is t he best wa y to begin tr ying t he process out f or t he first time
Casting slip: eart hen ware, stone
for A wooden spoon or spatula stirring variety is A sieve (the kitchen tance) the easiest to use in this ins Plastic jugs
A natural sponge aper Wet and dry sandp stretched and A chamois leather, fixed over a board
2
Decant a jug-full of slip from the container then pour it through the sieve into a second jug. (You could pour the slip through the sieve directly into the mould, but this is fraught with potential spillage problems – it’s best to avoid accidents at this stage!).
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SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
5
THREE
3 Pour
the slip into the mould, filling it right to the top in one go, as shown.
6
4
Time your casting slip according to type of slip used: A kitchen timer is a good tool for this job. See panel for timings. White
Top the slip up periodically as you need to maintain the level to the rim. You’ll see it begin to shrink from the edges as the plaster draws the water out of the slip.
earthenware: 20 - 30 minutes. Firing temp
1000°C to 1150°C (1832°F to 2102°F)
earthenware: 20 - 30 minutes. Firing temp 1000°C to 1150°C (1832°F to 2102°F) Stoneware: 45 mins - 1 hour. Firing temp 1160°C to 1290°C (2120°F to 2354°F)
Pour the slip out of the mould and back into the bucket when the correct casting time has been reached. Hold it over the bucket for a while, then transfer it to two battens suspended over a bowl to allow the remainder of the slip to flow out.
Red
Semi-porcelain/
7
high-firing white earthenware:
20 - 30 minutes. Firing temp 1100°C to 1260°C (2012°F -2300°F) Porcelain: 5
- 10 minutes. Firing temp 1260°C to 1280°C (2300°F to 2336°F)
Bone china could be added to this list, but it’s not a slip to choose when first starting to experiment with slip casting, because it requires special firing treatments and is notoriously diffi cult to handle . If you have no prior experience of casting, start with white earthenware because it’s easy to cast and fire, and is the cheapest option.
34 ClayCraft Issue 8
The
cast’s ready to remove from the mould when the surface of the slip no longer looks shiny and isn’t tacky to the touch. The clay will also have shrunk away from the plaster walls considerably by this point.
8
Using a plastic kidney, remove the excess slip from the top of the mould. Cut away the ‘spare’ carefully, holding your knife in a vertical position and making sure none of the waste clay falls inside the form.
9
11
DIFFICULTY RATING
Dampen the surface of the chamois leather-covered board then sit the cylinder base on the surface and rotate it in a circular motion until the underside is smooth and flat. Repeat the exercise for the rim, but be slightly gentler because the rim is more vulnerable to breaking. This is the best method for levelling.
12
Lie the mould on its side and remove the restraining straps. Lift off one half of the mould, then elevate the second half and allow the cast to gently fall out into your hand. It should be firm enough to handle without damaging the surface in any way. Place the cast on a board and allow it to dry out completely.
10
Once the cast is bone dry, sand off the seams and base with wet and dry sandpaper until the surface is smooth and the seams no longer visible.
13
Sponge over the seams with a damp sponge (the water won’t affect the surface unless you really saturate it, in which case simply allow it to dry out again b efore continuing).
14
To refine the rim, dampen the clay by wiping it around with a sponge then carefully cut away any excess clay on the inside with a sharp knife. Once all has been removed, smooth over the rim again with the sponge to neaten and smooth it off.
Your cylinder is now finished. Allow it dry out completely before bisque firing, or see project 5 on page 70 for a decorative surface treatment. Issue 8
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London Design Fair – where craft meets commerce, by Paul Bailey
) n a i l e v e t u M e i h p o S : o t o h P (
rick Lane in east London has long been known for Asian restaurants, and nearby is the high-tech area known as ‘silicon roundabout’. Where could more suitable, then, for a massive design show in a revamped brewery building. Its location in Shoreditch is the creative heart of London. The London Design Fair is a four-day industry event that brings together 500 exhibitors from 28
B
Each of Olivia Walker’s pieces is thrown on the wheel before she handbuilds onto the surface of the form.
Olivia Walker applies hundreds of paper-thin shards of clay incrementally, to make a surface that has a sense of movement. (Photos: Sylvain Deleu) 36 ClayCraft Issue 8
countries, including independent designers, established brands, international country pavilions, features, and exhibitions. Visitors are 74% trade, and 56% international, and it’s in this setting that a group of new ceramic makers is entering this area of the industry. Launched in 2007, the London Design Fair has earned itself the reputation as the go-to trade show during the annual London Design Festival. Each year, over 27,000 influential retail buyers, producers, architects, designers, interior designers, press and designsavvy public, will attend to see the very latest in furniture, lighting, textiles, materials and conceptual installations, from all around the world. One of the new makers showing for the first time was Olivia Walker. Her work is on the more ‘art’ end of the spectrum. A number of the
pieces are in porcelain, others in a high-fired terracotta, and each piece is thrown on the wheel before Olivia hand-builds onto the surface of the form. Sometimes, she will deconstruct the wall of the piece before building on top of it, to create a piece that almost looks decaying. The process involves her applying hundreds of paper-thin shards of clay incrementally, to make a surface that has a sense of movement, almost as if something is growing over the surface of the piece. One really nice aspect of the show she observed was seeing people’s reactions to the work for the first time – there was lots of surprise and interest in how the piece was made. She commented: “My impressions of the show were really positive. There was a varied crowd, which I think reflects the variety of the work
on show, and it was good in terms of sales and contacts made. The area – Brick Lane – was perhaps not quite the right context for my work, as it is very design-orientated, but I do think this made the more craft-based work stand out. The people who turned up were varied – there was a lot of press and trade, but then there were also some collectors and interested members of the public. The variety of the turn-out exceeded my expectations.” One of the London Design Fair’s unique characteristics is its ability to mesh new and upcoming design talents with seasoned brands. The amount of good design on offer at this year’s event was profuse. Furniture, lighting,
Inside the Truman Building. (Photo: Sophie Mutevelian)
Brut jug with white glaze, by Matt and Catherine West, of Pottery West. Rebecca Proctor makes functional pieces at her studio, the Modern Craft Workshop.
craft and objects d’art, from designers and studios across the globe, filled the Old Truman Brewery’s maze of hip spaces. Rebecca Proctor from the Modern Craft Workshop is based in North Cornwall and makes wheel-thrown pottery for everyday use. It is simple, pared back, functional pieces. She often works with chefs and restaurants, creating tableware for some amazing dining rooms. Rebecca uses local Cornish stoneware clay and mixes her own glazes using natural materials. She commented: “Taking part in the British Craft Pavilion, part of the Fair, was fantastic. Hole & Corner, the magazine that organised the event, is committed to celebrating craft, and it was great to be surrounded by so many talented makers. Living in North Cornwall, the event offered an opportunity for me to take my work to a wider audience, and I
A teapot from Pottery West’s new range, Brut.
enjoyed chatting with customers and getting direct feedback on different pieces. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that some of my more unusual pieces, featuring wood-fired shells, were popular, so I’ll definitely be making more of those in the future”. The show also saw the launch of Pottery West’s new ceramic tableware range, Brut. Raw, exposed clay with contrasting lustred textured glazes, and minimal, utilitarian forms are the emphasis in Matt and Catherine West’s new collection. Named after Béton Brut (raw concrete), the resolutely utilitarian photographs of Bernd and Hilla Becher are cited as inspiration, but, most importantly, Pottery West wanted to make a collection that is highly functional for everyday use. It was designed and produced in their studio at Persistence Works, Sheffield. Here, they work together to create designs; Matt acting as lead thrower, and Catherine specialising in glaze development. About the new collection, they commented: “As a starting point, our intention was to work with very simple, architectural forms. Issue 8
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We’ve been looking at the work of photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher. Their extensive collection of photographs – or typologies – capturing industrial architecture and structures, has really informed this new collection in their pragmatism and matter-of-fact sensibility. “We’ve tried to be ruthless with the design to make sure we don’t add any features to the form which aren’t necessary. For example, the ‘U’ shape of the spout references the industrial concrete arches, but is also a very functional way of creating a spout on a vessel that pours well. Like concrete, the tones and hues of the collection are, in fact, quite soft and raw.” David Worsley’s stand was located in the British Craft Pavilion, also part of London Design Fair. He felt that the show had great energy and vibrancy. It was busy most days, with a huge range of people: young and old, students and professionals, locals but also a noticeable number from overseas (he had interest from galleries in Italy and Japan). The element they all had in common was that they were interested; people didn’t just wander in off the street, they were curious,
knowledgeable, and engaged. There were a lot of interior designers, architects, buyers from galleries and shops. For David, the location and building were both superb. David runs the Dove Street Pottery in Shipley, West Yorkshire. He commented: “I come from a ‘Fine Art’ background and came to pottery because I wanted to make beautiful objects that people engaged with, every day, in their homes. The two biggest compliments I can get as a maker are, firstly, someone putting their hand in their pocket and making the choice to buy one of my pieces that I have made and, secondly, to let me
Rebecca
Proctor uses local Cornish stoneware clay and mixes her own glazes using natural materials.
Functional and beautiful work by David Worsley of Dove Street Pottery.
know, via email or in person, that they love to use my pottery and that they are used regularly at home. That second one is particularly pleasing, and always gives me a lift.” The show is very different to a purely ceramic exhibition, and demonstrates how far craft ceramics has gone in being important in an international mix of creative industries. And, even though the area is becoming gentrified, the restaurants are still there.
David Worsley wants his pieces to be used, and loves to hear from his customers who are using them at home.
WEBSITES: Olivia Walker: oliviawalker.co.uk Rebecca Proctor: moderncraftworkshop.com David Worsley: dovestpottery.co.uk Pottery West: potterywest.co.uk 38 ClayCraft Issue 8
Glaze mixing and application:
brushing, pouring, dipping Layered glazes: Runny glaze applied on rims on top of a matt glaze. Thrown porcelain by Linda Bloomfield.
Linda Bloomfield is a scientist turned potter. More glaze recipes can be found in her books, Colour in Glazes (A&C Black 2012) and The Handbook of Glaze Recipes (Bloomsbury 2014). Her new book, Science for Potters (The American Ceramic Society 2017), is now available at: ceramicartsnetwork.org
nce you have tested a few glaze recipes and found one that gives the fired result you want, you will need to mix up a larger batch of glaze so that you can start applying it to your pots. The simplest application methods are pouring, dipping and brushing. In order to dip the pots in the glaze, you will need to mix up at least 5 to 10 litres. I usually mix 7.5 kg of glaze in a 10 litre bucket with a lid. The glaze recipes shown are multiplied by 75 to give the batch weight in grams. Start by half filling the bucket with water, then carefully weigh out the glaze ingredients and tick them off the list one by one. It is best to add the china clay or ball clay first, as this helps to suspend the heavier ingredients in the water. If you add the feldspar first, it is likely to settle in a hard mass at the bottom of the bucket. Then leave all the ingredients to slake in the water for a few hours before mixing and
O
sieving three times through an 80 mesh sieve. You may need to add water to help f lush the glaze through the sieve. If it ends up too thin, you may need to leave to settle overnight and remove water from the top, so if possible, make the glaze the day before you need to use it. The consistency should be between milk and single cream, but some glazes such as ash glazes need to be thicker. I stir by hand and if it is the correct thickness, I can just see the hairs on the back of my hand through the glaze coating. However, ash glazes are caustic, so always wear rubber gloves when mixing those. When the consistency is right, mark the level on the glaze bucket and use the same level every time you make a new batch of that glaze. Alternatively, you can weigh a pint of glaze and record the weight, then make sure the pint weight is the same each time you mix a new batch. Some potters prefer to use a hydrometer to gauge the glaze
consistency. In general, glazes need to be applied more thickly on stoneware than on porcelain. The glaze thickness on the pot can be anywhere between 1-3 mm.
EARTHENWARE TRANSPARENT GLOSSY GLAZE RECIPE (1060-1100°C) Calcium borate frit 39 Soda feldspar 27 Whiting 5 China clay 6 Quartz 23
STONEWARE TRANSPARENT GLOSSY GLAZE RECIPE 1260°C Potash feldspar 34 Calcium borate frit 14 Whiting 11 China clay 13 Quartz 23 Dolomite 5
Issue 8
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GLAZE SCIENCE
Preparation for glazing You will need biscuit fired pots, fired to around 1000C for stoneware or 1100C for earthenware.. Some potters raw glaze unfired pots, but biscuit firing allows you to wash off the glaze, leave to dry and start again if anything goes wrong. If you apply glaze straight after the biscuit firing, it should not be necessary to wash the pots. If they have been lying around for some time in the studio, any dust should be sponged off before applying glaze. Pouring Pouring is the best application method for the inside of pots, or if you need to glaze a pot which is too large to dip. The glaze should be stirred very thoroughly, and stirred again between glazing pots, otherwise it may start to settle in the bucket. Scoop up a measuring cup full of glaze and pour carefully into your pot, swill around and pour out. You may need to use a funnel to glaze the inside of narrownecked pots. If you want a different glaze on the outside, wipe any glaze drips from the outside using a sponge and leave to dry. Very thin-walled pots will also need to be glazed on the inside first, then left to dry before glazing the outside. Very large pots can be placed on a whirler or wheel and rotated slowly while glaze is poured over the outside.
Brushes
for glazing.
Dipping Dipping is a good way to apply glazes when you need a very even application. Hold the pot sideways by the rim and foot, between finger and thumb, or using glazing tongs. Dip it swiftly into the glaze and out again, pouring out all the glaze from the inside of the pot. If you are only glazing the outside, hold the pot by pressing your fingers against the inner sides of the pot and dip up to just below the rim. Place on a clean surface and don’t touch the pot
Checking
the thickness of the glaze. This particular runny porcelain glaze needs to be applied quite thinly. (Photo: Henry Bloomfield) 40 ClayCraft Issue 8
Pouring
glaze over a large bowl. (Photo: Henry Bloomfield)
Spraying
glazes. Some areas are masked using masking tape.
again until the glaze has dried. You can finish by dipping the rim upside down or brushing glaze on to the rim. Any drips should be scraped f lat with a sharp knife. Any finger marks or bare patches can be touched up using a brush. Brushing To make the glaze easier to brush on, you can add CMC (carboxy methyl cellulose) or gum arabic to the glaze. Two or three coats of glaze will be needed to get an even coverage. I usually apply brush strokes round the pot, then go round a second time, starting each brush stroke in between the previous brush strokes. Potters often use Chinese calligraphy brushes or wide Japaense hake brushes for covering larger areas. You can mask areas you don’t want glazed by applying wax resist, latex or masking tape. However, I find it easier to scrape glaze off the base using an
GLAZE SCIENCE
Sponging
the bottom of a mug. The glaze was first scraped off using an old credit card. (Photo: Henry Bloomfield)
old credit card and then carefully sponge the base. When throwing pots on the wheel, I always bevel the edge of the base to make a neat line to sponge back to. This also prevents the glaze from sticking onto the kiln shelf. Spraying The advantage of spraying is that you don’t need to mix up a large batch of glaze. The drawback is that you need a lot of equipment: a spray booth, spray gun and compressor. A respirator mask should also be worn while spray glazing. The pot is placed on a whirler and rotated while spraying glaze on in several thin coats. Layering glazes Underglaze colours or oxides can be brushed on before applying the glaze. Rich effects can be obtained by applying several layers of different glazes, for example a white glaze over a darker glaze or a runny glaze over a matt glaze. The glazes often react, producing interesting effects.
NEXT MONTH Glazes using natural materials: ash glazes Dipping
a mug. (Photo: Henry Bloomfield) Issue 8
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SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FOUR
SANDWICH TRAY This is the last item in our monthly teaset project, so soon you’ll be able to serve tea to your family or friends, and boast that you have made the whole set yourself!
The finished tray has been decorated in the same way as previous items in the set, marking a grid in pencil first, then filling in the design with underglaze colours before covering with transparent glaze and firing.
1
You can make the tray to any size or shape you choose, the principle for constructing will be the same, so cut out a template you want – foam sheet makes the best material for templates, but card would also work. Roll a large enough slab of clay to cut out two sections using your template. Depending on size, you may need to roll two slabs – they should be no thicker than 5mm. Transfer the slabs to an absorbent board, like Supalux fireboard, so that the clay firms up quickly. 42 ClayCraft Issue 8
2 On one of the slabs, carefully score an outline ring to form the footring. If making a large tray, score an outline for a second, inner ring as shown. When you’re happy that the rings are evenly spaced and shaped, cut them out using a sharp knife.
DIFFICULTY RATING
3 Lift out the spare clay from around the footrings – leaving the footrings in place on the board.
4
Position the inner ring on the base slab and mark the position with a pin. You can estimate the outer ring position more easily, so do this freehand. Score the marked areas and the underside of the rings.
6
Work around the outer edge with a scraping tool to remove any excess slip that may have oozed out from the join.
7 Roll a long coil of clay about 20mm thick, then flatten it on a sheet of plastic with the palm of your hand. Position the coil between two roller guides and roll it flat and even. When flat, cut a straight edge with a knife using the roller guide to ensure a clean cut.
5 Slip the scored areas on the base slab then fit the rings in place, making sure the seal is good – you can do this by placing a board over the surface and applying a little pressure if you are unsure. Neaten up the edges with a modelling or scraping tool to remove excess clay. Run your finger around the edges of the rings to soften and round them off. Issue 8
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) n o s p m o h T n o t y a L : o t o h P (
D ou g ’ s
STARTING IN BUSINESS
DIARY
Doug Fitch
I
t always seems that I start my diary, sitting at the firebox of the kiln, saying how busy we are and what hard work it all is; well, there’s nothing new this issue! Thankfully, we’re starting to get on top of things, and the stock of pots for our online exhibition is coming together. If this firing is a success, then we will be well on the way. There’s a cool autumnal wind pulling the flame through the kiln chamber this morning, and I’m sheltering behind a stack of wood to avoid its surprising freshness getting to the back of my neck. Every so often, I’m being given a terrible fright as nuts from the overhanging beech tree clatter
Doug
Doodles
in the kiln log. (Photo: Doug Fitch)
and Hannah d elivering a charger to Reverend Richard Coles. (Photo: Joe Fitch) 46 ClayCraft Issue 8
onto the corrugated steel roof of the kiln shed. Big bangs are the last thing you need to hear when firing the kiln; I keep leaping out of my skin! The swallows are gathering, chattering away, preparing for their epic journey to warmer climes, and the leaves on the ash trees are turning vibrant yellow. Here comes the autumn. I often sit here and doodle on firing day – scribbled drawings of pots that I’d like to make, on scraps of paper in the f iring log. I’m very bad at keeping sketch books; I find them rather intimidating and so my drawings end up on these scraps of paper, here, there and everywhere. They invariably get lost, or reappear months later, when I think to myself ‘oh yes, that’s a good idea, I should try that’, before losing them again. Hannah keeps telling me to keep them all together; I shall endeavour to listen to my good wife. Since my last post, we have
been to Wardlow Mires Pottery and Food Festival in Derbyshire, which was great fun. The weather was shocking, but people still came, in spite of cars having to be pushed on and off the parking field by a bunch of big burly helpers. It was lovely to meet so many people who subscribe to ClayCraft and to know that some folks do read these ramblings; thank you for stopping to chat. Since we came back, we’ve kept up the momentum. This kiln is packed full of pots for the online show and we are aiming for at least one more kiln-load for the exhibition. It’s going to be our second; we did the first at the same time last year, and plan to keep it as an annual event. We have amassed a collection of our best pots from a number of firings, with more still to come. We will have them all photographed professionally for the catalogue. It’s so important to have good quality images, and
KILNS
we employ the skills of Shannon Tofts, a much-respected photographer of the crafts, who has an intuitive understanding of how to light an object to bring out all of its qualities. These images, plus others of us making pots, taken by our friend, photographer James Hazelwood, will be uploaded to an online publishing platform called Issu. com.
Issu is a great site to view online publications. You can find all sorts, simply by typing keywords into the search facility on the site. Check it out; there are some great pottery things on there. The investment is considerable for our exhibition, advertising and photography is costly, plus this year we’re having a short film made to show the pots in
Doug and
Hannah at Wardlow Mires. (Photo: Paul Morgans)
Doug checking a jug before loading the kiln. (Photo: Hannah McAndrew)
more detail, so the budget will exceed £2,000. That’s a lot of pots we need to sell, just to stand still, so it’s all a little bit scary. You’ll be able to view the f ilm on our Youtube channel from 14 October. Living where we do, in South West Scotland, means that we often have to drive hundreds of miles to attend the many pottery shows throughout the year. Though the shows are important
to us, because that’s where we meet the people who like our work, with an expanding family, the logistics are becoming increasingly complicated. If the online show can save us from having to make just one of those big journeys, then it is a success. It also allows us to offer our work to a global market. From last year’s show, we posted our wares to the States, Canada, Australia and Japan, as well as all over the UK. We even sold pots to Rev Richard Coles. He now has a good few of our pieces in his collection, the most recent of which we had the pleasure of delivering to the vicarage a month or two back, where much tea and cake was consumed. Now seems an opportune moment, as the Rev is currently dancing his toes off on Strictly Come Dancing , to show off the image of us all in the vicarage garden. Well, I shall get back to firing the kiln in the hope that it will provide us with some great treasures. Please check out our online offerings, we go live on our website, fitchandmcandrew. co.uk on 27 October at 6.00 pm GMT. Bye for now! Issue 8
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T NE X
Do n’ t m is s i t!
NEXT STEPS
MON TH
ISSUE 9 O N S A LE N OV 17
Restaurant Meet the
Potter Decorations
Christmas will soon be upon us, so we have a selection of decorations and items you can make in advance. Use them yourself, or give them as presents; either way you’ll love them!
Mary Clarke, of Burwash Pottery, runs a successful teaching studio, and still finds the time to make wonderful animals
commissions
We learn about Aylesford Pottery’s tableware ranges for restaurants PLUS:
• Lidded serving dishes • Lustre decoration * These are just some of the features planned for the next issue but circumstances outside our control may force last-minute changes. If this happens, we will substitute items of equal or greater interest.
P A Y F ROM JUST
MAGAZINE BINDER
£ 9.95
*
Each binder will store a year’s worth of ClayCraft magazines, keeping all your back issues in one place ready for you to refer to whenever needed. Keep inspiration at your fi ngertips! *£9.95 is the price for a single binder delivered to a UK address. We can deliver internationally but the postage rate will vary, please visit our webshop for more detailed pricing
ONLINE:
shop.kelsey.co.uk/crabinder
CALL:
01959 543 747 Hotline open: Mon - Fri 8am - 6pm
48 ClayCraft Issue 8
Thomas Hayman
POTS FROM THE PAST
LAZENCROFT POTTERY he pottery at Lazencroft, near Leeds, is a little different from the others I’ve looked at, as it has been nearly fully excavated but still relatively little is known about it. The earliest mention is in a lease agreement between Edward Gascoigne, who owned land nearby, and a William Gough, which is dated 1739. There, they produced striking slipware in large quantities, rivalling the wares of Staffordshire at the time. A large variety of wares have been found since its discovery in the early 2000s by the Leeds Archaeological Fieldwork Society (LAFS), including tankards, cups, posset pots and press-moulded dishes. The work done by LAFS uncovered the kiln site itself, along with areas of dumping nearby to make up paths and trackways. This was a common method of reusing kiln waste at the time, and still goes on to a certain extent. Some 30,000 sherds were recovered and sorted through; a pothunting dream – or nightmare, when you start cleaning them! My involvement with the site began in 2016, when a large trunk road and development scheme for the site was announced. Road widening and rail projects put a lot of the surrounding countryside at risk of being covered over by tarmac. I, and my friend Andrew Naylor (one of the original excavators) sought to try and find the extent of the site using small test pits in areas of wasteland
nearby. The first was opposite the kiln site, where sherds had come up a few years previously when erecting a pylon. We opened a small area, approximately 2m, slowly taking off the loose layers, and we quickly reached a dense layer of compacted kiln waste. This was made up of coal waste from firing the kiln, broken saggar and the odd piece of later pottery; the kind produced by Leeds Pottery and other local manufacturers, dating approximately from 1870 to the mid-20th century. This gave way to a much thicker layer, full of 18th century slipware. This is generally characterised by its white earthenware body and striking ‘wet on wet’ trailed designs. This was mixed with waste clay and broken fire-brick, presumably from when the kiln was repaired between uses. It was a frustrating process, knowing that only a hundred yards away many hundreds of near-complete pieces had been found. We got a handful of large pieces, but were clearly on the outskirts of the site, perhaps in a filled ditch when the site came out of use. We persevered nearly a metre down, only to realise the wet ground meant the trench was filling as quickly as we could empty it! We abandoned for the day and came back a few weeks later to glorious sunshine and a dry trench. Digging in wet clay isn’t fun, even for a potter. The wait seemed to pay off, as we
T
My first 18 th century slipware sherds. (Photo: Andrew Naylor)
The slow but exciting process of trying to match sherds.
A
selection of finds from the site, including a hand-thrown kiln prop and several slip-trailed sherds.
started to find sherds that were sitting on top of the natural clay present all over the site. We slowly scraped back one, two, three, and, before we knew it, we had half a bucketful of pieces, all of a similar design. A quick look left me feeling that some of these probably fitted together. Then, astonishingly, there was a small piece of what appeared to be bone sticking out from the clay. It was carefully cleaned around, and it soon turned it into a beautiful knife handle from the early 18th century, with cross-hatching on each handle ‘scale’. Rivets and remnants of the blade were still intact. A few were found during the original excavation but, as yet, I haven’t been able to compare them. Once home, the similar sherds were cleaned and laid out on a board, the television on in the background, and slowly a small dish appeared before me. With the smallest amount of glue I could get away with, I re-stuck the pieces to find I had almost half of the piece. It was pressmoulded, with a raised rib in the middle, slipped in white clay then trailed with red and a feather pulled through the wet slip. A really beautiful, small dish, that stylistically matched several others found across the road. As work continues on the site, we hope to be able to return and uncover more information about the site and its production processes. A little hope is that some of this will not be covered over, and might be saved from the digger! Issue 8
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Keeping your cool!
SKILL SCHOOL
S
ometimes it’s necessary to keep a piece of greenware in stasis, not allowing it to dry out, so that you can come back to it at a later date. Large work also needs to dry slowly – to avoid cracking – and in both these cases, controlling the ambient moisture level is vital. There are several ways of achieving this. It’s common practice to wrap greenware in plastic, which works well, but it can damage anything that’s sticking out, or is delicate. A container where the work can sit in a controlled atmosphere is a solution to this. It can be large or small; completely sealed to prevent drying; or ventilated to allow for controlled evaporation. The ambient conditions in your studio will affect the rate of drying, and you’ll have to allow for this. In hot weather, you’ll need to add more water than in the winter (unless you have heating in your studio!). You’ll learn what works for you, and if things get too wet, or too dry, it’s simple to adjust the conditions accordingly. The first option is a damp box, for smaller work. This is simply a sealable box, with a layer of plaster in the bottom onto which you place a batt with the work on it. Never put clay directly onto the plaster surface, as it may pick up tiny amounts of plaster, risking explosions in the kiln. The plaster is dampened, and the atmosphere in the box stays moist, preventing drying. The amount of water controls the amount of drying, and can be tailored to what you’re using the box for. The lid can be left on the top – to protect the work from dust and damage – but unclipped, to allow a little ventilation if you want a slow rate of drying, or fastened completely to keep the greenware workable. An old fridge (unplugged) also provides an excellent environment for greenware, as the seals around the door keep the inside atmosphere stable. For added moisture, to prevent any drying, you can add a bowl of water, or some old, reclaimed clay. If using clay that’s been exposed to plaster (when building moulds, for example), make sure your work doesn’t come into contact with it. 50 ClayCraft Issue 8
1
A
couple of inches of plaster in the bottom of a sealable box create the perfect environment for keeping greenware damp.
4
…
and seal the bottom with clay.
5
2
If
you get a big enough box, you can double up. An
3
old fridge can be used; the door seals make it airtight.
6
Place
a bucket over the top of large pieces…
To allow slow drying, prop the door wide open and hang a curtain of plastic over the front of the fridge, weighing the bottom edge down to provide a protective covering, but through which air can enter. The work may need to be moved, both in terms of its position in the fridge, and also rotating the batts so all sides of the work get a turn at facing the front. For large pieces, a simple upturned bucket will do the job. You can place a cup of water inside and seal around the
With
the door open, and the front covered with plastic, slow drying will occur.
bottom with clay to remove any air circulation and keep the work damp, or prop it up slightly if you want to provide slow drying conditions. You may need to loosely wrap the bottom half with plastic, since this part will be more exposed to the incoming air than the top half, but check periodically, to make sure that they are drying at the same rate. You don’t want a wet bottom and a dry top!
LETTERS If you’d like to get in touch to tell us about what you’re doing, suggest ideas for features you’d like to see, or to tell us how you’re using ClayCraft , we’d love to hear from you! Please email us at
[email protected]
Dear ClayCraft, I run Eastcott Studios in Swindon and we provide a range of informal and very sociable workshop sessions for beginners. We have been thoroughly enjoying the easy to follow projects in your magazine - you can see loads of pictures and a lot more about us on our website at eastcottstudios.co.uk and on our Facebook page. We also encourage local artists to use our facilities to run their own workshops and have a small exhibition area. It would be fantastic if some of our beginners’ and visitors’ work was featured in your magazine. It is amazing, with a little encouragement, just how creative people can be and how quickly their confidence grows! We have all ages, from our Tots and Pots pre-schoolers to 80-year-olds, families, team-building, retired people, home schoolers, parties and, of course, couples celebrating their pottery anniversary! It really is something for everyone. Jo McAree
Thanks Jo! We love to see photos of people’s work, so please do send them in. Ed:
Dear ClayCraft , I’ve just started reading your fab magazine and thought I’d send a photo of my first attempt at figure work. I loved doing them, and I might try some animals next, but it’s all experimentation as a beginner! I attend Eunice Locher’s studio in Groombridge and only took up pottery last November. Eunice is a great teacher and I’m now an addict! Kate Jackson Ed: What wonderful figures! What a great result for your first
attempt. Do please keep in touch and send us more photos.
Dear all, Just to say how much I love your magazine. I was at Hatf ield and am so pleased that I subscribed. I have been reading and referring to the six issues I picked up, ever since. After a break of 40 years from ceramics, and now that I have time on my hands, your magazine has been inspirational and helped me to revise and learn a lot of new techniques and materials that are now available which were not then. Thank you for such a lot of useful information and ideas. Also, being dyslexic the pictures showing the process are Deana Moore great. Ed: How lovely that you’re now finding the time to get back into ceramics. I’m pleased to hear that the magazine is useful. It’s amazing how things evolve over time. It would be interesting to hear the kind of things you’ve found have changed since you were last involved.
Issue 8
ClayCraft
51
GLOSSARY Here’s a convenient listing of the technical terms used in ClayCraft . Over the coming months, we will add to this as more terms and phrases are included in the articles we publish. This will build into a valuable and useful reference source covering the complete range of common pottery-related terminology Agateware a combination of
coloured clays, mixed in such a way that the striated result looks like agate. Alumina Aluminium oxide, a constituent of clay, giving plasticity. Used in glazes, it acts as a stabiliser and also affects the stiffness of the glaze’s flow. Ball clay A highly plastic, light coloured clay usually used with the addition of grog or sand, or combined with other clays. Firing range: 1100°C to 1200°C. Bat(t) A flat surface, made of plaster, wood or ceramic. Used in kilns, on wheelheads, and for drying. Bentonite A highly-plastic clay. Bisque (biscuit) Pottery that has been fired but is not glazed. Blunger Equipment used for mixing clay and water into a slurry prior to workable clay preparation. Casting slip A loose slip that is poured into a porous mould, left to form a layer, then tipped out, leaving a cast. Centering The precise positioning of a ball of clay in the centre of the wheel head. Chamotte Another name for Grog China clay The purest natural clay, used to add whiteness. Essential ingredient in porcelain. CMC Carboxymethyl cellulose. An additive that prevents glaze from drying too fast. Combing A decorative technique using a tool with teeth or serrations to make parallel lines. Cone eg cone 6. Firing temperature at which a particular pyrometric cone will distort inside the kiln, evidencing that a particular heat has been reached. Available in a range of numbers, each relating to a certain temperature. Coning up The repeated raising and lowering of a ball of clay on the wheel head, to remove air bubbles. Cottle A retaining wall put up around a model to contain the plaster when making a mould. Earthenware Used to describe work that is fired and glazed below 1100°C. Also a general term for pottery that is waterproofed by being almost entirely glazed. Engobe A slip with a lower percentage of clay, and higher percentages of silica. Etching The making of surface patterns by removing some areas of 52 ClayCraft Issue 8
clay, leaving others to form the design. Etruria A type of clay found in and around Stoke-on-Trent. Eutectic Two or more combined substances, the melting of point of which is lower than that of any one individual component. Feathering A pattern produced by drawing a tool through lines of slip applied to a ground colour, in alternate directions. FeldsparA group of alkali minerals used as flux in clay bodies and in glazes. Fireclay Clay used for its hightemperature applications, eg pizza ovens, firebricks. Also used to improve other clay bodies. Flocculant An additive used to cause very fine particles to clump together, improving settling, or to hold larger particles in suspension. Flux A substance that improves the fusion of ceramic particles in glazes. Glost Another name for glaze firing. Greenware Work which has not yet been bisque fired. Grog Finely ground fired clay, added to clay bodies to improve texture and drying, which affect firing. Gum Arabic Hardened sap from Acacia trees, used (in this case) as an adhesive. Inlaying Decorative patterns which are incised into the work, then covered with slip which is pared away to reveal the coloured pattern. Similarly, glaze can be applied to bisque-fired pieces with patterns on them The glaze will settle in different thicknesses, highlighting the pattern on firing. Kidney A kidney-shaped tool with many uses, which vary according to the flexibility of the material it’s made from. Leather hard Fresh clay that has dried to the point where it feels like leather. It will be dry enough to handle without distorting and is the point at which it should be turned. Majolica Late 19th century pottery using highly-colourful, shiny glazes. Maquette A small-scale model. Marl A friable clay containing chalk and iron oxide, used for low-fired earthenware and bricks. Other types of friable clay are also called marls, eg Etruria Marl, and so it is also a term used for general red earthenware clays. Mesh Used for describing the gauge of sieves. The higher the
number, the finer the mesh. Mocha diffusion A decorative technique that uses a coloured acidic solution over a layer of wet slip, which ‘breaks’, pulling the solution into organic, fern-like patterns. Natch Locating-points used in mould-making. One protrudes, filling the other. Opening up A technique used in throwing to form the base and wall of the pot. Paddle A flat tool used to shape and firm-up clay. Paddling is also called ‘settling’. Pint weight A method of working out the thickness of a glaze. Comparing various weights allows the dry weight of the glaze powder to be calculated and adjusted. Porcelain A type of clay used for fine work, firing to a translucent finish. Very plastic to work with, making it tricky to throw when pure. Potash Potassium carbonate. Found in wood ash, used in glazing, as a flux. Pugging The blending, compressing and de-airing of clay to give a workable product. Raku A firing method of rapid heating and cooling a piece of glazed work, coupled with various post-firing treatments, usually contact with organic materials, which affect the glaze. The results are an attractive, unpredictable combination of colours and patterns. Resist/wax resist Using a physical barrier to prevent one thing from colouring another. Usually wax or paper. Roller guides Thin wooden battens of varying dimensions used to achieve a uniform thickness when rolling slabs. Saggar A container used to protect pots from direct contact with flames and sudden changes in heat during firing. Score and slip The roughing up of two clay surfaces, which are then dampened with slip, to allow them to form a bond. Settle See Paddle. Sgraffito Applying layers of colour to the surface, then scratching patterns through the top layer(s) to reveal the colours below. Silica Silicon dioxide. The material that makes glazes ‘glassy’ and transparent when fired.
Size A priming liquid that forms a
barrier. Slaking Rehydrating dried, unfired
clay, for reclamation. Slip trailing Using slip to apply
patterns in thin trails, usually with the use of a bulb or other finely-nozzled applicator. Sprig A moulded clay decoration
applied to the surface of a pot. Stall A meshed finger-covering that
allows you to dip into glazes without leaving marks on the glaze surface. Stoneware A type of clay body
fired above 1200°C, at which point the clay and glaze fuse, forming an integrated layer. Surform A rasping tool used to
remove excess clay. T Material A coarse, heavily-
grogged clay with low thermal expansion. Terra sigillata A very fine slip
coating, which gives a smooth, glossy finish. Thermal shock The stress created
in a piece of clay as it’s fired, caused by the temperature change. Thixotropy The property of
certain substances that are thick (viscous) under normal conditions, but flow (become thin, less viscous) when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed. Turning The removal of excess clay,
from a leather-hard piece of work to refine the shape, create foot rings, etc. Undercut Area on a model which
undercuts and traps plaster then prevents removal or withdrawal of the mould after casting. Underglaze A colour applied to
the clay surface before being covered with a transparent glaze (optional) and fired. Available in a wide range of colours, it can be applied with brushes for freehand work. Wax resist See Resist. Wheel head The spinning disc on a
potter’s wheel. Detachable heads can be fitted to the main head, allowing for easy removal of fresh work. Whirler Technically, a manual
wheel used for press-moulding, but here used as another name for a banding wheel, for decorating or turning.
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FIVE
COILED WOVEN BASKET
This is a much easier project than it looks, because, in effect, all you’re doing is weaving the clay. The key to success is to work with relatively soft clay, and prepare all the coils before you begin.
Tip: The number of coils you will need depends entirely on the size of your mould and the width of your coils. To estimate the correct number, cut a series of paper strips to the same width as your batten and lay them in the mould side by side, in two layers. You can then make the corresponding number of coils
You will need: A press mould – it can be any shape; the principle is the same no matter what the shape. Alternatively, you can work over a hump mould or any rounded object, like a bowl or dish, providing it doesn’t have a footring, because that would impress into the clay and spoil the look. You can use either earthenware or stoneware clay.
54 ClayCraft Issue 8
1
Roll a long, medium-thick coil of clay and flatten it out with the palm of your hand, following the method shown in previous issues (basic coiling can also be found on the ‘How to’ pages of our website at: claycraft.co.uk). Sit a roller guide or a wooden batten (max 25mm width) over the coil, and roll it from side to side, applying most pressure at the edges so that the coil rounds off to a dome shape.
SKILL SCHOOL PROJECT
FIVE
6 Now
begin to place the coils in the opposite direction – outwards from the central coil, weaving under and over the already-laid coils, in the same way. It can get a little fiddly as you get towards the rim of the mould, so aim to get all the most central coils in place first. Work the remaining coils up and over the rim, rather than leaving them short in the actual mould space – the surplus will be removed to give a much better finish later.
8 Level
the rim and remove the remaining bulk from the edges using a wooden batten held flat on the rim of the mould. Carefully draw the batten towards your body, moving around the mould in stages until all is level.
9 Carefully
7
Carefully cut away the excess coils that remain over the rim of the mould. Use a knife, but don’t let it come into contact with the plaster. 56 ClayCraft Issue 8
and lightly, score a line about 25mm from the rim of the basket to mark the point for attachment of the finishing coil. Score the marked off area with a serrated kidney.
DIFFICULTY RATING
10 Roll
another long coil of clay and flatten it as before, but shape it into a round or horseshoe, as shown – this is quite easy if the clay is soft enough, and you should shape it as you flatten it out, rather than flatten then shape it. Cut the inner edge of the coil with a knife to even it up and neaten the shape – the outer edge doesn’t matter at this stage – we will deal with it later. Score the entire surface of the coil with a serrated kidney.
12 When
the basket has firmed up enough to hold its shape, turn it out of the mould and support it on something round – a hump mould or bowl will work well. Repeat the scoring exercise on the outer rim, as shown, then roll a second long coil and flatten it into the same shape as the previous one. Slip the scored surface on the basket.
11
Slip the scored line on the basket, then carefully position the rim coil in place, gently pinching it into position as you work around the edge. Cut away the clay where the coil overlaps at the ends, and carefully blend the joins together, scoring and slipping first to ensure a seamless finish.
.
13 Attach
the outer rim coil in the same way as the inner one, pinching it gently as you ease it into position, to ensure it fixes onto the basket. When in place, give it a paddle with a spatula to make sure it is evenly attached. Issue 8
ClayCraft
57
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FIVE
16 Adding
14 Return
the basket to the original mould, then carefully cut away the excess clay at the rim as shown, using a knife.
some texture to the rim coils finishes the look of the basket, but is not essential – here a lemon zester is used to add to the basket look – working over the clay in opposite directions to create a pattern. Finally, if the woven coils have been damaged in handling, spend a little time neatening them up again – it’s not diffi cult. Use the end of the batten to re-impress the central channel on the coils where necessary, and smooth over the coils with a kidney where needed.
15 Use
a surform blade to remove any remaining excess clay, and finely level the rim and surface of the coils, inside and out. Work over the surface with a kidney to smooth it off when you are happy with the level.
17 The
finished basket should be allowed to dry upsidedown, before bisque firing.
Once fired, you can cover the basket with an oxid e wash and re-fire to the clay’s optimum temperature, or gla ze and fire as you wou ld f or other items
58 ClayCraft Issue 8
SETTLING TANK s potters, you know that unexpected things can happen when you fire your work. Things stick, melt, and can even explode. Well, in the interests of being completely transparent, this settling tank build is being brought to you, warts and all. In principle, it sounds easy; it’s just a big tank, separated off into compartments. The technical aspects proved to be a little trickier! My studio is in the cellar, and there’s a sink left over from when we had workmen in for months. It’s plumbed into cold water, and the waste runs off into an existing gulley, which leads to a sump – installed to keep the cellar dry when it was in use as a restaurant. There’s some sort of artesian well, from what I can gather. From there the water is pumped up and out into a soakaway in the garden. Clean water, no problem.
A
Not having much time to actually pot – this magazine is a great time thief – I don’t use much water at any one time, and a tall, plasterer’s bucket was working fine. I left it to stand overnight, then just tipped the water into the gulley. However, I do plan to spend more time down there, and thought a settling tank would a) be helpful, and b) make a great project. My initial plan was to use a large cold-water storage tank with a couple of smaller ones inside it, connected in series, with the final run-off entering the big tank before exiting into the gulley. We had a joiner on site, who asked what I was doing. When I told him, he asked to see what a ‘proper’ one looked like. Once he saw that, he told me I was overcomplicating things. It would be much easier to make one much more like a real one. I rushed off to buy Perspex! 2
1
Measure
DIY
: l n e e d i l o u w Y
useful) A handy joiner! (optional, but tank A 25- gallon water -1800mm Perspex. One sheet of 900mm ), which We used 2mm (easiest to find and was too thin. Either double up re- joint mit h wit stick the sheets together rce 4-5mm glue or silicone sealant, or sou (recommended) scroll blade A jigsaw with a fine card to make a A contour gauge (or template) Stanley knife
Chisel
Silicone sealant and gun MDF (optional) 20mm marine ply or 4 casters (optional) gth of waste pipe – An appropriate len system diameter to fit your existing s to achieve any Push-fit pipe fitting to connect bends /falls / joints you need . Push-fit is to your existing waste system antle them needed so you can easily dism to move the tank g bit to match the Drill with hole-cuttin pipe diameter art pack Mitre- joint glue, 2-p
Cut the Perspex to the right width, using a Stanley knife to cut a firm line, then bending to break it. Leave the protective film on while cutting; it helps guard against splintering and shattering. Use a finetoothed hacksaw to take off any remaining bits that stick out. Don’t worry if little shards break inwards, you can fill any holes when you silicone.
the inside width of the tank. Issue 8
ClayCraft
59
SKILL SCHOOL
6
3
Use a contour gauge to copy the shape of the moulding at the bottom. You could use thin card, which will be more fiddly (a bonus of having a joiner on-site, he had a gauge!) but do-able.
Repeat on the other corner, making sure you remember to reverse the template! Check the placement. Don’t worry too much about any small gaps, silicone will fix those.
7
4
Remove the bits of moulding on the inside of the tank supports, with a chisel.
Transfer the shape to one of the corners of the Perspex…
5
60 ClayCraft Issue 8
… and carefully cut it out with a scroll blade on a jigsaw – turn off the pendulum action if your drill has one. It moves the Perspex too much. When cutting, keep the blade as straight as possible. Any deviation stresses the Perspex and runs the risk of splintering. Again, it doesn’t matter too much if these are small, they can be filled with silicone later. Cut in straight lines, coming in from the edge if you need to, to make allowances for any bends.
8
Measure the height you want the partitions to be and cut them to length with a jigsaw. Knowing what we now know, taking them up to where the tank naturally widens, was too high for the thickness of Perspex we used – the weight of the water bowed the partitions – and two-thirds of the height up would have been better. If using the recommended thickness then the height shown is fine. We cut one corner off on each partition, to give a V-shaped gap for the water to flow through, and installed them on opposite sides to each other.
9
13
Apply
the liquid bottle half of the mitre-glue to the plastic. In our first attempt, it was only put onto the base parts, and the Perspex came off when the tank was fl exed. The second time it was applied to the base and up the sides.
14
Insert
Drill
a hole in the emptying end of the tank, about halfway up.
a short length of pipe, and attach fittings to achieve the necessary route to your existing system.
10 15
Spray the second part of the glue onto the Perspex, and hold in place while it sets. This takes a minute or so. Once dry, apply a liberal line of silicone sealer to the edges of both sides of each partition all around, smooth and leave to dry. You can fill any small gaps that were made by splintering (or inaccurate measuring) at this point.
11
Cut a base to fit the bottom of the tank if you want to be able to move it easily, and add casters.
12
Present the tank to your under-sink area and assess the plumbing. For ease, I took the trap off and mine empties straight out of the sink waste, into the first compartment, but you could add a piece of straight piping if you want – although you’ll have to disconnect it to move the tank out.
Ignore the old pipework, still visible! Shortly after this photo was taken, the partitions began to bow under the weight of the water. It was rectified with the somewhat Heath Robinson addition of short lengths of leftover pipe slotted in between the partitions, horizontally, to brace them. This fix means that they can be easily removed for cleaning, so I’m happy with it.
I now have a tank that separates the dirty water very nicely, and is mobile, so I can wheel it out for cleaning, and when I want to use the original bucket system when I’m working with plaster. It cost just over £90, not factoring in the joiner’s time, and the fact that I already had the material for the base, and some of the tools. Compared to £300-£400 for a ‘proper’ one, I think this is a DIY job that’s worth doing. I may retro-fit some draining points in each compartment at a later date, if I find it’s too unwieldy to empty from full. I’ll report back! Rachel Graham Issue 8
ClayCraft
61
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT JECT
FIVE SIX IVE
SURFACE DECORATION Mark Dally shares his slip-trailing hints and tips
1: Latex
slip trailing bag with rubber ferrule. 2: Small syringe top, cut down in length. 3: Metal blunt syringe tips, in a variety of internal diameters. 4: Glass pipettes, with insulating tape to increase their diameter. 5: 10ml syringe for cleaning out tips. 6: Angled nozzles in metal and plastic. 7: Very fine nozzle to help clear a blocked nozzle.
lip trailing is a ceramic technique that applies a relief pattern onto leather-hard clay by trailing liquid clay slip – l ike cake decorating. Coloured slips can be used to create the raised lines, dots and strokes, creating an appealing tactile decorative surface. I’ve been slip trailing for over 30 years. I love the f lowing, energetic marks that this centuriesold technique produces. It benefits from a confident, quick approach, which can give a bold contrast to the pot’s surface. I use the slip trailer (1, above) to decorate my work. It consists of a thin latex bag with a rubber ferrule, into which a cut-down syringe (2, above) or glass pipette (4, above) can be inserted. The hole in the ferrule is where I fill it up with the coloured slip of my choice. Some potters use several slip trailers simultaneously, each f illed with a different coloured slip as part of their decoration.
S
62 ClayCraft Issue 8
1
A
range of different tips and nozzles (3, 4, 6 top photo) can be screwed onto the end of the syringe or pushed into the ferrule hole of the slip-trailing bag. Metal tips (3) come in a wide variety of internal diameters, so that extremely thin lines or very thick lines can be slip-trailed onto the leather-hard surface of the pot. The viscosity of the slip should be regulated to suit the different diameters of the tips, by mixing water into the clay slip to the desired consistency: small-diameter nozzles will need quite a runny slip, while a wide-diameter nozzle will need it to be much thicker.
SKILL SCHOOL PROJECT
SIX 11
8 To get confident and flowing lines onto the surface of your pot, it’s best to hold the pot in your other hand for finer control. Holding the nozzle at a shallow angle helps the slip trailer’s tip glide easily across the leather-hard clay, rather than dig into its surface. If the pot’s too large to hold, try and adjust the position of the pot, or yourself, in a way that is easy to achieve a shallow slip-trailing angle.
9
Many potters slip trail their pots with dots as part of their decoration. Slip-trailing is perfect for making raised dots on the clay surface. Squeeze the slip trailer gently and dab the surface of the pot with the nozzle. A light and easy movement will create a raised dot – press down too hard, and clay will block the nozzle. You can control the amount your dots are raised from the pot’s surface by altering the slip’s viscosity. Thick slip can create raised and spiky dots, while thin slip will form dots flatter to the surface of the clay.
10
Very large slip dots can be made by watering the slip down to a fairly thin viscosity, then letting the slip drop from the nozzle 2 or 3 inches above the surface of the clay. As the force of the slip droplet hits the clay, it radiates out to make a circular dot.
64 ClayCraft Issue 8
It’s almost certain that whichever nozzle you’re using, it will get blocked at some point. Being able to clear the blockage easily is a real bonus. This is where the 10ml syringe comes in: fill it with clean water, apply to the nozzle and quickly push the plunger down so that a highpressure jet of water forces through the nozzle, clearing away any clay or dried slip stuck in the tube.
12
In some very small-diameter nozzles, this doesn’t always work. In this case, use the very fine nozzle, a needle or strand of thin wire to push up the tube tip in a bowl of water, and finish with the 10ml syringe method. Your nozzle will be clear and ready for use.
13
This large platter by Mark Dally, in his ‘Japanese Clouds’ design, incorporates many of the above slip-trailed techniques: big drip dots (plastic pipette); small touch dots (medium metal tip); thick slip trailed linework (glass pipette), and fine slip-trailed linework (thin metal tip).
Mark’s slip trailer kit is available to buy, complete with the variety of tips, nozzles and cleaning syringe shown. Email:
[email protected], or visit: markdallyceramics.co.uk
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DIFFICULTY RATING
5
2 Potters
use all sorts of tubes as their nozzle. I have heard of potters using Bic biros with the pen removed, creating a tube. I like to use glass pipettes (4) with straight and/or slightly bent tips. Glass pipettes are particularly good for fast, long sweeping lines. Because the glass is smooth at its fire-polished tip, it glides well on the clay surface. If you find a tube that you would like to use as a slip trailer nozzle but its diameter is too small to fit into the ferrule hole, wrap insulating tape round the nozzle to build up the diameter until it’s a good tight fit. Angled tips (6) allow smooth slip-trailing on the inside of pots, and to parts of pots difficult to access.
Screw
your chosen metal/plastic tip onto the end of the syringe, or insert your glass pipette or other nozzle. Remember to alter your slip’s viscosity according to your chosen tip’s diameter, to allow you more control and freedom when decorating.
6
3
You
Washing
up bottles are great for storing your bulk slip. Their small nozzle allows easy filling of the slip-trailing bag, with no spills. When filling the bag, squeeze in the slip almost up to the top but leave a small air space. When not using the bulk slip, clip on the bottle’s cap to keep your slip from drying out.
can now use the filled slip-trailing bag to decorate your pot. The slip-trailing grip is surprisingly relaxed: your thumb and forefinger hold the ferrule to guide the tip; your remaining three fingers fold over to apply gentle pressure on the reservoir, which you control according to the slip’s viscosity.
7
4
Use
Squeeze
out the last bit of air from the slip-trailing bag, and straight away insert the small syringe top, gently squeezing the bag so that slip fills up to the top of the syringe. This excludes trapped air in the slip-trailing bag, preventing ‘spluttering’ while slip-trailing.
a light and fluid wrist and arm movement to give energy to those lines. Try to practice the design of your line work by slip-trailing onto a surface that’s not your pot, such as a melamine board, to familiarise yourself with the hand, wrist and arm m ovements. Building this muscle memory will h elp give you a confident and assured technique when it comes to decorating. Issue 8
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.
NORTHERN KILNS Pottery Wheel Taster essions or all ages ges Hand Building Evening Class s Potte y Parties for every oc asion Adult , Children and Familie welcome Corp rate Team Building an Events
‘All are w l studi to ex
[email protected] 01253 790307
e y garden nc e j y ofclay.’
T : I G H
T L K E O S P T O S
Middleport Pottery Having come to the attention of the wider public as the setting for the BBC’s Great Pottery Throw Down, Middleport Pottery has a fascinating history, and lots to offer visitors
n 1862, William Leigh and Frederick Rathbone Burgess took over Central Pottery in the heart of Burslem, calling their new business Burgess & Leigh Ltd. Eventually, the founders’ surnames were combined to form the brand name ‘Burleigh’. In 1889, they moved to their state-of-theart, purpose-built site beside the Trent and Mersey Canal at Burslem. Middleport Pottery was described as ‘The Model Pottery of the Staffordshire Pottery Industry’ when it was f irst built, and it was designed to make all the production processes more efficient, and to improve conditions for the workforce. The passageways between the ranges were just wide enough for a cart to get through, and for the easy movement of the workers and pottery.
I
The
Workers' Bathhouse. Currently underground, these original washrooms will be opened up to the public at the beginning of December.
Middleport Pottery, home of Burleigh. Situated on the Trent and Mersey Canal and home to one of Stoke's last remaining bottle ovens.
Finished pottery was sent out by horse and cart, via the road, or placed (using the crane next to the packing house) straight onto barges on the canal, which were waiting to take the ceramics out to the coast for international export. This September, one of Britain’s last remaining wooden-built narrowboats, Dane, returned to its historic home of Middleport after being rescued from years of decay and disrepair. The barge was built at the Mersey Weaver and Ship Canal Carrying Company next
Studios and college Also on the site is a range of studios, where visitors can see the artists at work, and buy their wares, and the newly-opened Clay College. Burslem Pottery: burslempottery.com The Clay College: claycollegestoke.co.uk Richard Howle Photography: potteriesimages.co.uk Emma Bailey Ceramics: emmabaileyceramics.co.uk Libby Ward, contemporary jeweller: libbyward.co.uk Amy Helena Clarke, ceramics and surface pattern designer: ahclarke.com Alex Allday, ceramic and surface pattern designer: alexallday.co.uk Canadian Pine Company, furniture: facebook.com/CanadianPineCo Jon French, potter: french-jon.wixsite.com/jonfrenchceramics
door to the pottery in 1946, and she spent her working life bringing clay from Cornwall to the Potteries. In 2012, she was bought as a rotting shell by the Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, and moved from Middlesex to Alvecote Marina, near Tamworth. Enthusiasts at the charity have spent thousands of hours over the past f ive years, expertly restoring the craft into what many now believe to be the most authentic rebuild of a wooden narrowboat for more than 30 years. Now, 70 years after starting her service on the Trent and Mersey Canal, the 70-foot-long Dane will be returning to her Middleport mooring, ready to become a permanent part of the working pottery’s story. Sarah said: “The craftsmanship completed by the Narrowboat Heritage Foundation on this boat is breathtaking, and we are absolutely delighted that the charity approached us to provide a long-term home for Dane. We appreciate that it has been a very personal project for them, and we’re Issue 8
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.
STOKE
honoured to be able to showcase her to the public.” Dane will become a key part of the Middleport experience, and plans are currently being drawn up to use her for educational activities, tours, and even boat trips. Middleport’s marketing manager, Sarah Nadin, said: “We are so excited to be bringing this really important piece of Staffordshire’s cultural history back home for all to see. The canals were an integral part of the pottery industry, and Dane will become an important part of our unique story-telling at Middleport.” Middleport is also in touch with a local crate maker who made crates for barges such as Dane, and is investigating the feasibility of restoring the Middleport loading crane. This would mean it may be possible to demonstrate loading her with crates, exactly as would have been done just after World War II.
Regeneration Sadly, in 1999, Burleigh’s directors took the difficult decision to go into voluntary receivership. Fortunately, William and Rosemary Dorling of the China Box Company stepped in, bought the assets and founded Burgess Dorling & Leigh Ltd.
Handcrafted – each piece of Burleigh-ware passes through 25 pairs of hands.
Dane,
Iconic
Calico – Burleigh's iconic blue and white ware, made at Middleport Pottery.
FORWARD-THINKING When Burgess and Leigh started their business, one of their priorities was to improve conditions for the workforce. For decades, a hidden time capsule lay undiscovered before it was uncovered in April this year. The unique forgotten gem, a workers’ washroom – possibly the only one of its kind – was buried and forgotten, after over 120 years of development had left it below ground level at Middleport Pottery. Now the hidden underground complex of historic washrooms is to be restored, and opened to the public for the first time. The bathroom facilities are believed to be part of the original factory design from 1888. It’s thought that Middleport was the only ceramic factory to contain such facilities. The three-room suite contains a space with eight ceramic sinks, another room with a large oversized bath, and an additional area of unknown previous use. Director, John Lowther, said: “The wash house was almost part of folklore. Some of our older volunteers had remote memories of it, so we decided to explore more. There was huge anticipation about what we would find. “We weren’t disappointed. It is a unique survivor from when the factory was first built. They are an important part of Middleport’s story. This pottery was built as a model Victorian factory, not only showcasing the very latest ceramic techniques of the time, but also leading the country in ways to look after a workforce and care for the surrounding community. The fixtures and fittings are quite ornate,
a restored narrowboat, has returned to Middleport, and will become a visitor attraction. 68 ClayCraft Issue 8
and we believe they were possibly deliberately designed this way as part of the concept of creating the perfect pottery. “To be able to open the washrooms will give visitors a unique insight into Middleport Pottery and the community working there.” As well as a new entrance, the Middleport team will be turning the empty room into an interpretation space with information panels about the washrooms. Significant work will also be undertaken to make the floor safe, which has suffered from large-scale leakages of clay and glaze – believed to be from an historic leak from a burst pipe on the glazing floor above. It’s believed the washrooms may have been in use until the 1960s, but very little is known about them. Hayley Underwood, heritage and operations manager, said: “The opening of the washrooms is just a small part of the exciting developments we are about to undertake on the site, and is the forerunner to our much larger developments on Harper Street, which will see new additions to the tourist attraction, space for local artists, and areas for community use. “They provide an exciting insight into the social history of Middleport life and demonstrate the value that Burgess and Leigh as employers placed on their workers. We urge anyone who recalls the wash rooms in active use to come forward, and help us to piece together yet another part of the Middleport story.”
In 2010, the company was acquired by Denby Holdings Limited. However, Middleport Pottery was at serious risk of closure because of the very poor state of repair of the buildings. This would have seen the loss of jobs and substantial buildings of historic significance would have been left to further degenerate. But in the same year, United Kingdom Heritage
STUDIO VISIT
MIDDLEPORT POTTERY MEMBERSHIP - FROM £12 A YEAR In the three years since Middleport Pottery opened its doors following an extensive restoration project, it has grown to become one of the country’s most beloved tourist attractions – it’s difficult not to fall in love with this special place. However, the restoration continues, boxes upon boxes of social and industrial history require archiving, and the aim is to open up more areas of the pottery to the public and endeavour to share more of its history. Middleport Pottery membership supports all of these activities, and more. Secure a future for heritage from just £12 a year! Other benefits include; FREE factory tour UNLIMITED heritage access 10% OFF tea room purchases* 10% OFF Burleigh factory shop* 10% OFF Middleport Studios* Discounts on events 10x FREE play-with-clay (self-led, worth £20) – Family Membership only *Exclusions apply, please enquire Family membership £25 per year Individual membership £12 per year To join, speak to a member of staff or call: 01782 499766.
Following
a £9-million restoration, the factory now welcomes 40,000 visitors a year.
Grade
II* listed Bottle Oven. One of 47 left in Stoke on Trent. PLEASE
Ware
boards full of ware are a common sight at Middleport Pottery.
Building Preservation Trust (UKHBPT) stepped in to buy and save the site and began a £9-million project to regenerate and revitalise it, leasing half of it back to Burgess and Leigh, so production of Burleigh could continue. The site now hosts a visitor centre, a Burleigh showroom and outlet shop, factory tours, studios, a café, and, a recent addition, The Clay College.
Tissue
transfer. Burleigh is believed to be the last remaining factory to use the age-old tissue transfer process. The tissues are printed by handengraved copper rolls.
The
art of slipcasting. It takes an expert eye to know when to remove the plaster mould.
The visitor centre allows a unique chance to see Burleigh ware produced over the years in the beautiful showroom, explore the original Victorian offices, and learn about the people and events that have shaped the Pottery. Step back in time as you explore the mould store, housing Europe’s largest collection of ceramic moulds. And take an inside look at the pottery’s huge bottle kiln, one of the few remaining in Stoke and an iconic reminder of the city’s great industrial heritage. There is a team of friendly volunteers on hand to answer any questions and bring the history to life. The Middleport Pottery factory tour is unique. It offers the chance to see pottery being made using the same handcraft methods as in the 1880s. The tour takes you through each stage of production in sequence, showing how a lump of clay is transformed into a finished piece of pottery. You will also see the steam engine, which once powered the whole factory.
NOTE – The tour is of a working factory, which can be quite noisy in places and there are some trip hazards and limited mobility access to some areas. The centre is open from 10am until 4pm daily and welcomes groups and coach tour operators. To find out more, or book a factory tour, visit: middleport. org or call 01782 499766. MEMORIES OF MIDDLEPORT POTTERY BROUGHT TO LIFE A book documenting the rich oral histories of people who worked at or lived near Middleport Pottery has been produced by The Prince’s Regeneration Trust (PRT). Middleport Memories is a series of fond recollections of working life at the home of Burleigh pottery in days gone by, including accounts that are both amusing and moving. The subjects of the book were either those who worked at the Pottery’s Burgess & Leigh (Burleigh) factory, or who lived nearby in Burslem. A short film to accompany the book, showing interviews with some of the book’s participants, can be viewed at: bit.ly/2xik8Hg Middleport Memories costs £5, plus postage, and is available to buy at Middleport Pottery’s visitor centre, on 01702 499766, or by emailing:
[email protected] Issue 8
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SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
SEVEN
WATER ETCHING WITH WAX RESIST
his is a really great way of creating exciting surfaces on slip-cast items, although it’s also possible on surfaces made from other clays. Try this out on the cast cylinders we made in on page 33. We’re starting with a really simple design so that you can get an idea of how the process works, but, ultimately, you’ll be able to make the design as complicated as you choose, providing you follow the guidelines.
T
You will need: Bone
dry (but not fired) slipcast cylinder from project three Wax
emulsion
A
fine brush for the wax
A
pencil
A
card or foam template of your design Natural
sponge and water
1
If you want to space your design equally around the surface of the cylinder, measure it out into the required divisions using a protractor and pencil positioned at the top or bottom of the form. This design is spaced within three divisions. 70 ClayCraft Issue 8
2
Carefully transfer the shape of your template onto the surface of the cylinder by drawing around it with a pencil. Start at the top, positioning the first outlines equally between your dividing markers, then fill in the design so that it repeats around the circumference until you reach the bottom. You can plot the design by simply spacing each shape between the shapes above, in successive rows. The spacing should look evenly balanced when finished, but if you make a mistake, just rub the pencil mark out and re-draw the shape in a better position. Fill in blank spaces at the top and bottom as though the design was just continuing upwards or down – here, you can see a single flower petal filling the space, as it would if there were more clay to draw out the whole shape.
DIFFICULTY RATING
3
5
Draw in any finer details you want to fill the spaces between the template shapes, freehand. When you start to wipe away the clay, some of these details will be positive and others negative so think how you want the detail to look. It will stand out, in relief, if covered by wax, or etched away otherwise.
4
Paint the design with wax emulsion and a fine brush, taking care to stay within the drawn lines as far as possible. Remember – where you apply the wax will stay in relief, while unwaxed areas will be reduced when water etched.
When the waxed design has completely dried, dampen the sponge in water and start to wipe away the clay around the design. Rinse the sponge regularly and work around the whole surface systematically. When you have worked over the surface once, repeat the process until you’re happy with the results. If the clay starts to saturate and you aren’t yet happy with the surface, allow the cylinder to dry out completely, then etch the clay again. You can do this as many times as you need. It ’s a very satisfying process, but don’t get too carried away because the wall has to have some substance to support itself in firing. When finished, the design should clearly stand out in relief from the rest of the surface. Allow the form to dry out, and then fire to your clay’s given temperature.
6
The forms can be glazed after bisque firing or, as in the case here, which has been cast in porcelain, simply fired up to its top temperature and left unglazed. In future issues we will learn how to decorate wateretched surfaces in different ways to expand further on the basic technique – the possibilities are many and exciting. Issue 8
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EVENTS
Do you have an event you’d like listed? Email us at
[email protected] for free inclusion
FROM NOW UNTIL THROUGHOUT OCTOBER
‘Boxes’ The Oxford Ceramics Gallery
oxfordceramics.com THROUGHOUT OCTOBER
FOCUS 2017 Bevere Gallery Featured potters: Sara Moorhouse, Masazumi Yamazaki, Barry Stedman. Supported by over 40 Studio Potters, Original Paintings, Fine Art Hand Crafted Prints, Jewellery & more.
beveregallery.com
can add pleasure to routine daily moments or they can be part of a celebration. Bowls are elemental, forms for sharing, which at their best are open and generous. They can be tiny and fragile or rugged and monumental in scale. I use one clay, one colouring material, and a single firing, believing that focusing on a simple process can produce work of complexity and depth.’
cpaceramics.com UNTIL 28 OCT
Anna Lambert
Summer Ceramic Showcase UNTIL 21 OCT The Craft Centre & Design Gallery, Leeds Exhibition and sale of Anna has been creating her ceramics Dacorum and Chiltern Potters Guild distinctive earthenware since 268 High St, Berkhamsted, HP4 1AQ. 1980. Using a range of techniques including altered clay slabs, thedcpg.org.uk modelling, slip and underglaze UNTIL 28 OCT painting and various simple printmaking methods, Anna Jack Doher ty Lambert has developed her hand New work, on show at the built forms to reflect a connection Contemporary Ceramics Centre with her locality. ‘The ceramic pieces that I love are craftcentreleeds.co.uk the most fundamental of forms, and most of my recent work is UNTIL 28 OCT based on just t wo. Vessels to drink The Canterbury from are surely among the most Throwdown intimate objects that we use. They
OCTOBER 1922 OCT
MADE London One Marylebone, London An annual contemporary craf t and design fair where the very best of national and international designermakers present and sell their work to the public. Over 120 exhibitors across all media (ceramics, wood, silver, gold, glass, textiles and more) showcase their original, unique and exceptional work to the capital.
madelondon-marylebone. co.uk 2122, 2829 OCT
Canterbury Festival since 2000-2001 returns this year, with a new town having joined the trail: Deal. There are 21 artists across 12 ‘house’ venues ready to open their homes/studios/ galleries to welcome you and share with you their works, inspirations and projects. Support local artists and venture out on this new Deal town trail during October weekends, (from 14/15, 21/22 and 28/29th) Venues will be open at 11-5pm unless stated. Find info regarding participating artists and town trails on the ekoh.org.uk website and download a brochure and map(s). 22 OCT
East Kent Open Houses town art trails
Demonstration by Dylan Bowen
East Kent Open Houses town art trails, which have been part of the
Dylan Bowen will be demonstrating building and decorating slipware
Part of the Canterbury Festival 2017 A community pottery experience at the heart of historic Canterbury. 50 Kent potters offer free opportunities for all-comers to throw or build a pot. Every day until 4pm. See Canterbury Festival website for location.
The Nail Factory Dalbeattie, Scotland Artists include Doug Fitch/Hannah McAndrew and Jason Shackleton.
canterburyfestival.co.uk
nailfactory.org.uk
UNTIL 4 NOV
Canterbury Festival Open Houses Cherry Tewfick Pottery open 11-5 each of the three weekends of the festival. Stoneware, earthenware, porcelain and raku, domestic and decorative pots. 15 South Canterbury Rd, Canterbury, CT1 3LH
cherrytewfik.com UNTIL 13 NOV
Autumn Exhibition The Oriel CRiC Gallery upstairs in the CRiC is a beautiful space, which showcases creative excellence at its best. The programme of group exhibitions per year features art in various mediums: painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, glass, and jewellery. pottery to SCG members and their guests from 10-4pm. £20 for members, guests £25. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be available on the day. Please bring a contribution to an American Supper-style lunch, as well as your own crockery and cutlery. Denmead Community Centre, Hampshire, PO7 6LU Please contact Zyg Kruk for bookings: e-mail:
[email protected]: Tel: 023 924 69104 Mob: 078649 95843
southernceramicgroup.org. uk 2829 OCT
Oxford Ceramics Fair More than 60 of the UK’s leading potters will be exhibiting and selling their ceramics at the Oxford Ceramics Fair. Now in its 18th year, the event is again to be held at St Edward’s
Oriel CRiC, Crickhowell, Powys
visitcrickhowell.co.uk UNTIL 30 NOV
Autumn Returns
UNTIL 24 DEC
GRAYSON PERRY: THE MOST POPULAR ART EXHIBITION EVER! A major exhibition by one of the world’s most charismatic artists and astute commentators on contemporary society. Grayson Perry: The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever! tackles one of the artist’s primary concerns: how contemporary art can best address a diverse cross section of society. On show for the first time outside of London, the exhibition is central to the autumn season at Arnolfini and a programme of events inspired by Perry’s irreverent take on contemporary culture. Open Tuesday - Sunday, 11am to 6pm
arnolfini.org.uk School, Woodstock Road, Oxford on Saturday and Sunday the 28th & 29th October between 10am - 5.30pm (Saturday), 10am - 4.30pm (Sunday).
oxfordceramicsfair.co.uk 28 OCT 2 NOV
Elemental 2 The Firestorm Artists Collaborative will be displaying an exciting mixed media exhibition utilizing the incredible natural properties of the rocks, minerals and earth b eneath our feet - using glass ceramics and bronze, artists will be displaying a breath-taking array of work alongside the changing autumn leaves. Please note that on the final day the exhibition will close at 3pm. Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire. 10am-4pm
forestry.gov.uk Issue 8
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EVENTS NOVEMBER 3 NOV24 DEC
‘SHADES OF CLAY 2017’ The highly anticipated show Shades of Clay welcomes a select group of ceramicists living and working both in the UK and internationally, who are pushing the boundaries of their creative practice. The exhibition celebrates our belief that ceramics can engage, inspire and invite the contemplation of the process of design.
kunsthuisgallery.com
Do you have an event you’d like listed? Email us at
[email protected] for free inclusion
1029 NOV
Wild! Wild is a collaboration by artists and friends Fiona Pearce, Lisa Bartlett, Karen Burling and Penny Fleet. Inspired by the natural world, the artists first came together at art group ‘the Cross Barn’ in Odiham. Although their interpretations and their use of colour and texture differ, thematically and aesthetically, they complement each other beautifully. The artists are no strangers to Treloar’s. Fiona has exhibited at the Jowett Centre twice before, and in April all four artists volunteered their time and creative expertise to bring our College art students’ vision for their ‘Sitting with Jane’ bench design to life, with stunning results. Entry is free and all are welcome. Exhibition opening hours: 9am - 5pm (Monday to Friday) Jowett Centre, Treloars, Holybourne, Alton, Hampshire
treloar.org.uk
35 NOV
Lustre 2017 Contemporary Craft Maker’s Market Nottingham
lakesidearts.org.uk 35 NOV
Made by Hand Cardiff Made by Hand is back for its fourth year at the historic and prestigious City Hall, Cardiff in November. Featuring a handpicked selection of 135 leading award-wining makers from all over Wales and the UK. This year’s attractions include The Pottery Showdown where visitors can challenge contestants from the popular show, drop-in workshops, and demonstrations.
madebyhand-wales.co.uk 45 NOV
Pre-Christmas exhibition Six Sussex (and visitor!) artists and craftsmen- pre Christmas exhibition, hosted by Jonathan Chiswell Jones, ceramics. The English Wine Centre Alfriston Road, Berwick, East Sussex. BN26 5QS. 10am-5pm 11 NOV
Christmas Craft Fair Rural Life Centre, Tilford, nr Farnham. Lots of stalls of handmade goods in the Rural Life Centre. The stalls are in several venues about the site (some open) so a coat and boots might be a good idea! Entry is FREE and refreshments are available. Lots of free parking at the venue. 10.30am-3pm
rural-life.org.uk 74 ClayCraft Issue 8
12 NOV
One Day Throwing Workshop Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset An excellent opportunity to learn the basics of throwing pottery. During the session we will cover throwing a mug, vase, bowl and plate. Cost £100 per person. Includes homemade, vegetarian lunch.
Carantoc-art.co.uk 1619 NOV
Living Crafts at Christmas Enjoy choosing the perfect presents from over 180 designer-makers showcasing the very best of contemporary British craft. With twinkling Christmas trees, seasonal food and drink, street theatre and entertainment, Living Crafts for Christmas is a fantastic and festive day out. Blenheim Palace Woodstock, OX20 1PP
livingcrafts.co.uk 18 NOV
Craft and Gift Market, Cranleigh Cranleigh Village Hall Village Way, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8AF 10am - 4pm 1819 NOV
Art in Clay Farnham Art in Clay at Farnham is back for its 21st year. Now owned and run by Richard & Anna Miller (Froyle Tiles). There will be a range of work, from newly qualified artists working in clay
creating various sculptures with ceramic artist Penny Price. There will be a focus on animals but there will be an opportunity to learn how to make other types of sculpture, depending on the class’s interests. Cost £100 per person. Includes homemade, vegetarian lunch.
Carantoc-art.co.uk 2226 NOV
Christmas Contemporary Craft & Design Fair Contemporary craft and design fair in the gardens at RHS Wisley. 9am - 6pm
craftinfocus.com to potters with many years of creative work behind them. From animal sculptures to kitchen and garden pots with a variety in between to interest anyone who enjoys skilfully-crafted objects. With over 70 exhibitors, talks and demonstrations, there will be plenty to tempt you. Sat 10am – 5pm, Sun 10am- 4.30pm
artinclayfarnham.co.uk 1819 NOV
Contemporary Crafts Fair Milland Village Hall GU30 7NA, 10am-4pm An annual Meet the Makers event, featuring a wide range of crafts. Prize draw and refreshments, with donations to The Samaritans. For more details, email: Hilary@
totallytextiles.co.uk 1819 NOV
Totterdown Art Trail Bristol The oldest art trail in Bristol, where each year around 200 professional and amateur artists, working in a wide variety of media, display and sell their artwork to members of the public. This year the theme is Fairytales, Myths and Legends, which doesn’t mean to say the art needs to reflect the theme, but expect to see some folklore related ‘goings-on’.
frontroom.org.uk 19 NOV
One Day Ceramic Sculpture Day Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset An introduction into the basics of
2426 NOV
The Kiln Rooms Christmas sale and Open Studio, across both sites (Bellenden Rd, and Copeland Park, Peckham Rye, London).
thekilnrooms.com 25 NOV 10 DEC
Brighton and Hove Artists Open Houses The Open Houses are grouped in local trails, each with their own unique character, from the fishermen’s houses of Hanover, Regency houses of Brunswick, to the urban warehouse spaces of North Laine and cottages of the South Downs village of Ditchling. Festival weekends are: November 2566, December 2-3 and December 9-10
aoh.org.uk 25 NOV
Brockley Open Studios Artists Christmas Fair 12-4pm
brockleyopenstudios.co.uk 2526 NOV
Aylesford Pottery Sale, 10% off. Come and enjoy mulled wine and mince pies, and bag yourself a Christmas bargain!
aylesfordpottery.co.uk 2526 NOV
North Bristol Art Trail 10am-6pm
northbristolartists.org.uk
DECEMBER 2526 NOV
London Potters Local W4 Ceramic Fair St Michael’s Church, Elmwood Rd, Chiswick
W4studiopottery.weebly. com 13 DEC
The Design Museum Market The Design Museum Market presents a beautiful selection of jewellery, ceramics, glassware, textiles, homewares, graphic design, digital and children’s products - everything from original stocking fillers to standout gifts. 224 - 238 Kensington High Street London W8 6AG
designmuseum.org 23 DEC
Aylesford Pottery Sale, 10% off. Come and enjoy mulled wine and mince pies, and bag yourself a Christmas bargain!
aylesfordpottery.co.uk 34 DEC
Turning Earth Winter Market 60 artists, live music, demonstrations, food and mulled wine. 12-6pm. Arch 362, Whiston Rd, London E2 8BW
To achieve success in applying to galleries, for commissions and residencies or to sell your work online, your craft needs to be represented by high-quality images. Professional studio images are always worth the investment. However, makers need to be able to regularly document their work to the highest standard. Budgets and logistics may mean professional photography is not always possible. This workshop will help you support your own practice by providing you with the skills you need. First impressions are vital, and a high-quality photograph is worth a thousand words. 14 DECEMBER
Photographing craft techniques The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London Photographer Anne Purkiss provides useful tips and techniques for photographing craft, enabling you to capture the essence of your work and improve your marketing. The day has been spilt into two sessions. The first session is aimed at makers who produce work that has a textured surface, for example wood, ceramics, textiles and willow. The afternoon session is aimed at makers who produce work that has a reflective surface, for example jewellery and glass.
Which session should I sign up to? Workshop One: 9.30am – 1pm, aimed at makers working with 10 DEC
textured or non-reflective surfaces eg ceramics, wood, willow. Workshop Two: 1.45 –5.15pm, aimed at makers working with reflective surfaces; eg jewellery and glass.
What to bring: Examples of images of craft that inspire you, and if possible some photographs that you have already taken of your work.
Workshop content: Demonstration of photographic techniques using some of the Crafts Council Handling Collection pieces Tutorials of simple editing techniques using the photographs taken to show you how you can make the most of your photographs Crafts Council Collections
17 DEC
Independent Ceramics Market
One Day Throwing Workshop
Rich Mix London Pick up unqiue gifts just in time for Christmas The DIY Art Market brings together a community of creatives and provides visitors the opportunity to discover and take home unique pieces. Pick up art prints, ceramics, zines, independent publications, risograph prints, lo-fi sculptures, jewellery, sewn items, screen prints, and artist books. This event will showcase a curated selection of over 100 emerging artists, exhibiting alongside some more established, all from a wide range of artistic backgrounds, all of whom demonstrate an innovative approach to their practise.
Rich Mix London Showcasing over 90 innovative ceramicists and DIY potters, the Independent Ceramics Market is the ideal location for discovering a new wave of ceramic artists. Exhibitors include current students, plus up-and-coming graduates, as well as established ceramicists from various London ceramic studio’s and workshops including, Turning Earth, Glebe Road Studios, Peckham The Kiln Rooms, Ceramics Studio Co-op, among many others. The ceramic market provides a unique opportunity to see a diverse range of ceramic artwork, and buy direct from the maker. Original ceramics for sale will include lamps, tableware, vases, pots, sculptures, jewellery, and unique pieces.
Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset An excellent opportunity to learn the basics of throwing pottery. During the session we will cover throwing a mug, vase, bowl and plate. Cost £100 per person. Includes homemade, vegetarian lunch.
richmix.org.uk
richmix.org.uk
e2.turningearth.uk 9 DEC
DIY Art Market
Carantoc-art.co.uk UNTIL 14 JAN 2018
Rachel Kneebone Porcelain sculptures V&A Museum
vam.ac.uk UNTIL 27 JAN 2018
Starlight Craft Gallery, Birmingham Blast off into a galaxy far away with Starlight; an exhibition exploring the spectacle and wonders of outer space. From jewellery inspired
Manager and Talent Development Manager will highlight the different styles of photographs needed for Collections, Product and Marketing Photography. Based on the images you have brought (your own or pictures, and examples of what you would like to achieve), Anne will discuss how better results can be achieved, what you can attempt to do on your own, when you may need professional help and how to get it. Crafts Council courses, events, talks and workshops strike a balance between informationled and practical training, always in a friendly, open atmosphere that encourages discussion and informal networking. £40 per session, £5 discount for Crafts Council Directory makers and Goldsmiths’ members
craftscouncil.org.uk by meteorites and shooting stars through to space-age ceramics and ethereal glass, this exhibition offers an opportunity for stargazing right in the heart of Brum! With a wide variety of products and prices, this display is perfect for those looking for alternative Christmas gifts, all handmade with love!
rbsa.org.uk UNTIL 10 JUNE 2018
Radical Clay: Teaching with the great potters of the 1960s Bristol Museum & Art Gallery Ground breaking pieces from the leading potters of the time, including Hans Coper, Lucy Rie, Janet Leach, Ruth Duckworth, Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew and Gillian Lowndes. A piece by Kate Malone, made when she was a student at Henbury School in Bristol, will also be on show.
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Marvin at work in the studio.
MUDDY FINGERS POTTERY
– Paul Bailey found a people’s champion came across Marvin Kitshaw on a visit to the Biscuit Factory Gallery in Newcastle this summer, and it’s well worth a visit if you’re in the area. He was busy demonstrating Raku firing for the public.
He explained that the pottery was based nearby, in Jarrow, and runs on the model of part working studio taking on commissions and part teaching resource. Describing the philosophy behind the pottery, Marvin commented: “Like many small potteries, we’re very much a part of the local community, working on a range of projects. Together with Diane Nicholson, we teach a limited number of students, which allows us to develop them technically and challenge their perceptions of ceramics.” Muddy Fingers was born in 2003, when Marv Kitshaw founded the company. He trained as a 3D designer and only later on in life did he discover his love of clay. From then onwards, the pottery has run night classes to teach people the joys of creating with clay. Diane joined as a student in 2007, and a couple of years later she joined the business as a potter, alongside Marv. School workshops, building bread Sue Edmundson – G rogged ovens and running various making stoneware. Bisque-fired in electric kiln workshops are all part of the day-to-day to 1020°C then Raku-fired to 950°C. Handbuilt and press-moulded forms. activities at the pottery, but the main
I
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Carley
Pearson– Hand-built succulent pots, made from slabs of grogged stoneware bisque-fired to 1020°C in an electric kiln. Raku-fired to around 950°C with copper Raku glaze.
EMERGING POTTERS
Pit-fired
Clare
Lockey – Wheel-thrown cauldrons made from grogged stoneware with rutile glazes. Bisquefired to 1020°C and then glaze-fired in electric kiln to 1240°C.
focus at the minute is tableware. They currently supply a number of Michelin starred and world-class restaurants as part of their collaboration with Goodfellow and Goodfellow Chef suppliers. Tom Kerridge, Jason Atherton, and Burberry are just some of the places where you’ll be able to eat from a Muddy Fingers plate. Using stoneware clay for its durability and flexibility, and throwing most of their pottery on the wheel, Marv and Diane also design their own glazes to complement their restaurant ranges. Glaze chemistry is something to focus on, and getting the glazes completely food-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe
vessel by Marvin K itshaw.
is a top priority. In contrast to the tableware, they are also well-known for their Raku workshops, which they take all over the country. Just this summer, they’ve been to Glastonbury festival, art galleries and museums, and also Middleport Pottery, the home of the BBC Great Pottery Throw Down programme. As part of the weekly adult night classes, which run three nights a week, the students get to do Raku sessions, design their own glazes, learn slab, coil and pinch methods, as well as throwing pots. Pit-firing has been a passion of Marvin’s since the beginning, and as well as writing his own book on the subject he has also been featured in pit-firing books and on the BBC. To conclude, Diane summed things up as follows: “Our students come from all backgrounds. At the moment, we have
Michael
Clarke – Made with grogged stoneware. Wheel-thrown vessel, saggar-fired in a Raku kiln with organic materials and ferric chloride. Bisque-fired in electric kiln to 1020°C then Raku-fired to around 950°C.
teachers, doctors, IT workers, architects and engineers on our courses. Generally, they come to get away from the daily stresses of life. Pottery classes give them something else to focus on for a few hours a week, and help clear the mind. Some of them say it should be on the NHS, it’s so therapeutic!” muddyfingerspottery.com Twitter: @muddyf ingerspot Facebook and Instagram
The
Marv,
pit-firing.
pottery went into a local school and made these poppies with the students for their new garden. They got a local graffiti artist in too.
Workshop
on Heritage Open
Days.
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COURSES SCOTLAND THE WEE MUD HUT Courses: Handbuilding, throwing for all ages/abilities. Groups and individual sessions Dates: Various Location: East Kilbride, Scotland Lanarkshire theweemudhut.co.uk
CUMBRIA/N EAST MUDDY FINGERS POTTERY Courses: Adult night classes Dates: Tuesday and Thursday evenings, every six weeks Location: Jarrow, Tyne and Wear muddyfingerspottery.com ANNIE PEAKER Courses: Figurative Ceramic Courses Dates: April - October (3 & 5 Days) Location: Penrith, Cumbria anniepeaker.co.uk
YORKS ART HOUSE, SHEFFIELD Courses: Wheel, handbuilding, porcelain, raku, figurative, workshops, summer intensive week (chimeneas) Dates: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm Location: Sheffield City centre arthousesheffield.co.uk KATIE BRAIDA Courses: weekly class and day workshops Dates: Every Thursday evening and
Do you run a course that you’d like to see here?
Email
[email protected] for free inclusion in our listing
various others Location: Scarborough katiebraida.com
FIRED ART DESIGNS Courses: 1:1 wheel work, brushwork, surface decoration. Handbuilding, slab work, coil work. Classes Dates: Various Location: Pontefract, Yorkshire firedartdesigns.co.uk JILL FORD Course: Workshop and Day Courses Dates: Thursday evenings & day courses throughout the year Location: York Tel: 01717 289008 JOY GIBBS PRICE CERAMICS @ GRAPE VINE STUDIOS Courses: Handbuilding, throwing, raku Dates: Weekly sessions, Thurs 6-8pm, Fri/Sat 10am-12pm Location: Mattersley, Doncaster joygibbsprice.co.uk GREENWOOD CRAFTS Courses: Handbuilding; throwing from beginners onwards Dates: All year Location: N Yorks tryacourse.co.uk LEAFY LANE POTTERY BY SUZIE Courses: Hand building courses for all abilities. Learning disabilities, residential homes, schools and private sessions, and sculptures for your home and gardens Dates: Throughout the year and area Location: Hull and East Yorkshire
[email protected] Tel: 07886 841936
OLD STABLES STUDIO Courses: Throwing: bootcamp, weekends, tasters and regular classes Dates: Various Location: Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire JAMES OUGHTIBRIDGE Course: Large Scale Slab Building Dates: Contact for details Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire jamesoughtibridge.blogspot.co.uk JIM ROBISON CERAMICS Courses: Week-long Ceramics, and Glaze and surface courses Dates: Various Location: Holmfirth, Huddersfield boothhousegallery.co.uk SCULPTURE LOUNGE STUDIOS Courses: Throughout the year Dates: Contact directly for further information Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire sculpturelounge.com ANNA-MERCEDES WEAR Courses: Regular one-day handbuilding courses, includes making and decorating animals and figures Dates: Throughout the year Location: Sheffield anna-mercedeswear.com
LANCS/CHESHIRE/ MERSEY BALTIC CLAY Courses: Evening and weekend clay courses Dates: Tue, Wed, Thurs (6.30pm 8.30pm) & Sat Location: Liverpool balticclay.com BLUE BUTTERFLY CRAFTS Courses: Handbuilding. Weekly 2-hr sessions and day-courses Dates: Various, see website Location: Accrington, Lancs bluebutterflycrafts.co.uk JOAN CHAN Courses: Introduction to clay, handbuilding, throwing, slip casting, glaze workshop Dates: Afternoons and evenings Location: Greasby, Wirral T: 07803 848212 E:
[email protected] FB: jccermaics THE CRAFTY POTTER Courses: Throwing, hand-building & modelling Dates: Various Location: Chorley, Lancashire thecraftypotter.co.uk PAUL GOULD/MON CERAMICS Courses: Beginners & intermediates Dates: Tuesdays & Wednesdays 2-4pm
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and 7-9pm Saturdays and Sunday workshops: various dates throughout the year Location: The Wirral monceramics.co.uk
GREEN MAN CERAMICS Courses: Pottery Discovery weekends Dates: Various Location: Colne, Lancs Tel: 01282 871129
NOTTS/DERBYS/ LEICS/MIDLANDS CAN-DO POTTERY Courses: Hand-building for beginners Dates: Thursdays 10.30am-12.30pm Location: Mellor, Stockport candopottery.wixsite.com/group MIDLANDS ART CENTRE Courses: Ceramics Open Studio Dates: Various Location: Birmingham macbirmingham.co.uk PLAY WITH CLAY Courses: Throwing, toddler clay Dates: Saturday mornings, Tuesday afternoons, throwing weekly by appt. Location: Loughborough creationspottery.co.uk SEVEN LIMES POTTERY Courses: Varied courses/classes Dates: All Location: Moss Side, Manchester 7Limes.co.uk SEYMOUR ROAD STUDIOS Courses: Weekly/one-day weekend classes Dates: Various Location: West Bridgeford, Notts seymourroadstudios.co.uk PAT SHORT CERAMICS Courses: Beginners’ handbuilding workshops Dates: Various Location: Edgbaston, Birmingham patshortceramics.com LINDA SOUTHWELL Courses: Evening classes and one-toone experiences Dates: Wednesday evenings and by arrangement Location: The Harley Ceramics Studio, Welbeck, Worksop lindasouthwell.co.uk
WALES CARDIFF POTTERY WORKSHOPS Courses: Handbuilding; throwing; one-off Saturday sessions; 1-2-1 throwing; masterclasses with Anne Gibbs; parties (children, adults, teambuilding); pottery membership tutored & un-tutored Dates: 6-wk day & eve sessions,
Do you want your entry to stand out? For details, contact Gary on 01732 447008 various Location: Cardiff cardiffpotteryworkshops.com GLOSTERS
Course: Throwing Dates: April Location: Porthmadog glosters.co.uk
KAREN FINCHAM CERAMICS
Courses: Hand building and throwing. One to one and group sessions Dates: Weekdays, evenings and Saturdays Location: Redditch, Worcestershire clayclass.co.uk
JANE MALVISI
POP UP POTTERY STUDIO (EARTH & FIRE CERAMICS)
Courses: Raku: full day workshop 2nd Saturdays Two-hour pottery classes inc Raku Dates: Mon/Tues/Weds days and evenings Location: Bridgend, S Wales janemalvisi.co.uk
Courses: Beginner courses to learn simple techniques Dates: Tuesday evenings & Friday afternoons Location: Great Haywood (near Stafford), Staffordshire
[email protected]
ORIEL BODFARI GALLERY AND POTTERY
POTCLAYS
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, Raku, etc Dates: Various Location: Bodfari, North Wales
[email protected] orielbodfarigallery.co.uk
CAMBS/LINCS PAULA ARMSTRONG
Courses: Handbuilding, workshops Dates: Monday and Thursday mornings Location: Willingham, Cambs parmstrongceramics.co.uk MATTHEW BLAKELY
Courses: Weekend Courses: Throwing, Porcelain throwing Dates: Monthly Location: Lode, Cambs matthewblakely.co.uk HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE
Courses: Handbuilding, throwing, plus summer school workshops Dates: Various Location: Cambridge hillsroadadulteducation.co.uk ZOO CERAMICS
Courses: Half and full day handbuilding workshops, 10-week pottery classes Dates: Various Location: Waddington, Lincolnshire zooceramics.co.uk
WORCS/SHROPS/ STAFFS/HEREFORD
Courses: Basic/Intermediate/ Advanced Throwing, Intro to glazes, Pottery Basics, Moulding and Slipcasting, Tilemaking Dates: Various Location: Stoke-on-Trent potclays.co.uk THE SCULPTURE PLACE
Courses: Figurative Sculpture Classes Dates: Weekly sessions: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday (running for 6 weeks) Location: Wolverhampton, Staffordshire thesculptureplace.co.uk WOBAGE FARM CRAFT WORKSHOPS
Courses: Various multiple-day throwing workshops Dates: Various Location: South Herefordshire workshops-at-wobage.co.uk
WARKS/N’HANTS/ OXON ROB BIBBY
Courses: Pottery classes Dates: Tuesday morning and evening, one-offs by arrangement Location: Woodnewton, Oundle robbibbyceramics.co.uk
NORFOLK/SUFF/ ESSEX PHIL ARTHUR
Courses: Pottery classes Dates: Tuesday evening, Thursday afternoon Location: Cawston, Norfolk
[email protected]
BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL
DEBORAH BAYNES
Courses: Beginners & Intermediate Dates: Tuesday & Thursday Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire The BCB operates a clay school and a variety of courses throughout the year. britishceramicsbiennial.com
Courses: Residential and nonresidential Dates: Weekends (spring/autumn), full weeks (July/Aug) Location: Shotley, Suffolk potterycourses.net
BLUEBELL CERAMICS
Courses: Weekly classes, one-offs, workshops. Various handbuilding, slab, coil and surface decoration Dates: Mon am, Mon pm, Tues am Location: Sudbury, Suffolk E;
[email protected] T: 07572 574763
BEDS/BUCKS/HERTS CLAY WITH CAROLE
Courses: Handbuilding, throwing Dates: Various Location: Hitchin, Herts claywithcarole.co.uk DIGSWELL CERAMICS COMMUNITY
Courses: Beginners’ tuition, support for experienced potters Dates: Tuesdays, Thursdays Location: Letchworth NORTH MARSTON POTTERY
Courses: Variety of pottery courses Dates: Contact directly for further details Location: North Marston, Buckinghamshire northmarstonpottery.co.uk RUBY SHARP
Courses: Hand building, throwing, decorating pots, sculpture for home and garden Dates: Throughout the year (weekend & day sessions available) Location: Amersham, Buckinghamshire rubysharppottery.co.uk
WILTS/HANTS/ BERKS ‘CLAY SURGERY’ WITH SUZANNE & ABBY
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, glazing, raku, mould-making for beginners and improvers Dates: Weekends throughout the year Location: Waterlooville, Hants
[email protected] THE CREATIVE CAVERN
Courses: Various, inc 1:1 throwing, Dates: Various Location: Winnersh, Berks thepaintnightcompany.co.uk/ pages/the-creative-cavern ANGELS FARM POTTERY
Courses: Residential (B&B) & nonresidential. Throwing, handbuilding, decorating Dates: Sat and w/ends once a month. Weekly evening classes & Fri am. One-off days for groups, min 4, max 8 attendees Location: Lyndhurst, New Forest, Hants. angelsfarm.co.uk SASHA WARDELL
Courses: Bone china & mould making courses Dates: May to September ( incl.) in SW France / Feb & March in Wiltshire Location: SW France/ Wiltshire sashawardell.com
DORSET/GLOS/ SOMERSET/AVON ARTISAN CRAFT CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Courses: Weekly pottery classes wheel and handbuilding Dates: Mondays and Wednesdays, one-offs by arrangement Location: Winterborne Monkton, Dorchester
[email protected] ASHBROOK STUDIO
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, glazes One-to-one or small group, daily Dates: All year Location: Waterrow, Somerset ashbrook-ceramics.co.uk BANWELL POTTERY
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, modeling, slab work, coil work, tilemaking Dates: Weekly evening class, Weds 6-8pm Location: Weston-super-Mare, N Somerset banwellpottery.org Issue 8
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CARANTOC ART
Courses: Intensive & regular classes available in pottery & ceramic sculpture Dates: Year-round Location: Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset carantoc-art.co.uk CREATIVE CLAY FOR ALL
Travelling clay workshops for those who have no access to a kiln. Ideal for community groups. Based in Dorset facebook.com/creativeclayforall
[email protected] PATRICK ESSON
Courses: Modelling, coiling, slab work, pinching, throwing Dates: Various Location: Gloucester
[email protected] CHARLOTTE MILLER CERAMICS
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, mould-making, surface decoration Dates: Termly part-time, taster workshops, pottery parties Location: Bournemouth charlottemillerceramics.com NEW BREWERY ARTS
Courses: Variety of ceramic courses Dates: Contact directly for further details Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire newbreweryarts.org.uk RUARDEAN GARDEN POTTERY
Courses: Weekends, week-long Courses: Throwing, Pot Making Dates: Various Location: Forest of Dean ruardeanpottery.com
DEVON/CORNWALL
Location: Aylesford, Kent aylesfordschoolofceramics.co.uk BURWASH POTTERY
Courses: Various handbuilding, decoration. All levels. Classes, workshops, parties, taster sessions Dates: Terms of 6 weeks, various Location: Burwash, East Sussex burwashpotter.co.uk THE CERAMIC STUDIO
Courses: From beginner to professional, plus taster sessions Dates: Various Location: Five Oak Green, Kent theceramicstudio.me.uk CERNAMIC
Courses: With Nam Tran; throwing, mould-making, raku Dates: Various Location: SE London cernamic.com THE CLAY ROOM UK
Courses: Clay taster workshops; introductory pottery; mould-making & slip-casting; transfer; termly pottery courses; Christmas workshops & private lessons Dates: Various Location: Chelsfield, Orpington theclayroomuk.com THE CLAY STUDIO
Courses: All build techniques, decorating, glazes. Also, rentable open spaces Dates: Mon-Thurs inc evenings Location: Groombridge, Sussex/Kent Border LAURA CROSLAND CERAMICS
Courses: Various, one-to-one or group Dates: Various Location: Chatham, Kent lauracroslandceramics.com PETER CUTHBERTSON
LEACH POTTERY
Courses: 3 & 5-day throwing, evening classes handbuilding, throwing Dates: Various, each month Location: St Ives, Cornwall leachpottery.com
KENT/SUSSEX/ SURREY/LONDON ART SHOP AND POTTERY
Courses: 1-to-1 throwing tuition. One-off taster sessions & longer courses available. Slabbing, tile making and Kids Clay Club. Dates: Monday to Saturday 10.00am - 6.00pm Location: Brighton & Hove artshopandpottery.com AYLESFORD POTTERY
Courses: Raku days, 1-day, 10-week Pottery classes, Mould Making, Glaze Theory & Application Dates: Various terms 82 ClayCraft Issue 8
Courses: Throwing and handbuilding, beginners and more advanced Dates: Weekly regular day and evening classes plus one off weekends by arrangement Location: East Hoathly, East Sussex peter.cuthbertson@phonecoop. Coop EASTBOURNE STUDIO POTTERS
Courses: Throwing, hand building, surface decoration and glazing for beginners and experienced potters. Plus, Personal Project Development with specialist support. Dates: Weekly courses throughout the year. Personal Project on Weds 6-9pm. Location: Eastbourne eastbournestudiopottery@gmail. com eastbournestudiopottery.com FOREST ROW SCHOOL OF CERAMICS
Courses: Adult intensive throwing and handbuilding weekly
classes Weekend workshops: raku, soda/ smoke firing, animal sculpture, glaze chemistry, slip decorating Location: Forest Row, West Sussex frschoolofceramics.co.uk GO CREATE
Courses: Pottery, sculpture & craft Dates: Various Location: SW London gocreate.co.uk CLAIRE GRIFFITHS
Dates: Starting September; Weds 10.00am -12.30pm & Thurs 7.009.30pm Location: Whitstable
[email protected] HANDMADE IN CHISWICK
Courses: Weekly classes and one-off workshops inc 1:1 throwing. Studio time for more experienced learners Dates: Term time for weekly classes, by arrangements for workshops and studio time Location: London, W4 HandmadeinChiswick.weebly.com
[email protected] Twitter: @jolyopsimath MAZE HILL POTTERY
Course: Weekly Evening Classes Dates: Throughout the year Location: Greenwich, London mazehillpottery.co.uk PADDOCK STUDIO POTTERY
Courses: 1-day individual or shared, throwing, handbuilding Dates: Various Location: Lewes, East Sussex thepaddockstudiopottery.co.uk
THE PAINTING POTTERY CAFE
Courses: Evening classes: Throwing, coiling, slab & pinch for different monthly projects. All materials and glazes provided. £35pp Dates: 3rd Thursday of the month 6.30-9.30pm Location: Brighton paintingpotterycafe.co.uk SULEYMAN SABA
Courses: Pottery classes Dates: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings (Clapham), Mondays and Tuesdays (Kingsbury) Location: London (Kingsbury and Clapham) suleymansaba.com STAR POTTERY
Courses: Taster, Weekly classes Dates: Various Location: Lewes, East Sussex hamid-pottery.co.uk
FRANCE L’APIPOTERIE /E. PENSA
Courses: Handbuilding for utilitarian use and animal sculpture. Bilingual course French and English Dates: 10-12 July and 25-27 August Location: Beaufort sur Gervanne/ South East of France in the Vercors regional park
[email protected] SASHA WARDELL
Course: Bone china & mould making courses Dates: May to September (incl) in SW France/Feb & March in Wiltshire Location: SW France/Wiltshire sashawardell.com
Explore the layering options at www.scarva.com/amacolayering
