Pots and Paintings

I wanted to make some small  pots that could double up as glaze tests, and rather than choose to throw lots of mugs I decided to throw some small versions of my lidded storage jars. Well soon after I got started I wanted to give up and go back to throwing 3lb jars, these 1lb jars are so fiddly. My bamboo rib has lost its definition so can’t cope with the angle needed for the rim of the jar, so  I’ve been relying on my little finger to shape the rim, mmm… I need to make some new throwing ribs! Still, I decided to press on and not give up, persuading myself that soon enough I would improve and find them easy, or easier at least…

Yesterday I did a bisque firing so I now have more pots waiting to be glazed. I think tomorrow and Friday will be glazing days, in between throwing lids for my fiddly jars!

I thought I’d post some photos of the pots in my collection, most were purchased in the early to mid eighties. My collection used to be much bigger but a few got broken and others have been given to friends.

Those shown here include pots by Svend Bayer, John Leach, David Frith, Peter Dick, Roger Cochram, Alex McErlain, Mick Casson, Seth Cardew, Andrew McGarva, Ray Finch, Geoffrey Whiting, John Jelfs, Jim Malone, Mike Dodd, Alan Brunsdon, Phil Rogers, Richard Batterham, Wally Keeler and Derek Emms.

Just out of interest the Derek Emms teapots were bought at the Red Rose Guild of Designer Craftsmen exhibition held at the Royal Northern School of Music in Manchester, literally opposite the pottery room at the then Manchester Polytechnic. Derek was regarded as one of the best teapot makers in his generation. The Ray Finch jugs were bought at an exhibition at the Chestnut Gallery at Bourton-on-the-Water. The Geoffrey Whiting teapot was in an exhibition of his work in Kent (Maidstone or Canterbury, I can’t remember which), his teapots were also considered the best by many. He died in 1988 so the exhibition I saw could have been the last chance to buy a Geoffrey Whiting teapot!

And a few close-up photos of individual pots…

Above: Jugs by Jim Malone (left) and Michael Casson (right)
Below: Teapots by Geoffrey Whiting (left) and Derek Emms (right)

Some pots I have do not appear in these photos, including a large ash glazed pancheon by Alan Brunsdon and a Large salt glazed Jug by Mick Casson. I also have more pots by Peter Dick at a friend’s house which I’m hoping to photograph sometime, as well as a beautiful tall jug by Mick Casson.

Whilst visiting my parents earlier this week I dug some clay from their garden, with permission I might add. I’ve dug clay there before many years ago so I knew that it was yellow ochre in colour and fires to a bright red at earthenware temperatures. My intention is to mix it with a buff stoneware clay to add colour, and maybe also use some as a decorating slip. Tomorrow I plan to sieve some of it.

By itself the clay lacks plasticity so is very difficult to throw. I will probably mix it 25% local clay, 75% buff stoneware clay, and as said also use it for decorating some pots with combing or finger wipe decoration. Maybe I’ll be drawn back into slip trailing? I remember throwing some large plates with wide rims to slip trail soon after I began teaching whilst the memory of working at Peter Dick’s Coxwold Pottery was still fresh in me.

Here’s a video of me throwing a jar.
I’m working on my lifting technique to improve it but at least I’m making pots!
The video is 5½ minutes.

 

I thought I’d post a few photos to show you where my pottery is situated…

The garden at Carisbrooke Priory, the pottery is just to the left.

Inside the pottery workshop
The bars at the window remain from when nuns used to live here!

Me throwing a jug

Another view of the Priory garden

The view opposite the Priory: Carisbrooke Castle

 

I’ve finally started spending more time at my pottery so here are just a few photos of what I’ve been making. As I’ve got back into throwing pots I’ve realised that I never really mastered the lifting process in that I’ve not managed to get a pronounced ‘step’ to my lifting so throwing large pots has been been a bit hit and miss. However, I made some progress last week so hope to soon be lifting the clay up more quickly and with fewer lifts. I’ve also been trying to improve my handles as they needed a more generous section to them.

 

 

Prior to setting up my pottery on the Isle of Wight the last batch of pots I had made were those thrown and fired at the school where I had been teaching. Many had been glazed with the taggs yard glazes (chun/tenmoku over either the red glaze or the reactive slip).  These glazes are capable of giving a wide variety of colours and can be pleasantly unpredictable.  A more recent firing done in my gas kiln, which I confess I’m still getting used to firing, was not an overall success but did produce a few interesting results.

 

 

My pen drawings of Worsley.  The drawing of the Brick Hall was commissioned as a gift on the opening of the John Gilbert, a pub in the centre of Worsley.

 

 

My last pencil drawings, done in 1997 (is it really that long since I did a pencil drawing!). Drawn initially to illustrate a calendar. The previous year I completed a set of 12 pen drawings (see next post). I began each drawing by creating a detailed outline, and for the pencil drawings I used very much the same cross-hatching technique used for the pen drawings.

 

 

I’ve decided to replace my previous website with a blog in response to my change of direction from design work to painting and making pots.  As the pottery is what I’ve immersed myself in first this blog will have more pottery posts. I hope you enjoy seeing what I’m up to and following my progress.