Artists

Akira Satake
I really love the texture on these pieces, just like the bark of a tree... something I have been trying to achieve myself

http://www.akirasatake.com/

Also some interesting work here:
http://potterylife.blogspot.com/

Using lovely black clay with kaolin (china clay) stretched on the outside

Nitsan Stern

Amphora

I have been intersted in the Amphora shape ever since I saw it in the British Museum some time ago. I think there are some in the V&A also.
I've been doing some new tests on surface decoration to find out what I truly would like to be making. The last batch out of the kiln we very pleasing so I am going to start exploring this form together with the decoration.

Image from Wikipidia

Own picture from British Museum

More info available here.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphora

Notes

Notes to self
Artists work who I have been looking at:
Jane wheeler   http://www.janewheeler.co.uk/
Robert Cooper    http://www.robertcooper.net/
Jo Connell    http://www.jjconnell.co.uk/joomla/index.php
Shozo Michikawa     http://www.shozo-michikawa.jp/eng/index.html

Contemporary Craft Shopping Experience, Warwickshire

Here's a little bit of a run down on the weekends event and a few stalls that caught my eye at the Contemporary Craft Shopping Event in Warwickshire. Although it was a long journey my husband and I decided to make a weekend break of it and fit in some Christmas shopping and it definitely turned out to be worth it.

Charlotte Hupfield Ceramics (winner of the best stall)

Creative Bumble Bee

Curious Cat Creative (handmade leather gifts)

Elizabeth Richards

Feverstitch

Handmade by Moi

I always seem to get the short straw and end up opposite the tastiest stalls!
Harkers Handmade fudge

And little old me!
You might noticed that I left my lovely new banner at home :-(

I had a really good spot right in the middle of the hall (about 100 stalls!). I took an extra couple of plinths not knowing if I would have room to display my large bowls and luckly enough I could. Although I didn't sell either of them, I am certain they drew extra people to the stall. The 'Experiments' box at the front was a big hit (Thanks Taz for the idea!). Huge thank you to Claire Vize for being so helpful, to the lovely stewards helping to unload/load, and to the great caterers. (Thumbs up from hubby for the lovely fry-up to start the day!) It was a very well organised event and will hopefully be on my list of events for next year.

Alternative to horsehair

I've been looking at some alternatives to the horsehair technique as the percentage of pots that don't make it through the process is too high (currently +40%!!!). Melting copper wire on to pots is something I looked at in my Foundation Diploma and something that I have wanted to revisit for a long time. So these pictures are the experiments so far.........

Original horsehair piece

Copper wire ~ low fired

Copper wire ~ high fired

Comparison of all 3

Christmas Events

This is my stall set up at the first of 3 Christmas Events I am attending (details at the side of this blog). Although sales weren't all that fantastic I'm not taking it too personally as I think this was a general thing with most stall holders at this event. I'm looking forward to the Art Bazaar in South Molton next Friday although it will be a long day.... fingers crossed there will be plenty of people visiting!

Trials and tribulations of a new graduate

No one warned me how hard it would be when I left college!
I've put myself under pressure to make for several events when my work is still in the development stage. The lovely horsehair pots are proving to be problematic. I know with time I will be able to get them right but I don't have much (time) as deadlines are looming. Each time I need to try a new method/idea it is a process of

1. Throwing
2. Drying
3. Burnishing
4. Drying some more
5. Bisque firing
6. Glaze firing
7. Raku firing

And if all that doesn't work then the whole process starts again! So at least 10 days for each set of tests. I am missing not having tutors around to ask questions and don't want to keep imposing on other makers/friends, bombarding them with questions. I hadn't realised how little I actually know ha!
However, I am loving being a maker... and will also love it when I become a seller too!