Diggin' Design Fair

It has been a while since I updated my blog! Busy time of year for everyone! 

Since coming back from my residency in Guernsey I have been busy settling into my new Studio space at Wimbledon Art Studios. Where I share a Studio with a great potter Patrick Nash.  It has been quite a shock coming back to the UK and getting straight back into work and trying to carry on with the work I developed in Guernsey but I have been loving getting in the studio and making new bits!

Last Sunday I did the Diggin' Design Christmas Fair at the Garden Museum in Lambeth. It was in a really beautiful old church and had such a lovely atmosphere and great mince pies! It was a great success and a lovely festive day! There was some really great stalls with a great mix of prints, jewellery, cards, candles and lots more!

Just a few pics of my Stall below.

Photoshoot

In-between the torrential rain today I managed to grab a little bit of sunshine at the right time! I took some of my work down to Cobo Beach and tried to capture the pieces back where the ideas started! 

A week to go!

So this week was my final week of throwing to ensure all is dried and ready for the last bisq on Tuesday. I have been turning the bottoms of these vases (below) to make sure they are all neat and tidy. Looking forward to getting them glazed as well!

It was Elizabeth College open day today so lots of new students and parents wondering round and seeing what I was up to and got the kids involved and making some pinch pots.

Lots of glazing to get done! Trying some new bits out as well to see how they work before the last glaze firing on thursday.

Some finished mugs! Trying out a few varieties of colours but for me these are a winning combo but I shall see how the others come out first. I am a sucker for a nice blue!

Students work

Some of my students finished work. They were very excited to see the finished pieces, especially when none of them believed me that the dark grey and odd colours they were putting on would come out like the test tiles alongside.. but they did! Some lovely coil pots and slab built items. They are getting really stuck in now and keen to carry on though so thats great but sad we only have a week left!

A couple of pictures of some finished bean jars, lots more been glazed today and in the kiln so will have a big selection of colours and styles so that they are all different and unique! 

A full kiln today of lots of exciting glazed pieces. Glazing always takes longer than I think it will and its not something I like to rush having spent all that time working on them. Looking forward to seeing how the mugs come out with their different coloured handles and some taller pots with barnacle textures. Like waiting to open your presents on christmas day!

I can't believe how fast the time has gone by either! Trying to get everything thrown and turned by the weekend so that it can be fired and glazed all in time before I leave next Sunday.. eek! Each time something comes out the kiln I want to add or change or develop on to something else but need to concentrate on completing everything ready to come back to for my exhibition next year!

Runs with gorgeous views

I haven't been doing as much running as I was hoping to do but when I get the chance it has been just gorgeous! I went for a long run this morning and it was so sunny and the beach was already filling up with surfers and swimmers. Such a contrast from running in London! Should hear soon about whether I have got a place in the London Marathon ballot… exciting!

Yummy Porcelain

I have been working a bit more on some commercial bits, really enjoyed making these mugs and can't wait to glaze them! Working in porcelain is so lovely and this will defiantly be what I carry on back in London. Just when you look at it next to another piece in stoneware for me the porcelain is a clear winner every time! 

 Below are some little vases I have been experimenting with. I think the textures have worked well and my plan is to glaze the similar to my rock pots with a shiny transparent glaze all over and highlight the barnacled with some darker glazes and oxides.

Below are some glazed pieces which I put in the kiln last night so they should be ready to take out monday morning! A combination of matt and shiny glazes with a stripe of gold, so looking forward to seeing the results!

Finished Pieces

I LOVE opening glaze firings! Especially when all seems to look in one piece and fired how I intended! A few of my larger pieces and my first set of porcelain rock pots which have come out better than I expected so very happy! Cant believe how fast my 6 weeks here is going! Only 2 weeks left to go now which means I need to get everything made by the end of this week so that it can all be fired and glazed in time before I leave. 

Guernsey Bean Jars

Since I have been in Guernsey a few people have mentioned these Guernsey Bean Jars. They used to be used all the time for this traditional Guernsey dish, however now the pottery that used to make them has closed down. So I had a little play and tried to recreate some of my own. I think they came out quite nicely and looking forward to glazing them! Going to try and make a few larger ones next week as well. 

My rock pots came out! I have been working on these little pots playing around with shapes and colours. These where the first few and I am quite pleased! I have made some in porcelain and with some added barnacles! I like the plain outside and the fun surprise on the inside. Inspired by the lovely rock pools all around and the excitement you get from peeking in them.

Why not to rush

I knew as I put the last few bits into the kiln they were not dry enough but I stupidly wanted to get bits out of the first firing so I could start trying out my new glazes…. however below is a picture why you shouldn't do this. Silly because I would never put a students work in until it was fully dry but when it comes to my own work I don't do as I say!

So now my new pots are drying out nicely in the sun and I will NOT touch them until they are fully dry! Had a busy and productive week in the studio, throwing coming along nicely and matching up new glazes and tests to get some finished pieces coming out next week.. 3 weeks to go, eek!

Jewellery bits

A few new jewellery bits I have been working on, going to start using some of the crystalline glazes and new blues/greens I have been mixing up. `to get some different effects. Playing around with some different shapes.. all very exciting.. work in progress…

Teaching

This week I taught a bit on slip decoration and how to use it. Lots of great patterns and experimenting going on! Everyone is now getting used to having a go on the wheel as well and producing some really nice forms and even turning lovely little foot rings into their bowls.

Herm Island

From one little island to another. My parents came over to visit for a few days so I took the day off to do the touristy things while I had a good excuse! Its such a lovely little island and you can pretty much walk around the whole thing in a couple of hours. The views were stunning from every angle with beautiful sandy beaches. 

Glaze Glaze Glazing

Always a tense moment when loading the first glaze firing! Put the kiln on saturday morning and opened it up this morning with much excitement! Got some great results, I made a few crystalline glazes up which turned out lovely in some of the porcelain pots so I will now be adding this inside more of my inclosed forms for a fun surprise. 

The blend of glazes on my taller pieces worked well with the red/orange coming through where it mixes with the unglazed clay which is great as I was trying to get that effect to link with the lovely coloured granite they have in Guernsey. My main issue at the moment is getting the pieces to dry before they can go in the first firing. Even though the weather has been lovely and sunny and I have had them out in the sun with a bit of a breeze, I think the air must just be a bit too humid which is slowing the process of getting finished pieces out to experiment with. Thinking 6 weeks was loads of time, when working with clay there are some things you just can't rush!

                                                 

                                   

Sunny September days

This afternoon was a hot and sunny one in Guernsey so I thought I would make the most of it while its still like this! So I left the studio after lunch (not going to miss on the fab free school lunches!) We went for a lovely bike ride down to Fermain Bay which was stunning and got our watercolours out and had a paint, I don't think I have done this since I was little and mum used to try and get me and charles good at the whole painting and drawing thing but I enjoyed playing with clay too much! Anyway we attempted and it was fun while we tried!

I promise I will get more work and studio pictures up soon! Had a great class last night coil building and the students made some lovely pieces and they are getting really into it now as well. Below is a bit of a hint of what I have been upto , working on a rocky series of lots of different shapes and sizes that will be in a group inspired by the lovely bumpy and random shaped cliffs here. Second bisque firing is going on now and then the glazing will begin on the weekend… eek exciting! better potter on now…..

Work in progress

A couple of snaps of what I have been working on. Trying out a few new larger pieces, coil building and slab building to get some rocky textures and shapes. Also some new wall pieces experimenting with the forms I want and adding some different things to make some barnacle like patterns. It has been a week of experimenting and trying out new processes to see which route I want to go down. I have seen the gallery space I have got for my solo exhibition next March and it isn't small! So a nice aim to know the space I am filling and being able to imagine my work there. So best get cracking! First firing going on tomorrow and then I can get some test glazes on these new pieces! Very exciting! 

Cameras and bikes

On Friday me and Antonia took the day to explore the Island, handy having Antonia as a tour guide down all the country roads. We cycled along the South Coast from the School in St Peters Port down and around to Fort Grey. It was lovely to get out on my bike and take lots of pictures to help with my studio work. Above is a picture taken in Icart where we had a great ice cream of course! Two photos below are the bay near Fort Grey. 

Keeping it local with the food, had some incredible sausages as well so will definitely be getting some more of those! We made a very tasty sausage casserole and well deserved after a lot of cycling! 

Morning runs and potty days

  On Tuesday morning I braved my first Guernsey run whilst trying not to get too lost. Came across a beautiful reservoir and got a great view of the sea as well. So nice being able to go on countryside runs again and makes it more exciting finding new areas. Going on these morning runs is making me really keen to get in the studio with new exciting ideas.

I invested some time into making lots of test tiles with the new clay I have a nice light buff stoneware, raku clay, white throwing earthernware and my favourite the lovely porcelain. I also started mixing up some new glazes so I have a good selection to choose from when I get to the glazing stage. 

I am currently just waiting for my second class of the week to arrive. Last nights classes went really well, introduced some slab building techniques, constructing and using moulds. The students made a great selection of quirky dishes, vases, paint brush pots with some lovely textures and patterns.