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47 PAGES OF HANDS-ON TUTORIALS

PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW Issue 15

COLOURED CLAY
for different effects

6 P-BY-STEP
GREAT STES
PROJECT INS
IDE!

POCKETED
LAMP BASE PLANTER
Unique decor Plus matching
for your home watering tray
PINCH SLAB CLAY STORE PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW

Issue 15
£4.99
MONEYBOXES SALT PIG KILN ROOMS SHOP

ALSO INSIDE: Glazing combinations NCECA report


Meet the team...
Sun’s out,
pots out!
A
s we went to press, my local
Jacqui Atkin Kevin Millward weather station had just
Whale money Herb/strawberry smashed the temperature
boxes p36 planter p10 record for the warmest early
May Bank Holiday Monday, with
24.2°C. Sunshine makes everyone so
much jollier that it made me even more
excited for the summer shows that are
about to start. What could be more them, and they’re really happy to engage
perfect than a day spent wandering with you, even if you’re asking what you
Doug Fitch Linda Bloomfield
A new glaze Combining
around outside in good weather, looking think are beginners’ questions. So, if
p60 glazes p34 at beautiful pots and talking to potters? you’ve never been to one of these shows,
I read a very plaintive post on make this summer the time you do. If
Facebook a couple of days ago, where the you like something, ask about it and,
47 PAGE OF PAGES
47
S ND S-O OFTO
N TU
HANDS-ON RIA
HAND
LS
TUTORIALS
poster was recounting a recent trip to a even better, buy it! The great thing
S OF HA S-ON TUTO
47 PAGE RIALS
festival (in the USA) when only four – of about these events is that almost
PINCH, COIL,
CO
PINCH, COIL
SLABTHROW
AND AND, SLAB
THROWAND THROW the around 50 – potters exhibiting, said Issue 15
Issue 15 everyone – even the very well-known
PINCH, COIL
COLOURED
, SLAB
LO AYURED
erentCLAYCLAY
ED
URerent CL
hello when she was browsing at their
Issue 15

COLO for diff


ectseffects effects potters – will have affordable items for

66 6
for diffeff
for different

stands. Even worse, having bought from sale. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet
three of them, not one even said thank the potters you admire in the flesh, with
GREAT STEP-BY-STEP
PROJECTS INSIDE!
TEP
STEP-B Y-STEP
STE P-BY-S
GREAT ! INSIDE!
CTS
INSIDE
GREATJECTSPROJE
PRO

POCKETED
PLANT ER POCKETED
POCKETED
you!
LAMP BASE everyone gathered in one place. Take
LAMP LAMP
BASE BASE ue deco PLANTER
PLANTER
Uniq
Plus matchin g

forhom
for your
for your homre
decor decor
UniqueUnique e home PINCH
your
I’m very shy, and I used to find watering
SLAB
tray Plus
matchin
Plus matching
watering tray g
CLAY STOREwatering tray
PINCH, COIL,
SLAB AND THROW
home something you’ll cherish forever,
manning stands at events quite stressful, and lots of information that you can use
SLAB CLAY STORE
PINCH PINCH SLAB CLAY STORE PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW PINCH, COIL,
SLAB AND THROW

ALSO INSIDE:
SALT PIG
Glazing com
but now, with ClayCraft, I really look
KILN rt
repo
MONEYBOXE

ROOMS SHOP
S
Issue 15
SALT ROOMS
KILNPIG
SHOP
Issue 15
£4.99
to inform your own work!
NCE CAROOMS Issue 15

forward to it. Meeting readers is an


£4.99
PIG s
ES
MONEYBOX
MONEYBOXES SALT tion
bina bina tions NCE
KILN SHOP
£4.99

: Glazing com CA report


001 Clay Craft
Cover Issue 15.indd

O INSIDE
1 13:10
08/05/2018

ALSALSO INSIDE: Glazing combinations NCECA report


1 08/05/2018
13:10
Cover Issue 15.indd
001 Clay Craft
001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 15.indd 1 08/05/2018 13:10

This month’s cover image absolute pleasure, and taking time off to
comes from Tracey's wander round the other stands, I’m now
Confessions of a Novice blog, confident enough to make the first
with pots based on our clay-
colouring series. move, say hello and actually talk to the
exhibitors. You can learn so much from Rachel Graham, Editor

ClayCraft Magazine MANAGEMENT UK subscription and back issue PRINTING Kelsey Publishing Ltd uses a
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Issue 15 ClayCraft 3
Contents Issue 15
34

10

20 NCECA
Diane Nicholson and Marv
Kitshaw, of Muddy Fingers
Pottery, visited the huge clay-fest
that is NCECA

24 PROJECT 3: slab lamp


base
This is a relatively easy project,
which creates a blank canvas for
you to decorate as you choose

34 Glazes
Linda Bloomfield explains how to
combine glazes, making sure
they’re compatible and creating
your own palette of colours to
6 News draw on
10 PROJECT 1: mini planter 36 PROJECT 4: moneybox
Continuing our series on garden
This is a really fun item to make,
pots, we show you how to throw
and whales make good subjects
a small planter with planting
to model because they have big
pockets in the side. Perfect for
mouths – making a perfect
herbs or strawberries
opening to swallow coins

20 46
24
17 PROJECT 2: planter water
tray
If you’re going to keep a planter
on a surface of some kind, it will
make watering much easier
if you have a tray to sit it in. This is
a chunky and functional
accessory for the planter in
project one, but can be altered to
fit any size you like

4 ClayCraft Issue 15
49 CONTENTS

36
46 Confessions of a novice

52
Tracey discovers that one
person’s triumph is another’s
rasher of bacon

49 Me and my Pot
Sue Whelan's stunning 'The Boy's
Gone'

50 PROJECT 5: Colouring clay


This is much more involved than
previous projects in this series,
but it’s still a basic technique.
Once you’ve learned the
principles of building up colours
and patterns in this way, you’ll
soon see the potential for making
much more elaborate and
exciting designs
71 Missed an issue? 78 Paul Bailey visits The Kiln
60 Doug’s Diary Fill that gap with a back issue, Rooms’ new Clay Store, where
A new glaze unveiled, and a and keep them all organised in students can show and sell their
judging opportunity presented. our handy binder work
The workshops are maturing, and
there’s some new grass! 73 Me and my Pot 80 Courses listing
Andrew MacDermott takes his Fancy signing up for a class? Find
62 PROJECT 6: salt pig inspiration from Iceland one near you in our useful free
The beauty of moulds is that they listing
can often be adapted for use in 75 Events
Your guide to pottery and 47 PAGES OF HANDS- ON TUTORIALS
many different ways. Here we
show you how to make a useful ceramics events right across the
kitchen salt pig country PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW Issue 15

COLOURED CLAY

SPECIAL6
for different effects

47 76 ClayCraft OFFER! EP
GREAT STEP-BY-ST !

subscriptions
PROJECTS INSIDE

LAMP BASE
POCKETED
Save money and have the Unique decor
for your home
PLANTER
Plus matching
watering tray

magazine delivered to your door PINCH SLAB CLAY STORE PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW

You know it makes sense! Issue 15


MONEYBOXES SALT PIG KILN ROOMS SHOP £4.99

ALSO INSIDE: Glazing combinations NCECA report


001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 15.indd 1
08/05/2018 13:10

Issue 15 ClayCraft 5
18
Ceramic Wales
International show of ceramics
13th until 15th July

+
Preview Friday 6pm- 9pm
Sat 10am-5pm
13th
Sun 10am-5pm

+
School of Creative Arts
Wrexham Glyndwr University
www.ceramicwales.co.uk
If you have a news story, product launch or details of some IN TH
other topical item you’d like our readers to know about,
email claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk NEW E
IN THE NEWS

Dear ClayCraft,
S
I have been an avid reader, really a
consumer, of ClayCraft magazine since I
discovered it as a fledgling magazine with
issue 7. I immediately bought all the back
copies and subscribed. I read and re-read
and learn from all the wonderful articles
and drink up all the advice and inspiration
that this great magazine offers. I also
make lots of the projects. I was toying
with the idea of approaching you to do
some articles on my attempts, but then the
YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD FOR CLAY! Confessions of a Novice articles started,
and I presumed one novice was enough!
Whitstable potter Imogen into a rectangular dish using a I am very new to pottery, but was totally
Noble is raising funds to provide template and a former. He talked bitten by the bug when I went to Bovey
pottery sessions for elderly about how this way of working Tracey last year and had a go at centering
people, as she explains… was very different from work with Tom. I realised that I had fallen in love
What happens when we are no that he had made previously, with clay and making pottery, and I was
longer able to be creative due to but how using clay could always desperate for my own wheel. I saved up
old age or lack of access? Why offer something new, no matter for one, and it arrived last August. I found
should we not continue to be what. Charles was calm. He was a local teacher to go to every now and
creative people up until our last happy. He was engaged. He was then, in between practising like mad, and
days? not fearful or complaining or in he kindly bisque-fired and glaze-fired my
I recently worked with Charles, pain. He was chatty and smiley. work.
a very elderly gentleman, He was the last person to leave During the following few months, I had
now living with dementia in a the table. my heart set on having my own kiln and
residential care home. He had I am raising funds to enable saved hard to achieve my dream. This
spent his life working as a potter. me to take pottery making to afternoon, I opened up my new kiln to
He no longer had any access to Charles and his fellow residents reveal the first glaze firing of my very own,
clay. His personal ecosystem had on a weekly basis. and I was thrilled. Then I looked through
changed entirely as a result of his Whatever you donate will go the post and found Issue 14 of ClayCraft.
new setting, and he wasn’t happy directly to paying for clay, glazes, You can imagine my surprise and delight
about it. He wasn’t enjoying kiln firings and equipment. I to find, on page 68, a photo of me with
it. He was communicating his hope to buy a portable table-top Tom from Bovey Tracey, almost a year ago,
unhappiness by being very loud slab roller, as many of the elderly being taught centering!
and fearful, and complaining. residents lack the strength for Of course, I will be attending Bovey
Charles came to the pottery rolling out clay, and I want to Tracey this year – I can’t wait.
session that I had arranged buy a table-top potter’s wheel, Sarah Wickham
in the care home. He joined as I know that they would enjoy
in in a calm, thoughtful way. having a go at throwing some Thank you so much for getting in touch
His hands no longer had the pots. Sarah. We love to hear from our readers,
strength to make a pinch pot, A portable slab roller costs and your dedication to getting the
although he told me the story £250, and a table-top potters equipment you wanted is admirable.
of how his first pinch pot held wheel costs £650. Having your own kiln, particularly, frees
pride of place at home, as it I will fire and glaze the pieces you up so much. Congratulations on your
had been the beginning of his made at my studio, so some of first firing, it looks great! Ed
long making career. He sat for the funds will go towards the
a long time cradling the ball of cost of glazes and kiln firings.
clay in the palm of his hands, And maybe, in time, I will be
quietly watching the other group able to persuade Charles and his
members as they got on with friends to have a small exhibition
making. He told a funny story of their work to which they can
about a pugmill and some grog. invite their friends and families
Eventually, we rolled out a and the local community.
slab of clay together, which If you would like to help
he decorated carefully with support this project, visit:
complex layers of pattern using gofundme.com/you-are-never-
an indented roller. This, he made too-old-for-clay

Issue 15 ClayCraft 7
E
IN TH
WS LUCIE RIE : CE RAMICS & BUTTONS
NE
The ceramics and buttons produced
by one of the most respected

(All photos by Phil Sayer).


potters of the 20th century will go
on show in a major new exhibition at
the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA)
at York Art Gallery in June.
Dame Lucie Rie (1902-1995)
is world-renowned for her finely
thrown and beautifully decorated
functional domestic ceramics.
However, after she emigrated to
the UK, during the Second World
War, she began producing
ceramic buttons for the
fashion industry.
The exhibition will Pocelain bowl,
1955-1960.
reveal the findings of
new research into this
less well-known area
of Lucie’s practice, ƒ Gold glazed bowl.
displaying hundreds of Furniture handles, 1951.
her buttons alongside
many examples of “Lucie Rie is rightly
domestic wares she regarded as one of the
became celebrated for. most influential potters
Helen Walsh, curator of ceramics to have practised in Britain. Her
at York Museums Trust, said: simple, modernist style was in
sharp contrast to the sentimental
idea , in England during the 1950s
and 1960s, of pottery being a rural
Porcelain craft. Today her influence shows no market, as many British button
bottle, signs of diminishing, and her studio factories had been requisitioned
1958-1959.
ceramics are highly sought-after by for the War effort. The results are
collectors all over the world. beautiful in their simplicity, ornate
“This exhibition will feature yet practical. They will be displayed
a wide variety of her ceramic in eye-catching ways and presented
vessels, alongside hundreds of her with new research into this largely
handmade buttons. Lucie created undocumented part of Rie’s work.”
these after spotting a gap in the The exhibition will be shown in
CoCA One and is included in the
admission price to York Art Gallery.
A green glazed set of
buttons, 1944-1945.
York Art Gallery
Opening Times:
Monday- Sunday: 10am-5pm
Last admission: 4:30pm
Closed: 25, 26 December and 1
January
Admission
YMT Card Holder FREE
Adult (with 10%
Gift Aid Donation) £7.50
Adult (without donation) £6.81
Child (16 and under) FREE
with a paying adult
Access Day Ticket £4.00
yorkartgallery.org.uk

8 ClayCraft Issue 15
CLAY: A FESTIVAL OF CERAMICS IN THE NEWS

Meet the makers, browse and buy at the Devon Pop


Ups’ vibrant annual celebration of ceramics, which
showcases the work of over 60 leading ceramic
artists from across the South West.
Clay: A Festival of Ceramics moves to a larger and
more central venue for its second year. The stunning
Victorian Pannier Market in Barnstaple is the historic
setting for this innovative event on Sunday 1st July.
The event celebrates the work of ceramicists from
across the South West and provides a platform to
demonstrate the breadth of exciting work being
produced in the region.
The festival also aims to raise awareness of the
historical importance of ceramics to North Devon.
North Devon was once famed for its earthenware
pots, which sailed across to the New World as far
back as the 17th century. Fast-forward to today
and the area boasts an abundance of renowned
contemporary ceramicists. This event is aimed at
celebrating that rich history: past and present. There
will be some ancient artefacts at the event with a pop
up style museum from The Museum of Barnstaple &
North Devon.
One of the highlights of the day will be the
opportunity to meet one of the finalists – and
undoubted stars – of BBC TV’s show The Great
Pottery Throw Down, Tom Knowles Jackson. Based  Penny Little Ceramics will be among the exhibitors.
in The Cotswolds, Tom specialises in beautiful
stoneware for the home and garden. He will be taking Vicki Weight-Short, of Eirlys & May Illustration. The
part in a blind throwing challenge, where competitors collaboration was commissioned by Devon Pop
will have just 10 minutes at the wheel to throw the Ups, and will be launched at this year’s festival, and
widest bowl they can while blindfolded. showcased later in the year at the Jill Rousseau
Tom Knowles Jackson is part of a line-up of over Gallery in Bideford.
60 exhibitors showcasing a range of functional and Harry and Nick Juniper from Bideford Pottery have
decorative ceramics, handmade by artisans and also created the trophy awarded to the talented
studio potters. recipients in a number of categories at the festival.
There will be a host of workshops and The much-coveted awards highlight:
demonstrations on offer throughout the day,
including a sgraffito workshop with Bideford Pottery ● The One to Watch
legend Nick Juniper, a hands-on potter’s wheel Presented by White Moose Gallery, Barnstaple
experience with experienced tutors from Tarka ● Award for Innovation
Pottery of Torrington, and Taz Pollard and Nicola Presented by Jill Rousseau Gallery, Bideford
Crocker from North Devon Ceramics Academy and ● Makers Choice Award
Studio will be hosting a taster workshop to create Presented by North Devon Ceramics Academy and
stunning tiles using slip, stamps and stencils. Studio, South Molton
This year’s festival will also see the launch of some ● Future Trend Award
brand new collaborative work from local potter Presented by Josie’s of Bideford
Nick Juniper of Bideford Pottery and fine artist For more details, visit: devon-pop-ups.co.uk

New dates for Jennie Gilbert courses


This is a great opportunity if you've never done it The new dates for autumn courses are:
before. Learn the basics in a relaxed and friendly Thursday 20 and Friday 21 September
environment, or improve your skills. Great lunches, Thursday 27 and Friday 28 September
biscuits, cakes, tea, coffee and expert tuition included! For more details, visit: jenniegilbert.com or facebook.
Tutors are Jennie Gilbert and Emily Myers. com/cvpotterycourses

Issue 15 ClayCraft 9
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
MINI PLANTER FOR HERBS
ONE OR STRAWBERRIES
Continuing our series on garden pots, we show you how to throw a
small planter with planting pockets in the side

You will need:


■ 5lb (2.2kg) clay
– earthenware or
stoneware
■ Tools for throwing
– water bowl,
sponge, rib, cutting
wire
■ Sharp knife

10 ClayCraft Issue 15
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
ONE

5 7
 Place a finger in the central hole of the base
then using the side of the knuckle of the right hand,  Lift the hands away from the clay very carefully to
compact the clay of the base by running over the avoid knocking it off-centre.
surface several times, pressing down gently but firmly. Check the outline shape of the form is correct, then
The aim is not to move the clay but simply ensure the run your finger over the rim to compact the clay.
base is compacted to avoid cracks later.

 Pinch and lift the wall between the fingers and thumb of the left hand – up and in, to a cone shape, keeping the
neck narrow at this stage.
Support the outer wall with the right hand, forefinger over the rim to keep it flat.

12 ClayCraft Issue 15
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
ONE

12
10  Using a rib on the outside wall
instead of your knuckle, begin to
belly out the shape. Start at the base
 Clean away excess water from the wheel-head with by cutting into the clay slightly to
a sponge, then scrape off the excess clay with a rib –
form a lip.
up to the edge of the cylinder.
Belly out the wall from the inside
Finish by cutting a shallow bevel at the base of the
using the fingers of the left hand –
cylinder.
still using the rib on the outside for a
clean and smooth surface finish.

13

To form the shape into a jar with


an obvious shoulder, decrease
the diameter of the pot as you
reach the neck, leaving a fat rim
of clay at the top.

11
 Supporting the inside with the left hand, soften and
round-off the clay around the base with a finger.

14 ClayCraft Issue 15
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
ONE

20
 Gently ease the clay above the cut inwards, by first
pressing, then running your finger from side to side.

23
 Depending on the type of clay used you can either
leave your planter undecorated and simply fired to its
optimum temperature, or you can glaze it to make it more
weather-proof.
This pot has been simply glazed in a pale blue/grey cone
6 glaze and fired to 1200°C.
Choose small plants to make filling the planter easier
to begin with, they will soon establish themselves into
21 abundance.

 Wetting your finger before you begin, place a finger


inside the cut and gently belly out the shape below the
cut, again running your finger from side to side to form an
obvious pouch.

22
 Turning the pot so that you make the next cut on the
exact opposite side, repeat to make a second pouch, then
twice more between the first two.
The pot is now finished – when leather hard you can
fettle the pouches to neaten them up, but don’t attempt to
do this before because the clay will be too soft.

16 ClayCraft Issue 15
PROJECT PLANTER WATER TRAY DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

TWO If you’re going to keep a planter on a surface of some kind – be


it the kitchen windowsill or a table outside - it will make watering
much easier if you have a tray to stand it on, to avoid spillage.
This is a chunky and functional accessory for the planter on page
10, but can be altered to fit any size you like

You will need:


■ 2lb (900g) of the
same clay used to
make the planter
■ A batt to throw the
tray on
■ Usual throwing
tools and equipment:
water bowl, sponge,
rib, cutting wire
■ Glaze of your
choice – optional

„ Depending on the
type of clay used to
make the tray, you
can either leave it
unglazed so that the
clay shows, or you can
glaze and fire it to form
a colour contrast with
the planting. Here, a
stoneware glaze has
been applied to match
the glaze on the planter,
and to make the tray
more water- and
weather-proof.

Issue 15 ClayCraft 17 .
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
3
TWO

1  Open out the base of the tray with the fingers of your
left hand: pull the clay towards your body, supporting the
Fix a batt to the wheel-head – the method can be
wall with your right hand, with your finger over the rim to
found on our website (claycraft.co.uk/how-to).
keep it in shape.
Dampen but don’t saturate the batt before
The base should be wide enough to sit the planter
positioning the clay in the centre.
comfortably, with a little wiggle space around it.
Cone up the clay, then bring it to centre. Flatten the
surface of the clay with the fingers of the right hand,
as you gently but firmly push to centre with the left
hand.
4
The method for centering can also be found on our
website.

 Compact the clay at the rim with a finger when you’ve


finished opening out the base. Remember to do this after
each lift.

2
 Beginning at the centre of the base,
 Place the thumb of your and using the thumb of the right hand,
right hand at the centre of the steadied by the fingers of the left
clay. Supporting the thumb hand, push the clay down and outward
with the fingers of the left gently to compact it. This will go a long way to preventing
hand, push down into the clay the clay from cracking as it dries.
to within 8-10mm of the batt. Repeat the exercise several times. .
18 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★
6 8

 Using the tips of the fingers


only, gently ease the wall slightly
outward, then ease the upper
half over further, to form a flatter
Pinch and lift the wall between the fingers and thumb lip. Be careful not to spread the rim
of your left hand, holding the position steady as you too far because it can easily collapse.
lift, for an even thickness of clay. Lift to about 4cm. Support the underside of the rim with
Compact the clay again at the rim when you have a finger as you perform this manoeuvre, then when you’re
finished. happy with the shape, and still supporting the underside,
make a slight groove at the rim edge with the finger of
your other hand.

 To finish, compact the clay at the rim with a finger.


7
10

 Using a rib, remove excess


clay and slurry from the
surface of the batt and the  Before lifting the batt off the wheel-
outer clay wall. head, wire off the underside of the tray
When neatened up, once.
underscore a bevel at the base of Lift the batt off the wheel and allow the tray to dry
the tray with the tip of your rib, then to a point where it can be handled without distorting,
run your sponge over the surface to finish. then turn it over to allow the underside to dry.

Issue 15 ClayCraft 19
 The resource hall is just one part of the event. Circle insert: Marv doing his bit as a volunteer security man.

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON


EDUCATION FOR THE CERAMIC ARTS
Diane Nicholson and Marv Kitshaw, of Muddy Fingers Pottery,
visited the huge clay-fest that is NCECA. Diane reports…
Where, when, and how architecture, museums and street art.
In March this year, we had the absolute We then travelled west, continuing our
pleasure of volunteering at the NCECA journey to Chicago to visit a trade fair
annual conference in the USA. Each as part of our business trip. As we
year, a different city hosts the supply tableware to restaurants and
conference and this year was the ‘Steel chefs, such as Tom Kerridge and
City’ Pittsburgh’s turn, in Burberry, we want to start exploring
Pennsylvania. the American market as an export
Our trip started with a flight to New opportunity.
York to spend a few days getting After the trade show came a seven-
inspired by the people, graffiti, hour road trip to Pittsburgh. Lots of
lorry-spotting and coffees kept us
going as we swapped shifts driving.
We had booked a fabulous Airbnb  Pop-up mini pottery wheels!
about a 25-minute walk into town. We
passed a children’s museum, a sports The volunteers from
stadium, the Andy Warhol Museum, Jarrow
lots of public art, including a big metal For years it has been an ambition of
ball made from a scrap car. We also ours to attend the conference and, after
crossed over a range of beautifully a large amount of research, we still
engineered steel bridges on our walk, weren’t 100% sure what to expect.
which spanned the Allegheny river, on We applied in October to take a
the banks of which sits the conference volunteer position. The organisers had
centre. Pittsburgh is also the home of contacted us in December, confirming
Heinz tomato sauce, as well as many our roles, and we had clear, regular
 A throwing demonstration in the other industries, and is fiercely proud of contact with them up to the beginning
resource hall. its heritage. of the conference and throughout. It
20 ClayCraft Issue 15
 One of the pieces from the  One of the pieces from the Latin
Threadbare cider house. American Status exhibition.

working instead of just visiting, as it Stumbras and the innovative use of an


gave us a chance to interact with loads Airstream camper van as a portable
more people than we would usually do. gallery.
The only problem we had was with my One of the reasons we were drawn to
broad Geordie accent! this conference is that it has a huge
The conference was open from resources hall. We run four evening
Wednesday morning to Saturday classes a week, and we also teach
lunchtime, and shifts were spread out one-off workshop sessions at galleries
over this time. We only had to work 13 and museums across the country. We
hours each over the duration of the are constantly learning new techniques
conference, so we had tonnes of free and realise that we need to keep up
 K12 student work. time to explore, and boy do you need it! with potters from the US. Bringing
some of their knowledge, and even
had initially cost us a deposit of $40, The country’s top galleries tools, back to the UK will help us to
which was returned when we had – and a camper van! keep our classes and workshops fresh,
completed our shifts as volunteers. If We started in the main hall where the up-to-date and, more importantly,
we hadn’t attended as volunteers, it resource centre and expo were situated. different.
would have cost us around $250 for The expo is where you are able to
membership and the conference, so purchase exceptional, finished pieces Getting excited about wires….
being the poor potters we are, we from top galleries across the country. There were potters doing
jumped at the opportunity to volunteer. There were nine galleries exhibiting, demonstrations for various wheel
We already knew the conference and the work really was made and companies, lots of stands selling
includes talks, a resource hall, an expo finished to such a high standard. Our texture tools, underglazes, decals, kilns, .
area, exhibitions and the very popular favourites from this part of the
cup sale, but we weren’t prepared for conference were pieces by Mike
the size of it or the genuine, friendly
and open attitudes of literally everyone
we met!
Marv’s first shift was as a badge
checker of the library (security in a
yellow vest – chasing people who didn’t
have a badge), and my shift was as desk
assistant – checking volunteers in and
out, and making sure they knew what
they were doing. The volunteers who
we were relieving explained everything
we were expected to do, and we had a
buddy, as well as the organiser’s phone
number in case we had any queries or
issues.  Just one of the many tables in the
We would definitely recommend  A piece by Mike Stumbras. cup sale.
Issue 15 ClayCraft 21
NCECA

wheels… anything you could need - or Queues at 5 am –


even imagine - was for sale. We buy our for a cup sale!
wires from Mud Tools, who had a stall With our heads bursting full of ideas we
at the conference, and it was great to decided to head over to the cup sale to
see them in the flesh and talk with drop off the pot Marv had made for it.
some of their representatives. We even The cup sale is a big feature at
bought some shorter wires than the NCECA. Potters donate a cup, and
ones available in the UK (why are wires there’s a sale during the conference –
so long over here?). We’re excited to people queue from 5am to
start using them on some of our purchase the piece they have
smaller jobs like our mugs and bowls. set their hearts on! All
We bought a dozen books on various the proceeds from the
subjects, but mainly functional pots, cup sale go to the  Marv dropping his
with projects and decorating NCECA, which is a pot off at the cup
techniques. We’ve been making a lot of non-profit sale.
plain tableware over the past few years, organisation that
so we were looking for inspiration for fosters global ƒ Inside the
Airstream, which
patterns and glaze decorating education and has been converted
techniques to start experimenting with appreciation for the into a portable
back in the UK. After experiencing the ceramic arts. Needless gallery.
amazing galleries in the US, we have to say, all of the cups sold
been reminded of our love for out. and differences with how we
exhibiting our own work, so that is There were around 15 tables currently fire, and he invited us
going to be something we concentrate filled with cups of every style to join his Facebook page. This was
on in the near future. imaginable. We had our favourites, but great, as we already use social media for
During the conference, there were the whole thing had sold out by the pottery groups and pages, to keep in
pop-up events; and one of them invited time we arrived on the sale day. We touch with potters across the world. We
people to use the mini wheels that they took dozens of photos, and we have set will be posting pics on our Facebook
had brought along. It was a really fun up a folder on our Facebook page for page too, if you’re interested in
idea, and we would love to do you to peruse! following our progress.
something similar to get people turned
on to making pots. A lesson in kiln-conversion A shard from Tyneside
Over the course of the conference, many The projects space is an area given over
lectures take place. Some we missed, as to ceramic artists to create and present
they coincided with our shifts, or we works that incorporate clay in time-
were too busy talking about pots and based, performative, relational, or
lost track of the time! We did, however, responsive works. This year, we visited
get to see a couple of lectures on glaze one of the ceramicists who was creating
chemistry, and the one that inspired us a mural called Unity Shards. It is built
the most was titled ‘electric to from clay shards created and donated by
atmosphere,’ by Geoffrey Kunkler. artists all over the world. We lost one of
We currently do a lot of raku firings our cups in transit, so Marv contributed
in kilns that Marv designed and built a a piece of Hiki Dashi pottery. The
few years ago, and we are just mosaic mural will be permanently
discovering what else we can do in them installed in a city garden in Pittsburgh.
with Hiki Dashi and Saggar firings. We
have an old, knackered electric round Ceramics is actually
top loader that we are storing ready to funded in schools
be made into a reduction kiln. The Another ‘free to the public’ aspect of the
lecture was perfect for us, as it went conference are the exhibitions, and one
through the process of turning electric of these particularly took our interest.
kilns into reduction kilns and covered It’s called the National K12 Ceramic
all the successes and failures that Exhibition, and it showcases the best
 Pittsburgh street art – made from Geoffrey had experienced. We talked to ceramic work created in K12 schools.
an old scrap car. him afterwards about the similarities The majority of these works were
22 ClayCraft Issue 15
NCECA

created by 12 to 15-year-olds, and it Penn Gallery was showing ‘Latin


was really impressive! American Status’, with contributions
It seems that ceramics is still from six artists sharing stories of
promoted in schools in the US, and inclusion.
funding and energy are put into We wanted to see this, as we have
encouraging the next generation of been concentrating on tableware in our
potters. own work for several years, and want
There were also lots of groups of to start thinking more about statement
people from schools and colleges pieces. It also means that we can start
attending the conference, which was looking at making decorative glazes.
encouraging to see. Another part of ceramics that we love is
Although we had only seen a very glaze chemistry, so it’s exciting to look
small percentage of the lectures going at different textures and colours to
on at the exhibition centre, on top of inspire our new work.
the lectures, exhibitions, networking The next exhibition we went to visit
opportunities, critiques, galleries, cup was held at Threadbare Cider and Mead  Randyland!
sale, projects and maker spaces, day fab House. ‘Pallatiative Pour’ was a juried
lab, (which we sadly didn’t have time to international exhibition featuring his head every day! It was such a lovely
experience), we decided to head outside vessels related to spirit consumption. end to a jam-packed few days.
of the venue into the city. This one appealed to us for obvious Being potters, we also managed to
reasons! We enjoy a little tipple every sneak a bit of local clay back home in
City-wide ceramics now and then, and we also make our suitcase, and have already processed
Each year, the host city for the NCECA drinking vessels. The pots here were so it ready to paint as a slip on a bird
gets heavily involved in all things well made – and quite reasonably priced feeder to send back over to the US to
clay-related. NCECA fringe events take too – but we made do with a pint and a one of our Airbnb hosts.
place in a huge variety of venues across pickle platter as there was no way we
town. From libraries to pubs, florists to could guarantee that any purchases And next year…
mattress showrooms, there were over would be in one piece by the time we NCECA is being hosted in Minneapolis
80 venues showcasing a huge range of got home after two car trips, three next year. We have already started
ceramic art. NCECA even runs bus flights and a coach ‘journey!’ See the planning a possible project that could
tours around the city venues every day, photos for our favourite pieces from the take us there, and are looking at
it’s such a massive part of it. show. potential Airbnbs in the area. We would
There was no way that we could see On the walk back to our Airbnb, we love to go back, and there wasn’t a thing
all of the exhibitions, but we looked saw so many interesting things. that we would change about it. The
through the brochure and found the Pittsburgh is such a vibrant, creative conference is a clay lover’s paradise, and
ones that were within a two-mile and colourful city that it’s hard not to the talks make it especially valuable for
radius. We visited an exhibition in a be captivated by all the interesting those teaching in ceramics. All-in-all,
gallery downtown and (of course) one things there are to see. There were we would highly recommend it, and we
situated in a pub, about half-an-hour’s ceramic wall pieces decorating concrete look forward to telling you tales from
walk away. stairways, and on the sides of roads, next year’s show! 
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust at mosaics and plant pots made the area an
interesting place to walk around. One
More details can be found at:
place we absolutely have to mention is Muddy Fingers Pottery
The Heinz Randyland. Randy Gillson bought FB: @muddypotters
factory, Randyland on a credit card in 1995. admin@muddyfingerspottery.com
Pittsburgh.
Every day, after waiting tables, he came 07590 803081 or 07904 686890
home to paint and bring happiness to muddyfingerspottery.com
his neighbourhood. He filled his yard
NCECA 2019
with mirrors, murals, buckets of rubber
The National Council on Education
rats, plastic flamingos, deckchairs, for the Ceramic Arts
brightly painted doors and a psychedelic NCECA’s 52nd Annual Conference:
staircase. The whole house and yard March 27-30, 2019
were a riot of colour, and after talking Minneapolis, Minnesota
to Randy for only 10 minutes, you are nceca.net
left with immersed in what goes on in
Issue 15 ClayCraft 23
SLAB LAMP
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
THREE

This is a relatively easy


project, which essentially
creates a blank canvas
surface to decorate as you
choose. The decoration
method demonstrated is just
one approach, the finished
lamp with shade is another,
but you can decorate in
any way you like; using slip
decoration, underglaze
colours and glaze, or
multiple glaze techniques,
to name but a few

24 ClayCraft Issue 15
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
THREE
7

5  This is the point at which you need to decide how you


want to decorate the surface of the slab. If you want to
impress stamped decoration, as shown, now is the time
Again using the roller guide to ensure a straight line,
to do it. Other forms of decoration, like slip or glaze, can
score the top edge of the slab with a pin.
wait until the base is constructed, or even fired, so if you
Lift the template off the clay when finished.
choose this option, skip this part and proceed to step 14.
Wooden stamping blocks are widely available from
many suppliers. The internet will yield a good choice, or
you could make your own bisque or plaster stamps.

6  Impress the stamp into the clay to form a design of


your choice. You can stamp all over the slab or in selected
areas – here the decoration is positioned centrally to form
a tumbling pattern.

TIP: Small stamps


can easily become
blocked with clay.
To avoid this,
dip the stamp in
cornflour before
using it, which will
ensure a quick
release from the
clay, stop the
stamp getting
 To change the shape of the blocked and the
top of the lamp, place a smaller,
flour will burn away
shaped template on the slab so
in firing, leaving no
that it aligns with the scored line
residue
at the top and the sides, then cut
it out carefully, as shown.

26 ClayCraft Issue 15
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
THREE
16

13
 Repeat the exercise to make a second identical slab for
the other half of the lamp base.
Roll a slab of clay large enough to make the top and
base of the lamp – it should be rolled to the same thickness
as the side slabs. Slip the joins on the inside, then reinforce them with a
Allow both side slabs and the extra slab to firm up to coil of soft clay.
leather-hard before handling. You should be able to lift Blend the coil in with your finger or a suitably-
them without distorting the shape. shaped tool.

14
 Lift the slabs off the moulds and stand them upright on
a batt – if firmed up to the right stage you will find they
stand easily.
Slip all the scored edges.

15

 Fit the two halves together, making sure the sides align correctly. Smooth over the joins with a kidney to remove
excess slip and neaten them up. To ensure the joins are secure, paddle the edges with a spatula – this will help push
out any possible trapped air, but do take care not to make ridges in the clay with the sides of the paddle.

28 ClayCraft Issue 15
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
THREE
23

 Score and slip all joining surfaces for the base as you
did for the top, then fix the slab in place. Lift and tap the
21 lamp on the work surface a couple of times to ensure the
base has sealed onto the body.
 Neaten the clay at the join by removing the surplus with The 3mm overlap should be left clearly visible around
a surform, then blend over with a rib or kidney to smooth the base – if it looks uneven or messy, tidy it up by cutting
the surface. Take care to avoid the stamped detail. it to size with a knife.

22 24

Now return to the pre-cut base slab and cut out a


central section, large enough to get your hand and Roll a thin coil of soft clay, then fix it onto the overlap
forearm into. It needs to be this large to attach the at the base. Blend the coil in with a finger or wooden
fittings after firing. tool, then remove any excess with a rib, as shown.
Run your finger over the edge to soften and round
it off.

30 ClayCraft Issue 15
SKILL SCHOOLGLAZING – You will need: ■ 2 contrasting glazes ■ Soft brushes for application
PROJECT
THREE Using one of your chosen glazes, load your brush and fill in the texture design.
Don’t worry if you go over the edges of the texture, but aim to fill the design with as much glaze as
possible. This may require two or more applications.

29 32

 Allow the glaze in the texture to dry completely, then


wipe it back with a damp sponge so that the glaze remains
in the impressed detail only.  Parts required for fitting and wiring your lamp. Fittings
are available in various sizes from DIY outlets or in kits
from various online outlets. Just enter ‘lamp fittings’ or
30 ‘lamp kits’ into a search engine.

ƒ Thread the wire from


33 the lamp fitting through the
hole in the top of the body,
then fix the fitting through
the hole and secure it on
the inside with the given
fixture – this can be fiddly,
be warned!
Thread the other end of
the wire through the hole at
the base, then fit the plug.
All that is required now is
 Paint over the whole lamp base with the second glaze the lamp shade and bulb.
colour – including the texture design. If using brush-on YOU MUST MAKE SURE
glazes, you’ll need to apply two or three coats for the best you use the correct wattage
coverage. bulb for your chosen
Allow the glaze to dry out completely, then fire to the lampshade.
recommended temperature.
„ This lamp by Wales-based
potter Ian Marsh has been
31 made in exactly the same way
as the project but without the
impressed design. It is a great
example of an alternative
surface finish.
Made from Valentines ES 40
white grogged stoneware clay,
the lamp has been decorated
with copper oxide and blue
stain slips under a tin white
satin/matt glaze.
The lampshade has been
specially made to fit with the
The finished, lamp base by renowned textile
fired lamp artist Dione Swift.
base before Lamps like this are available
fitting. from Gwalia Ceramics in
Llangollen, North Wales 34
(gwaliaceramics.co.uk).

32 ClayCraft Issue 15
6)*( $8'87*0 7- #: '%8&$%&0 -&$;2 *!/$40*5 "89"$%&05 + 85$%&052 -)*( %,,$8*5 .-( % $8'87*0 3'*1
Combining glazes and colours
GLAZE CHEMISTRY

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 latest book, Science
for Potters (The American
Ceramic Society 2017) is
now available from her expansion from the clay body, the ingredients that destroy certain
website: lindabloomfield.
 Red
and blue stress will be more balanced if the colours; chrome-tin pinks are
co.uk underglaze glaze is applied all over the pot. particularly susceptible and are
on an However, if the glaze is applied affected by certain glaze materials

G
earthenware
lazes are not always dish by
only to the inside of the pot, the such as zinc oxide. For example, if
compatible with otherPauline stress will be unbalanced, and the you overlap a chrome-tin pink
glazes. Here we Zelinski. pot may crack. This can also glaze with a second glaze
investigate how to The blue happen if there is a different glaze containing zinc oxide, the pink
combine glazes, both from a background on the outside, such as when colour will disappear. If you fire a
technical and aesthetic point of makes the functional-ware potters use a chrome-tin pink glaze too high,
view red appear non-food-safe glaze on the outside above 1250ºC, then the colour
brighter.
and a safe liner glaze on the also disappears, even if the pink is
Technical inside. To minimise the stress, in the form of a commercial stain.
considerations make sure you do not apply the Chrome green glazes are also
It is important to consider glaze too thickly. incompatible with zinc oxide
whether to use one glaze When layering two glazes, turning into brown zinc
all over, or different glazes, make sure both chromate where they overlap.
glazes on the inside glazes mature at the Think about where the glazes
and outside of pots. same temperature. If will overlap; how will they meet
Before using more the underlying glaze at the rim? Some glazes run or
than one glaze, test to matures early, then any react with other glazes to form
make sure they are gases given off may be drips. Will you leave any unglazed
compatible. They trapped in the more clay on the outside of the pot to
should fire to the same viscous, overlying glaze allow for drips to run?
temperature as the clay and may form blisters.
body and have the same However, layering glazes can Aesthetic
expansion as the clay body, to result in rich effects, so it is a considerations
avoid crazing or shivering, either good idea to test combinations of Besides the technical
 Colour
of which may occur if the glaze wheel, showing pairs of glazes layered one over considerations, it is also important
does not fit the clay body. If the complementary the other. that your range of glazes works
glaze has a slightly different colours. There are some glaze together aesthetically. It is better
34 ClayCraft Issue 15
GLAZE CHEMISTRY

to limit your palette of glazes to oxides, so more is needed to


two or three colours, rather than colour a glaze (5-10%). Small
making a huge range in all the amounts of colouring oxides
colours of the rainbow. When (0.5-3%) dissolve in the glaze to
choosing colours, it can be useful give transparent coloured glazes.
to look at a colour wheel. Combinations of colouring oxides
Complementary colours, such as do not always give predictable
red and green, are opposite each colours, for example, cobalt and
other on the colour wheel and can chromium oxides combine to give
produce clashing vibrations. Some an opaque, teal blue-green. Make  Larch Colour inspiration
potters paint a thin line of a sure you test your glazes on a tile fabric in lime/ I often look at textiles when
complementary colour at the rim before using them on your pots. sage and considering colour combinations.
turquoise/
or foot of a pot to bring out the Commercially prepared stains Textile designers can be very
green
main body colour. Analogous tend to be stabilised using colourways by good at working with colour. You
colours are those next to each zirconium silicate, so they make Lucienne Day, can try looking on Pinterest for
other on the colour wheel, such as the glaze opaque (zirconium 1961. inspiration, and compile mood
green and blue. In combination, silicate on its own gives an boards for various colour
they are harmonious to the eye opaque white). Mixing stains is combinations (pinterest.co.uk).
and can work well together with a more predictable, like mixing My pottery is inspired by mid-
third, neutral colour, such as grey. pigments or paints; for example, century modern design, so I like
In ceramics, the colours blue, combining red and yellow stains textiles by designers working in
green and brown can easily be makes orange. When designing a the 1950s and 1960s, such as
made using cobalt, chromium, range of glazes to go together, it Lucienne Day, who designed
copper, or iron oxides. The is a good idea to choose either fabrics for Heal’s and Sanderson.
colouring oxides change colour colouring oxides or commercial She used interesting colour
when fired in a glaze; for stains. combinations such as turquoise,
example, cobalt oxide changes lime green and grey, which
from black to blue. The warm Earthenware glaze recipe, inspired me to make a tableware
colours yellow, orange and red transparent glossy (1060- collection in similar colours.
are more difficult to make, 1120°C) I made a transparent, alkaline
involving toxic cadmium and ● Calcium borate frit 39 glaze base and then added various
selenium compounds, and are ● Soda feldspar 27 colouring oxides: copper oxide for
usually bought as commercially ● Whiting 5 turquoise, praseodymium oxide (a
prepared stains, which are less ● China clay 6 rare earth oxide) for chartreuse
toxic to use. These stains do not ● Quartz 23 green and a combination of cobalt,
change colour on firing, but are nickel and manganese oxides for
less concentrated than colouring To make coloured glazes, add any grey.
of the following: If you are designing a range of
● 0.5 cobalt oxide tableware that you intend to make
● 1 copper oxide and sell over a long period of
● 0.2 chromium oxide time, it is important that you
● 2 iron oxide record and test all you glaze
● 5 rutile recipes so that they can be
● 5 tin oxide reproduced. It is better to make
● 5 zirconium silicate your own glazes than to rely on
● 5 stain commercially-made glazes. You
ƒ Hand- will have more control over the
If you use a white stoneware or thrown outcome, and the ingredients will
porcelain clay, your glaze colours porcelain be less expensive than if you buy a
will be brighter than if you use a tableware in ready-made glaze. 
darker stoneware or red turquoise,
citrine and
earthenware clay. Some potters grey by Linda
apply a white slip or opaque white Next month:
Bloomfield. commercial glazes vs studio
glaze to give a brighter ground (Photo: Emma pottery glazes.
for decoration. Lee)
Issue 15 ClayCraft 35
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FOUR WHALE
MONEY BOX

This is a really fun item to make, and whales


make good subjects to model because
they have big mouths – making a perfect
opening to swallow the money

36 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

TIP:
Find a cork
or
stopper be
fore you
start. A we
b search w
find a rang ill
affordable e o f
options if y
have nothin ou
g suitable
around the
house

You will need:


■ Clay – stoneware or earthenware – preferably
white to enhance the colour decoration later
■ Modelling tools
■ Pin
■ Coloured slip
■ Underglaze colour
■ Transparent glaze

Issue 15 ClayCraft 37 .
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FOUR
4

1
 Weigh out two equal balls of clay, large enough to fill
the palm of your hand comfortably.
Holding one of the balls in one hand, press the thumb of
your other hand down into the centre of the clay until you
can feel pressure in the palm of your hand.

2
 Pinch out the wall between your fingers and thumb,
working your way around the clay in small equal
movements until the wall is an equal thickness throughout.
Begin at the base and complete this area before moving on,
because the clay here will be more difficult to pinch as the
form gets deeper.
The resulting shape should be semi-spherical.
When pinching the second half, periodically measure the
opening size against the first to make sure they fit perfectly.  Score and slip the rim of each section, then join
them together.
Hold the two halves together for a good few
3 seconds to ensure the edges have bonded.

 Pinch the second half to a


more pointed egg-like shape at
the bottom end. You can do this
by placing your longest finger
inside to the base then pinching  Reinforce the join with a coil of soft clay.
down and outward from that point. Blend the coil in with a finger or wooden tool.

38 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

6 TIP: Make some simple line drawings of different


whales to refer to when forming the shape. Whale
species vary enormously in shape, so you will have
many to choose from

 Use a rib to scrape


away excess clay from the
reinforcement, then smooth
over the entire surface with a
smaller, flexible kidney, which will
make the job easier.
9
7

Manipulate the body of the whale with a thumb to


establish the basic shape. You should find this quite
easy to do as the air is pushed out of the body, but
you mustn’t be too heavy-handed or too much air will
 Firm the clay up with a hairdryer, turning it regularly in be forced out, and the shape will begin to collapse.
your hand to ensure it firms up evenly. If this happens, simply re-inflate the form by blowing
The form needs to be capable of holding its shape when through the hole, then plug it with soft clay and firm it
a pin hole is made in the wall, but still have some flexibility up further with the dryer. You should then be able to
to manipulate the shape. carry on until you’re happy with the shape.
You can use a spatula to paddle the body further
into the whale shape you’ve chosen.

 Make a hole at one end of the form with a pin. .


Issue 15 ClayCraft 39
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
FOUR
13

10
Sit the body on the work surface to establish its best
angle and resting position.

11

 Fill in the hole with a small plug of soft clay when you’re
happy with the shape.

12

Pinch the end of the cone shape out further between


fingers and thumb to elongate the shape.
 With your drawing on hand as a reference, pinch a third If you think the shape is too bulky, cut a V-shaped
ball of clay into a cone shape to make the tail of the whale. section out of the wall then overlap the edges and
Check the size against the body to make sure it’s in blend the clay in until the join is no longer visible.
proportion.
40 ClayCraft Issue 15
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FOUR
22

19
 Somewhere inside the scored position for the tail, make Pinch out the clay at the
a good-sized hole with a pin. end of the tail to form a
flattish disc.
Now cut the tail to
shape – again referring
to your drawing.
When the shape has
been cut, gently pinch
around the tail fin to
refine the shape.

20
Fit the tail onto the body and
blend in the clay at the join
with a wooden tool.

23

21  If your drawing features a line around the side of the


whale, like ours, draw it on with a pin.
Continue the line from the tail on one side, around the
 If you feel it needs reinforcing, blend a coil of soft clay front where the mouth will be, and back along the second
over the join, then smooth over with a kidney. side to the tail again.

42 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

24
26

 Using a wooden modelling


tool, establish the position for
the mouth of the whale – this will
form the opening for depositing
money. Pinch out a ball of clay to form a flat slab then draw
a fin in the clay with a pin. Once you’re happy with
the shape and size, cut the fin out then use it as a
template to cut a second to the same size.
25

Make the eyes from tiny balls of


clay and fix them in place with
a little slip, again referring to
your drawing to establish the
correct position.
Roll a tiny coil of clay and
secure it over the eye to
form a lid. Blend the clay
onto the body over the top of
the lid only.

27
 Pinch around the edge of each fin to thin and refine the
shape. .
Issue 15 ClayCraft 43
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
FOUR
29

28

 Cut out the mouth section


carefully; it must be big enough to
get the largest coin through.
Neaten up the opening with a
wooden tool.

30
 Make a blow hole in the top of the head with a pin.

 Mark the position for the fin on the side of the


whale with a pin. Score and slip the marked position
and the underside of the fin, then fix it in place.
Blend the fin onto the body at the top end only.
When you’re sure the fin is secure, remove excess
31
slip from around its edge, and repeat the process for
the second fin on the other side.  If your drawing features lines on the underside of the
whale, score them now.

44 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

35
32

Cut out an opening in the


base of the whale – it must be
large enough to get the largest  Allow the whale to dry out supported on a foam bed
coin through, but must obviously until ready for bisque firing.
also be the correct size for whatever
plug you have chosen to use. Neaten around the
opening with a wooden tool when it has been cut out. 36

33

 Bisque-fired whale.
 A cork will be used to plug the opening for this whale
– check again that whatever you have chosen for the job
will fit the opening with a good amount of wiggle room to
allow for shrinkage in firing.
37

34

 The finished whale can be  Finish off by painting underglaze in the scored
painted with coloured slip to underbelly detail of the whale, then sand it back roughly
suit your chosen species. You (wear a mask!). Complete the project with a simple
will need two coats for good covering of transparent glaze and fire to your clay’s
coverage. optimum temperature.
Paint the eyes in black, using slip The examples shown here were fired to 1120°C in an
or underglaze. electric kiln.
Issue 15 ClayCraft 45
STARTING IN BUSINESS
Confessions
of a novice
Colour me happy
Tracey discovers that one person’s triumph is another’s rasher of bacon

I t’s been just over a year since


the Great Pottery Throw Down
turned my lifelong curiosity
about pottery into an irresistible need,
and almost a year to the day since I first
laid hands on clay at the local college. In
that time, some ideas have hit me so hard
that I had to try them for myself as soon
as humanly possible. The first was the
wheel, of course, but after that, I found
an online tutorial for bellied tripod
mugs, which became an obsession until I
saw some ridged pots I had to try, then
mocha diffusion… Then I found
‡ This tea-bowl (which started as a vase) is my favourite.
ClayCraft, and there was the plaster
mould and the teapot, obviously, but couldn’t wait. loaded up the virtual shopping cart on
what really stands out in my mind is I might’ve been fazed by the idea of the my favourite supplier’s website as if I
clapping eyes on issue 13’s coloured clay. chemicals and the mess, but I’d recently were on Supermarket Sweep.
Those stacked dishes by Linda Caswell excitedly bounced my way through an By the end of my spree, the grand total
absolutely blew my mind. Now, usually experimental glazing course (courtesy of was over £180, so I told myself to sleep
when that happens, you’re looking at a inspirational tutor Libbi Hutchence). on it, and by day three, I was able to
piece in a gallery, or show, or on a That course had introduced me to oxides remove the glaze-making ingredients
website, and of course, you can’t really and carbonates, and ball clay, and dust – after all, I was given about 10 pints of
demand that they talk you through masks, and rubber gloves, and most commercial glaze for my birthday, which
exactly how they achieved it, step by importantly, to the fact that it’s possible I really ought to use up – and I just kept
step. But this time, the instructions were to have a go. So, since I needed some clay the clay, some sodium silicate (another
right there beside the picture, and I (don’t we always need more clay?), I must-try), three clay colourants, a

Below: Wiping the lump of clay around Above and right: Be warned: red iron oxide is extremely potent.
the plastic pot to use all the colourant.

46 ClayCraft Issue 15
BLOG

Above and right: The three colours, before and after being rolled out and layered.

slip-trailer, fine paintbrush, underglaze very demanding from a skill point of those lovely colours as instructed in the
pencil, and a strange wax crayon thing view, and so things proceeded relatively mag, keeping some back for ‘unspecified
that I’m really not sure what to do with. smoothly. I wasn’t sure how much of experimentation’. I confess that my
Yes, it was still a bit of a haul, but since I each colourant to add, as the guidelines workspace now looked significantly
can’t afford a kiln of my own, opening in the magazine couldn’t possibly cover messier than the ClayCraft photos, and
deliveries like that is my equivalent of an every possibility, so I tried to go wedging clay on plastic sheets is really
exciting kiln-opening. somewhere in the ranges suggested, very tricky. The plastic sticks to the clay,
I went for a green, a red and a black, weigh the powders accurately, and write lifts up, rolls around, and generally
vaguely aware that red and green are the amounts down in my notebook. I’m makes a right nuisance of itself.
complementary colours: copper not sure how, but I managed to write Nevertheless, I kept at it, and managed
carbonate, red iron oxide (which us copper carbonate’s entry twice, when one to produce a twisted and multi-coloured
proper potters call RIO, don’t you know), of those was definitely about manganese clay sausage of (semi) perfection. At this
and manganese dioxide. I have since read dioxide, but luckily I was filming the point I believe I slid into some sort of
that manganese is hazardous if its dust whole thing – the video will be on my clay-trance, as you do, rolling and
or firing fumes are breathed, so I might website – so I was able to go back and draping the clay over plastic party bowls,
look out for an alternative in the longer check which one I did first. Make good and forming uneven, ruffled rims. A set
term. And, aware that this was notes, people! of four left one lump that I decided to roll
guaranteed to be extremely messy, for Let me tell you something: Red Iron thinner than my guides, as suggested in
once I endeavoured to clear up Oxide is STRONG! As in, that the mag, and try a larger, looser shape.
my workspace before I red colour gets all over Finally, I was left with a chunk of the
began, and to collect everything, and it doesn’t off-cuts, its colours much more mixed up
everything I’d need in seem to weaken as you than the main batch, and I suppose I
advance. I am learning, wipe it and spread it out. must have done some minimal wedging
albeit slowly. By some stroke of luck, to get it ready, though I swear I don’t
This project wasn’t I only made a third the remember it. Rolling it out as thin as
amount of red, possible, I ended up with such a gorgeous
compared to the other free-form shape I decided to leave it
two colours, purely exactly as it was, and form it over that
because that was how much trusty oval plate we used on the toast-
clay I had left in my hand, and it rack project. Unlike the plastic bowls,
turns out that was enough. In contrast, which I knew I could bend or cut to get
the copper carbonate didn’t seem to out of the clay if needs be, this ceramic
colour the clay at all, though I realised it plate risked getting completely stuck, so
may darken when fired, so I resisted I wrestled with my nemesis (a roll of
adding more and more... Before I knew plastic wrap: seriously, the stuff hates
it, I had three lumps of coloured clay me) to make a removable cover.
waiting to dry out before I could use As these pieces reached leather-hard, I
Above and inset: Slicing into the them, since the added water had made could see that the RIO had managed to
twisted sausage revealed a fabulous them extra moist. coat everything, masking some of the
pattern. That evening, I rolled out about half of beauty of the marbling. The instructions
Issue 15 ClayCraft 47
STARTING IN BUSINESS

imagining opening up a smooth, centred


ball, exposing a heart of RIO, trying to
picture what would happen to the colour
as I lifted the sides. So the next evening I
was in that greenhouse until it got dark,
and I’m telling you now, it was the best
fun ever. I couldn’t resist sharing a few
photos and a little video on social media
- check out pottlemuddery on
Instagram - and by the time this is
published I’ll make sure to write a post
about it on my website:
pottlemuddery.com
OUGHT TO Yes, this was my favourite
Draped over plastic project yet, and I really felt
BE OBVIO
party bowls. US: great about it. I can’t wait to
When mak
ing see how the colours look when
notes, alw
said to scrape it back at this point, but Me being me
write the c a ys they’re fired. But then,
here I had an issue. I was using my new though, no sooner orrect someone who shall remain
clay, which I’d bought specifically for… was I finished with w o rd s… nameless (that’s a lie, it was
dun, dun, dun… POTTERS’ CAMP. I my selection of ClayCraft editor Rachel’s
wrote about this Anglian Potters event slab-built stunners, than daughter) saw a picture of my slab
in issue 11, and subsequently managed to I began to dream of throwing pots and referred to them as ‘those
get a place, after an initial spam-folder with my coloured clay. I do mean bacon things’. Honestly, as if my own
calamity led to actual tears, and more literally dreaming of it: falling asleep kids weren’t cruel enough! 
than a little sulking. The information
sheet explained that potters should bring
bisque-ware ready to glaze and fire in
the range of kilns, and that since some of
the firing methods can be hard on the
clay, a robust type – with a bit of grog –
was recommended. A kind Anglian
Potter assured me that I needn’t buy
special clay, as I could just focus on
making sure my pieces have even wall
thicknesses… oh, how I laughed (at
myself, obviously: he’s never seen my
thrown work, but I did appreciate the
vote of confidence).
What I discovered with this clay was
that any rubbing back to uncover the
marbling would expose that grog. And I
began to have pots with patchy grog-
spots, a bit like a carpet where you’ve
attempted to scrub off wine-stains and
only managed to fluff up the fibres. At
first, this wasn’t a good look on my
beautifully-marbled pieces, but then I
realised I just needed to work with the
grog, rather than trying to hide it, and
so I attempted a more even grog reveal.
The grog being quite white, it showed
through the various colours, almost like
stars in the Milky Way, and I was soon The full selection of
back in the zone. experimental pieces.

48 ClayCraft Issue 15
ME AND MY POT

The Boy’s Gone


35cm x 25cm

Clay types: Parian and white stoneware casting slips, Parian clay, Vulcan black stoneware,
professional white porcelain stoneware clay and my own mixed clays incorporating terracotta,
porcelain and craft crank
Firing temperatures: 1200°C – 1250°C, along with Raku and smoke firings
Making techniques: Various hand-building methods using textiles, metals and other found objects
Decoration: Mixes of different oxides and firing effects. Thick decorating slips and diluted
underglazes to add texture and colour
Inspiration: I draw my inspiration from the qualities of skin and how it protects the human
body, along with the clothes we wear and the stories they hold. I am interested in expressing
these textures by accentuating the cracks, folds and qualities that could be interpreted as
‘imperfections’.
See and buy my work at: Fired Thoughts Arts Studio & Gallery, Nr Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 3PU.
Exhibited internationally, central London and in regional UK galleries.
firedthoughts.co.uk
email: info@firedthoughts.co.uk FB: @firedthoughts Instagram.com/firedthoughts
craftcourses.com/providers/fired-thoughts-arts-studio 

If you would like a piece of your work to be featured, email us at: claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk
Sue Whelan

Issue 15 ClayCraft 49
SKILL SCHOOL
COLOURED
CLAY VESSEL
PROJECT
FIVE
This project is much more involved
than any we have made so far in
this series on colouring clay, but
is still a basic technique. Once
you’ve learned the principles of
building up colours and patterns
in this way, you’ll soon see the
potential for making much more
elaborate and exciting designs

50 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

You will need:


■ Four coloured clays that work well together,
including black plus double the amount of white
(five in all). Reserve half the white (for the base),
then form the clays into rectangular blocks of
roughly equal size
■ A sharp, clean knife
■ Plastic wrap to keep the clay from drying out
■ Rolling pin and plastic sheeting for rolling
■ A plaster press mould – it can be any of
the many we have made in previous issues of 2
ClayCraft, but the symmetrical mould in issue 5
would be good. However, you could use a bowl  Roll the fifth colour into a long thin coil, and the
mould to make a simpler form if you prefer. The remaining white into two long, thin coils.
principle for building the design will be the same.

3
 Cut a straight edge along each of your rolled slabs, then
position a white coil along the length of one slab, about
5mm from the cut edge.

1
4
 Roll four of the clays as
thinly as you can while still Roll the
allowing you to handle slab over
the slabs without tearing. the coil
This will be different for carefully to
everyone, depending on contain it
how experienced you are completely,
with working with thin slabs. without
Include white and black, but trapping air.
reserve one colour. .
Issue 15 ClayCraft 51
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FIVE

7
 Roll the coil out very carefully to double its length.

5
 Use your roller guide or a ruler as a guide to cut the
enclosed coil as close to the join as possible. This will avoid
wasting the slab, which can then be used for another wrap.

8
Wrap the coil in the black slab – reserving any spare
slab as before. Keep all spare slabs under plastic to
prevent the clay from drying out.

6
Repeat, using this double coil on another slab of colour.
Smooth over the join gently with a finger, to even up
the thickness once you have cut it.

52 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

11
Finally, wrap the coils in the white slab and finish as
before, then roll them again to double their length.

9
 Cut off any clay at the end of the wrap that was not
covered by the black and reserve it under plastic for
further use.

10
Roll the coil again to double its length then cut the coil
into two equal lengths.

12
 Cut the coils into 20cm lengths
– a retractable tape measure
is good for this because it
measures long lengths, making
cutting to size much easier and
faster.
When you have cut as many
lengths as your coils will allow (you
will need 5-7), roll the reserved single
colour coil– rolled earlier – to half the
thickness of the multi-wrapped coils. Cut the coil into the
same 20cm lengths. .
Issue 15 ClayCraft 53
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
FIVE

15
13 Space lengths of the single-colour coils between the
multi-coloured coils, as shown, to build up a thick coil.
 Place two of the wrapped coils together so that the
edges touch along their length, then place one section of
the single-colour coil along the central length of both, as
shown.

14
Continue to fit as many more of the wrapped coils as
you can manage comfortably, around the central coil,
to form a flower-like pattern.

16
 Roll the thick coil lightly to
ensure all the components adhere
together. Don’t twist the coil at
all and try not to thin it too much
– this is a bonding roll more than
anything else.
Cut the coil at one end to reveal
the pattern you have created.

54 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

17 20
 Using a sharp, clean knife, Apply a good dab of slip around the disc in the mould,
cut the coil into discs that are then place the second next to it, making sure the
3-4mm thick. Store the discs surfaces are touching.
under plastic to keep them Repeat quickly, working down the centre of the
from drying out. Cut the whole mould to complete a line of discs.
length of the coil. You may have to cut the final disc to make it fit.

18
 Dampen the surface of your mould with a wet sponge
before you begin to use it.

19
 From here on you must work quite fast, because the 21
clay will dry quickly in the mould.
Position the first disc at the top centre of your mould  Continue to fill the mould in the same way, using an
and gently press it with a finger to fit the shape without ample amount of slip before applying each disc, until the
distorting the pattern. whole mould is filled. .
Issue 15 ClayCraft 55
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
24
FIVE

 Remove the clay at the rim with a piece of batten laid


flat on the mould. Draw the batten away from the clay in
small stages while holding the form in place in the mould
with your other hand.

22
25
 There will be spaces between the discs despite your
best efforts, so carefully fill these in with small balls of soft
white clay, again applying slip beforehand. Don’t worry if
there seems to be an excess of slip.

 Fill the second half of the


mould in the same way as the
first, working as quickly as
possible.
When both halves are filled,
scrape back the surfaces with a metal
kidney to even-up the thickness of the
23 clay wall and reveal the pattern underneath.
Score the edges with a serrated kidney.
Fill in any small gaps at the edges of the mould with
little cut sections of disc and plenty of slip.
26

 Turn the sections out onto a board


then apply a liberal amount of slip to the
scored edges.
Carefully fit the sections together
applying gentle but firm pressure.

56 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★
27
28

Slip the joins on the inside of the form then reinforce


them with coils of soft clay. Use a wooden tool to
blend the coils in well, paying special attention to the
opening at the neck.

Place the body on a section of


white clay reserved right at the
beginning and mark its outline
with a pin.
Cut the slab slightly larger than
marked, to give you some room for
adjustment when fitting the base in place.
Score and slip the underside edge of the body and
the corresponding position on the base slab.

Fit the base


slab onto the 29
body, then
gently roll
it from side
to side to
ensure the
join is good.
To make
absolutely
sure,
paddle the
underside
with a
spatula.
Finish by
surforming
away the
excess clay
around the
base until it’s
level with the
body.

.
Issue 15 ClayCraft 57
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
FIVE

32
When the form has dried completely, you can refine the
surface by sanding with a fine sandpaper. Alternatively,
to reduce the risk of damaging the piece, you could
do this after bisque firing – make sure you wear a dust
30 mask in either case.
Allow the form to dry very slowly to avoid cracking
before firing.
 Scrape back the surface of the body with a metal
kidney, to reveal the pattern underneath.

31
Finish off the neck of the form with a small, flattened
coil of white clay, fixing it onto the body after scoring
and slipping.
Blend the coil onto the body carefully, then neaten it
up with a wooden tool, and finally a kidney.

33
 The finished porcelain vessel was constructed in exactly
the same way as shown in the project, but with a different
colour palette.
Fired to 1260°C in an electric kiln – unglazed.

58 ClayCraft Issue 15
SALES OF KILNS, WHEELS,
EQUIPMENT, TOOLS
All ceramic making equipment
serviced and maintained

Clays and glazes


in stock

56 High Street Burton Latimer Kettering Northants NN15 5LB


Doug’s
STARTING IN BUSINESS
(Photo: Layton Thompson)

Doug Fitch
DIARY
A fter many weeks of long
days and late nights,
high stress and
migraines, the final glaze kiln of
„ A view
of Hannah’s
small plates
in the bisque
kiln.
pots for our exhibition at the
Schaller Gallery, Michigan, is
about to be packed. How my body
aches!
It’s been a challenge, with a new-
born baby and a two-year-old to
look after between us. As ever, a
couple more weeks would have
been great, but we have amassed a
body of work that we are proud of.
My love of exploring the jug
form, once again, kept me
captivated throughout
this making session, so
unsurprisingly, the that mission. back to life. This is satisfying and
majority of my pots for There are some exciting, not to mention a huge
the exhibition will be collaborative pieces in the relief. I do hope that American
jugs. There are also form of large plates, pottery enthusiasts will enjoy our
mugs, lidded jars, thrown by Hannah and work. We have built up a good
Yunomi and some money decorated by me, which following in the States over the
boxes. This obsession is allows me some flatware at years, so I’m reasonably positive
countered nicely by Hannah’s least, and a large jug that I that the pots will be well received.
passion for making flatware, in threw, which has been decorated A few weeks ago, I received an
the form of pressed dishes, plates  Hannah by Hannah, with her trademark email from the director of the
and a huge charger, which will with Fred and owls. North Carolina Pottery Center,
balance the exhibition nicely. Pippin outside Last month, I wrote about Seagrove, NC. The centre is a
I had planned to make bowls and the workshop having to develop a lead-free glaze, museum, exhibition space and
on the new
platters, but it didn’t happen, which turf. The earth
as lead glazes, even those such as educational institution, promoting
is always the case when I’m on a perimeter ours, which is rigorously tested the prolific and much-celebrated
mission to create the ultimate jug, will soon be and deemed food-safe, are illegal association of the State with
which, come to think of it, is replaced by in the States. We ran a lot of tests ceramics – historical, to the
always the case, as I’m always on concrete. and finally managed to achieve present day. The director invited
some satisfactory results. The me to be the juror of their Art in
Mugs in two sizes green is a pleasant addition to our Clay National Juried Show for
destined for the range of tones and colours, and is 2019. What a tremendous honour
Goldmark Gallery. more of a jade green than the it is to be asked to do such a thing
bright apple green that our and, equally, how utterly
conventional glaze produces. terrifying!
Because we have been waiting to I will be sent images of the work
develop a decent glaze, we have from applicants, from which I have
been stockpiling bisqueware pots. to make a shortlist. These
These have now started to come shortlisted makers will then be
through the kiln with their new invited to exhibit at the Pottery
shiny glaze coating, bringing them Center. I will select the winners
60 ClayCraft Issue 15
KILNS

 A year ago, our workshops being craned into the garden.


from the exhibition when I am in  Green home. What on earth will I do be able to run open studios from
North Carolina next spring. There tapered jugs; with all the pots that I gave them here yet, as the home workshops
are a number of large cash prizes the old green over the years? A lot of them are are very much a work in progress,
glaze on the
for the winners. I’m nervous about my terrible, early works, when I so we’ll be exhibiting at our old
left and the
it already; it does feel very strange new one on was first learning. I can’t keep workshop, some 20 miles from
to be asked to judge other people’s the right. them, I have a huge collection of here, but maybe next year we’ll be
work. I keep questioning myself, as Height 28cm. pots that I don’t have room for ready to do it from home.
to whether I am worthy of the already, and I don’t want them out We’re hoping, if the pots in
task, although thrilled to have in the big wide world, to appear on Michigan sell well, that we will be
been asked. eBay or Facebook in the future, so able to afford to get the next phase
We have a few days of finishing the charity shop isn’t an option. of the development completed: a
off orders ahead of us now before For some, I think the shadow of concrete floor and hardstanding in
we’re away down south for a week. the hammer is already hanging the coming months, before the
I have an order of 40 mugs for the over them. Portakabins are enclosed and
Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham, When we return, we must again extended with weatherboarding.
which we will be delivering en get our heads down and work Recently, a charity donation
route. frantically to produce new work to enabled me to purchase from the
I have to travel south to begin exhibit in our open studios event, local bowls club, some huge
the sad task of clearing my parent’s Spring Fling, which runs from hardwood-framed windows that
house as my elderly mother is very 26-28 May. This strictly selected had been removed from their club
frail and is now living in a care event features 86 artists and house. We already have some
craftspeople from across Dumfries salvaged doors at the ready. With
and Galloway, and some former windows and doors making up the
residents of the region who are majority of the area of the walls,
invited back to show during the once the build begins, it should
event. We really enjoy come together quite quickly.
participating; it’s great to invite The outdoor space was just earth
the public into our workplace. Last until a couple of days ago, but we
year over 600 people came through bought some turf, and we have just
the door over the weekend. laid a new lawn. I enjoy the irony
We were reminded by Facebook that our windows came from a
a couple of days ago, that it is a bowling club, overlooking a
ƒ Hannah year since our Portakabin beautiful, flat bowling green,
threw these workshops were craned into the because our new lawn is up and
large plates garden. Much has happened to down and lumpy and bumpy. It
for me to them since then, insulated floors in will be a great pleasure to be able
decorate.
Approx 28cm
both and a huge roof built over the to work, while we watch out of our
diameter. main one, joining the two together new windows, as our children play
(Photo: Hannah and increasing the covered in the garden. Happy days. 
McAndrew)  footprint by half again. We won’t fitchandmcandrew.com
Issue 15 ClayCraft 61
SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FIVE
SIX SALT PIG
This is a project that adapts a mould to re-use it for something else
and is a good example of the multi-functional usefulness of moulds

62 ClayCraft Issue 15
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

You will need:


■ A deep bowl mould – it doesn’t need to be
exactly the same shape as the one shown here,
but it should be deep enough to contain a good
amount of salt when constructed.

3
 Press the slab into the mould, using a barely damp
sponge rather than your fingers, to avoid distorting the
surface too much.
TIP:
oil
You can c an
h a p e a s
this s
e rn ativ e method
alt tion if
of produc ave a
h
you don’t ould
suita b le m

4
1 Cut a second semi-circle and
fit it into the mould so that the
 Roll out a large slab of clay on a plastic sheet using edges overlap those of the
roller guides no thicker than 5mm. first section.
Smooth over the surface of the slab with a rib when If you find the second slab
finished, to compact the clay. isn’t big enough, simply cut
another section of clay to the
approximate shape and fill in
the gap.

2
 Cut out a deep semi-circular section of clay, large
enough to fit to the bottom of the mould. .
Issue 15 ClayCraft 63
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
SIX

5 8
 Press the overlapping edges of slab together with Turn the clay out onto a batt when it begins to shrink
your thumb or finger, making sure you squeeze out any away from the edges of the plaster.
trapped air under the joins. Dampen over the lines where the sections were
joined, then fill them in with thin coils of soft clay.

6
 Level the clay at the rim by sitting a piece of wooden
batten on the edge of the mould, then drawing it
around the edge and back towards your body in small
movements until all the clay is removed.

9
 Scrape over the coils with a
kidney to remove excess clay and
7 level the surface. The lines should
look filled in and no longer visible
 Smooth over the clay on the inside of the bowl with when finished, but work over them
a soft kidney, removing any lumps and bumps in the several times with a kidney to make
process so that the clay section is even throughout. sure.

64 ClayCraft Issue 15
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
SIX

15
Undercut the base very slightly with the tip of a rib or
17
wooden tool, then turn the pig over and neaten the
bevel with a kidney. Very carefully cut out the opening with a sharp knife.
Support the form with your other hand at all times
as you work.
Sit the pig upright again when finished.

16
 Use something round like a cookie cutter to mark the
position for the opening of the pig. If possible, the hole
should be large enough to accommodate a hand but
this will depend on the overall size of the pig – just be
conscious that you need to be able to access the inside
easily, so measure accordingly. Strictly speaking, the
opening doesn’t need to be round, so you also have the 18
option to cut it to a different shape.
Position the opening high enough on the side of the pig  Score around the perimeter of the opening with a
to allow a good amount of salt to be contained inside. serrated kidney, and apply some slip.

66 ClayCraft Issue 15
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
SIX

25
Very carefully bevel the top of
the ring with a sharp knife.
23 Score the bevelled edge
and the underside of the
Roll a very thin but even coil of clay, long enough to fit small pre-cut disc.
around the ring. Slip both surfaces, then fit
Place the coil around the ring at its base. If there the disc onto the ring, pressing
isn’t enough slip left over from fitting the ring, apply a it into place with a finger so
little more before actually fixing the coil. that it dips at the centre.
When you’re sure the coil won’t move, remove the
excess slip from around its perimeter with a wooden
tool. TIP: A lemon
Use the rounded tip of a wooden tool to finally squeezer makes a
neaten the coil. very useful tool,
with the bonus of
stamping a good
texture design
in the clay, but
don’t use it again
in the kitchen
once you’ve used
it for clay work

26
 To secure the disc onto
the ring, press it down with
something like a wooden
lemon squeezer, this will cause
the edges to rise a little, but
the clay will better fix onto the
bevelled edge below.

24 ƒ Allow the
finished pig to
 Cut a hole through the centre of the ring into the body
of the pig using a hole cutter.
27 dry slowly before
bisque firing.

68 ClayCraft Issue 15
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• Making and attaching sprigs • Two-part moulds • Symmetrical press • Bisque hump mould • Two-part cylinder
• Pinch pot birds • Pinch pot egg cups moulds • Pinch-built tealights casting mould
• Making potters’ stamps • Slab-built milk jug • Pinching simple flowers • Slab-built paperclay • Pinched mice
• Slab-built teapot • Building & raku-firing • Porcelain buttons animals • Porcelain spoons
• Marbling decoration coiled vessels • Slab-built cups & saucers • Slab-built cake stand • Slab-built sugar bowl
• Coiling & moulding a tall • Texturing slabs • Large coil-built bird bath • Glazing the bird bath • Terracotta wine cooler
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ISSUE 8 ISSUE 9 ISSUE 10 ISSUE 11 ISSUE 12


• Thrown teapot • Hanging porcelain birds • Throwing teabowls off • Throwing a kitchen bowl • Thrown glaze-test ring
• Pinched scoops • Pierced heart tree the hump • Heart ramekins • Slab-built planter and
• Slip-casting decorations • Sling mould fish plate • Slip-cast lamp shade tray
• Slab-built sandwich tray • Textured tree decorations • Wall plaques • Coil and slab-built • Pinched rabbit
• Woven basket from coils • Lidded serving dishes • Figurative build vessel • One vase, two shapes
• Slip-trailing • Candleholders • Haging bird feeder • Smoke-firing • Casting mugs
• Animal toast racks • Making paperclay • Porcelain jewellery • Retro tile panel

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SWANSPOOL
CERAMICS
INTERNATIONAL | CERAMIC | FAIR
Pottery is our passion!

A celebration of all things clay!

A bustling potters’ market with over 120


stalls plus talks & demonstrations

22, 23 & 24 June 2018 • Pottery Courses


at the Harley Gallery • Clay Experiences
Welbeck • Gift Vouchers
Nottinghamshire E: info@swanspoolceram
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604 9685333
Castle Ashby, Northamptton NN7 1LA
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Entrance: £5 www.swanspoolceramics.co.uk

Modern,
dern well-equipped d ceramics
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studio in an idyllic rural location near
Groombridge
CLASSES: Daytime and evening classes
suitable for all abilities
COURSES: Weekend workshops for
adults and children
Richard St John Heeley EVENTS: Raku Days, Special Occasions and
Group Experiences
claystudio@eunicelocher.com
01892 862 540
On Sunday get hands on and take the opportunity to get www.eunicelocher.com
your fingers dirty & explore the magic of clay yourself!
The Clay Studio, Hendal Farm, Cherry Gardens Hill,
w w w . e a r t h a n d f i r e c e r a m i c f a i r. c o m Groombridge, TN3 9NU
ME AND MY POT

Icelandic-inspired
contoured form.

Clay type: Potclays Original Raku Inspirations & influences: I


Clay 154-1154 discovered a passion for pottery
I love using this clay for its earthy, from a desire to try a new skill. I
sandy tones. It really emphasises my immediately fell in love with the
organically-shaped, Icelandic-inspired tactile clay and found myself wanting
forms, and works so well with my to learn all I could. I make and sell my
glazes and glass own collection of pottery inspired
by landscapes and the environment
Firing temp: I fire the pieces to around us. In particular, Iceland
1220°C in an electric kiln has captivated my imagination. I
Build technique: I press mould was taken by the hot springs and
or hand-form the contoured volcanic landscapes I saw there.
pieces using plaster moulds I’ve When I returned, I had to capture my
made myself. I press pieces of the experiences in my pottery forms. I Andrew MacDermott
Original Raku clay (some stained set about developing my techniques, Weblinks:
different colours) into the moulds and honing my skills and have developed
a range of decorative shapes and andrewmacdermott.com
begin a process of shaping, tearing
and mark-making on the surface forms all inspired by Iceland. All of my Instagram: potterybyandrew
to create the form. Finally, I place pottery is made at home in my small
Twitter: PotteryByAndrew
fragments of glass at the centre of studio space, which is my oasis, place
the pieces before firing to escape to and my creative world Facebook page: @AmPottery

If you would like a piece of your work to be featured, email us at: claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk

Issue 15 ClayCraft 73
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74 ClayCraft Issue 15
Do you have an event you’d like listed?
Email us at claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk for free inclusion
RUNNING UNTIL Michael Cardew and Gillian Lowndes.
bristolmuseums.org.uk UNTIL 4 SEPT
UNTIL 6 JUNE Vote 100: Suffragettes
Surrounding Sequences UNTIL 23 JUNE and Propaganda
A group exhibition influenced by Monochrome – Surface Cartwright Hall
structure and architecture. The Craft Centre and Design Gallery Bradford
Featuring Skye Corewijn, John Leeds bit.ly/1LIiVnK 2 JUNE
Higgins, Kevin Jackson, Lydia Johnson • Simon Conolly • Eric Moss
and Milo Li-ren Mckeand UNTIL NOV Make your own glaze
• Luke Bishop • Clare Wilson
throwncontemporary.co.uk workshop
• Kevin Hutson • Penny Fowler 10 Year Anniversary:
• Diane Horne • Ilona Sulikova Celebrating the Muddy Fingers Pottery HQ, Jarrow
UNTIL 10 JUNE • Sarah Partridge Leach Pottery’s 10-4pm, £65
More than words: Sara craftcentreleeds.co.uk Restoration Beginners glaze-making workshop,
Radstone A series of events, exhibitions, talks ideal for people who want to start
York Art Gallery UNTIL 1 JULY and creative sessions experimenting with their own glaze
The first major retrospective exhibition Reunion: Potters From The leachpottery.com recipes and make bespoke glazes for
features more than 50 works by Sara Time Of Bernard Leach their work
Radstone and looks at how her work Leach Pottery, St Ives UNTIL 23 DEC For more details see: bit.ly/2jpiTMT
has changed and developed over the leachpottery.com Our eARTh 2018
course of nearly 40 years 100+ selected artists’ work 810 JUNE
yorkartgallery.org.uk UNTIL 15 JULY responding to climate change and
The Language of Clay – the environment
The Contemporary Craft
UNTIL 10 JUNE Shifting Lines Kunsthuis Gallery
Festival
Radical Clay: Teaching ‘Justine Allison’s ceramics are skilfully Crayke, N Yorks 15th year of this event, with 200
With the Great Potters of made, precious to touch and a delight kunsthuisgallery.com selected makers and artists. Throw
the 1960s to the eye.' - Professor Moira Vincentelli Down contestants Richard, Freya,
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery Ground- The Language of Clay is a series of UNTIL 31 DEC Tom and Jim will be in attendance,
breaking pieces from the leading national touring exhibitions organised ‘A Woman’s Place’ and you can challenge them in the
potters of the time, including Hans by Mission Gallery in collaboration with Abbey House Museum Festival Throwdown!
Coper, Lucy Rie, Janet Leach, Ruthin Craft Centre, funded by ACW Leeds Bovey Tracey, Devon
Ruth Duckworth, Bernard Leach, ruthincraftcentre.org.uk bit.ly/2FFsqMy craftsatboveytracey.co.uk

MAY 2224 MAY 26 MAY  10 JUNE


9 AND 16 JUNE
Clerkenwell Design Week Dorset Art Weeks
1 MAY  15 JULY Various locations (Crafts Centre) One of the largest open studio Teabowl carving and hiki
Northwich’s terracotta ‘Last clerkenwelldesignweek.com events in the country, including dashi firing
Supper’ exhibition over 50 potters Brand new workshop from Muddy
Lion Salt Works Museum 25 MAY  8 JUNE dorsetartweeks.co.uk Fingers Pottery, in collaboration with
westcheshiremuseums.co.uk MUSE: The collection inspires Oriental Museum Durham University
New, thought-provoking work by 2931 MAY 12pm-4pm
1 MAY  28 JULY MCA Ceramics students at BathSpa Potters Gourmet Workshop This is a two-day course. First
Adam Frew – Ceramic University in response to the Aylesford Priory and Aylesford day, 9 June, second day, 16 June.
Showcase Holburne Museum’s collection Pottery two-day residential 12-4pm both days. You must be
The Craft Centre and Design Gallery Holburne Museum, Bath experience, with pottery. available for both dates. Tickets
Leeds holburne.org Accommodation at the Priory. are non-refundable and non-
craftcentreleeds.co.uk Pottery: day one throwing and transferable.
26 MAY hand-building, day two, raku-
4 MAY  26 JUNE On day one we will start by looking
Spring Open Day firing
at the museum’s collection of
FOCUS BaseArt Studios. Come along Tel: 01622 717272 9am-4pm tea bowls and a short history of how
Featured potters: and help support The Forget Me
Rebecca Appleby Elly Wall Not appeal by making your own JUNE they came about.
We will then demonstrate how to
Midori Takaki Mark Dally beautiful ceramic flower jewellery
Christiane Wilhelm Carolyn Genders BaseArt Studios, 2 JUNE carve and pattern a tea bowl, and
you will have rest of the afternoon to
Bevere Gallery, Worcester Taff ’s Well, Cardiff Creative Clay for All at Dorset
make your tea bowl.
beveregallery.com baseart.org Potters’ Market
Situated in Poundbury, the On day two, we will be bringing
13 MAY  2 SEPT 2628 MAY potters’ market provides a along our gas-fired kilns for some
ABOUT CLAY Spring Fling central hub to showcase the best hikidashi. You don’t need any
Pearls of European Ceramic Art and most diverse range of previous pottery experience, but this
Across Dumfries and Galloway
ONOMA summer show Dorset-based potters and course is also suitable for those who
Open studios events, highly
ceramicists want to learn different techniques.
The Cooperative of Artisans, regarded as one the UK’s most
Dorset Centre for Creative Arts You must be over 16 plus attend
Designers and Artists in Fiskars successful contemporary visual art
Fiskars Village, Finland and craft events Dorchester, Dorset £80 per person, spaces limited to 8
onoma.fi spring-fling.co.uk bit.ly/2KyCG8Y bit.ly/2rjkKX3
Issue 15 ClayCraft 75
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The Kiln Rooms’ Clay Store allows
members to show and sell their work.

THE CLAY STORE


The Kiln Rooms has opened a shop. Paul Bailey went along
to meet some of the artists selling their work

T
he business of selling your members. Rachel has been making pots for
work is always a major task. The Kiln Rooms in Peckham, south about three years and finds the Clay
One of the spin-offs for the London has now gone one step Store is a really exciting
new generation of open further in having a opportunity for her to test
access ceramic studios is their ability to temporary store, aptly out some new designs
hold sales of work to the public for their called the Clay Store. that have been
From Friday, May 4, developed this year.
for six months, it is She explained:
open at weekends to “This store will be
showcase and sell the
work of 35 members
from its three studios,
in a show called ‘Home’.
Ben Cooper,
operations director at The
Kiln Rooms, said: “We see
ourselves primarily as having three
different ceramics studios/makers
spaces. Now with the shop and shows, it
is adding value for our makers, giving
them the opportunity to show and sell
their work.”
One of those exhibiting from The
Kiln Rooms is Rachel Lucas-Craig.
Living near to the studio in nearby Above and inset: Simple domestic
 Rachel Lucas-Craig’s work is Camberwell, she is only a 15-minute wares by Yukiko Hiromatsu invite you
functional, mostly thrown tableware. walk away. to hold them.
78 ClayCraft Issue 15
run by us at the studio, so it’s quite a before leaving 13 years ago to focus on
rare opportunity to get direct insight raising her daughter.
into people’s response to our work. It’s The Clay Shop’s 'Home' show, from
great to be able to test the waters in Saturday, July 14 to Sunday, September 2,
such a direct way, and it’s a chance for will be a great opportunity for her to
us to get hands-on experience in showcase her work to the wider
retail. We are all participating in the community. 
store operations, which is fun! I am She said: “I make pots for
really excited to see it all come daily use, simple domestic
together.” wares with the main
When The Kiln Rooms launched, focus on subtlety in
Rachel wasn’t confident about leaving form and colours,
the classroom environment of Morley and attention to Above and inset:
College, but decided to put her name detail. I aim to Natalie Butlin’s simple
down on the waiting list. When a place make practical pots designs and tactile
came up, it felt like an opportunity not that enhance daily surfaces.
to be missed. life and invite the
Her work is functional, mostly users to hold them in She said, “I haven’t sold
thrown tableware. Occasionally, she their hands. I mainly my work in a shop before,
likes to sit with coils for a week or two, throw on a wheel, using so I’ve never seen a price-tag
building something organic and both porcelain and reflecting a normal commission
large-scale, tending to focus attention stoneware clay. I mix my own glazes rate – fingers-crossed!
on the rim of each piece, taking after researching glaze recipes.” “I try to make approachable pots that
inspiration from horizons and tide lines, Also living close to the studio is Elza are good at what they’re designed for,
and striving towards making pieces Jaszczuk. Her organic shapes are made and comfortable to use. I favour simple,
that feel sturdy and timeless. She also by hand, using stoneware clay, both but not minimalist, designs, and tactile
sells her work at the Yorkshire hand-built and thrown, which are then surfaces.”
Sculpture Park. decorated. This process is inspired by The Clay Store aims to connect
Yukiko Hiromatsu is another local the colours, shapes, rhythm and studio members with the public, and
resident, living only two stops away dynamics of the sea, with its crashing sell work to help support their
from Peckham Rye station. waves. She said, “I was attracted to continuing practice, as well as tools and
She first started learning pottery at having access to a professional ceramic clay. The shop will be stocked and
the Morley College about seven years studio, with professional development staffed by members from The Kiln
ago, then continued to make pots one talks and a range of ceramic courses. It Rooms studios. Open from 11am to
way or another until eventually joining is very beneficial to be part of the 6pm at weekends from May 2018.
The Kiln Rooms a few years ceramic community.” thekilnrooms.com 
ago. Yukiko has a background in Art For Natalie Butlin, Clay Store is
and Design, graduating from the also an opportunity to learn what
Goldsmith Fine Art BA course, then appeals to customers, both in terms of
the London College of Fashion the actual product and how it has been
menswear BA course. After that, priced. It will be fascinating to see what
she worked for Paul Smith for six years people first pick up and what they end
up buying.

Paul Bailey produces Emerging


Potters online magazine and writes
on modern ceramic makers
Paulbailey123@googlemail.com
 Elza Jaszczuk’s work is inspired by crashing waves.
Issue 15 ClayCraft 79
COURSES  Do you run a course that you’d like to see here?
Email claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk for free inclusion in our listing
SCOTLAND GREENWOOD CRAFTS
Courses: Handbuilding; throwing
Location: Greasby, Wirral
Tel: 07803 848212,
NOTTS/DERBYS/
from beginners onwards E: joancchan@aol.com LEICS/MIDLANDS
CLAY WORKS STUDIO
Courses: All levels from beginners to Dates: All year FB: jccermaics
Location: N Yorks SANDY BYWATER  CURIOUS
intermediate. Taster courses, general THE CLAY HOUSE STUDIOS
pottery and throwing courses. Open tryacourse.co.uk Courses: Two 3-hr workshops every Courses: All pottery skills, suitable for
access facility for more advanced makers LEAFY LANE POTTERY BY SUZIE month the beginner or the more experienced
coming soon Courses: Hand building courses for all Dates: Various, see website Dates: Tuesday afternoons and
Dates: See website abilities. Learning disabilities, residential Location: Cedar Farm, Mawdesley, evenings. Monthly, Saturday themed
Location: Dumfries & Galloway homes, schools and private sessions, nr Ormskirk, workshops
clayworksstudios.co.uk and sculptures for your home and Tel: 01704 807320 Location: Sneinton Market, Nottingham
gardens theclayhouseatcedarfarm.co.uk
SEATREE CRAFTS Dates: Throughout the year and area sandybywaterceramics.wordpress.com
Courses: Beginners' classes, workshops, CLAYWORKS
Location: Hull and East Yorkshire Courses: Evening & daytime classes for
CANDO POTTERY
after school club, supervised open access Tel: 07886 841936 Courses: Hand-building for beginners
Dates: Various all abilities (with occasional weekend
leafylanepottery@gmail.com events such as 'Raku', etc) Dates: Thursdays 10.30am-12.30pm
Location: Innellan, Argyll Location: Mellor, Stockport
seatreecrafts.co.uk NORTHLIGHT ART STUDIO Dates: Weekly throughout the year
Courses: Evening and day workshops, Location: Southport, Lancashire candopottery.wixsite.com/group
THE WEE MUD HUT summer schools and taster days. All levels arthousesca@gmail.com MIDLANDS ART CENTRE
Courses: Handbuilding and throwing Dates: Weekly and throughout the year FB: arthousesca Courses: Ceramics Open Studio
for all ages/abilities. Groups and Location: Hebden Bridge, Yorks sca-network.co.uk Dates: Various
individual sessions Tel: 01422 843519 Location: Birmingham
Dates: Various CRAFFITY POTTERY STUDIO
northlightstudio.co.uk Courses: 'Create with Clay' drop-in macbirmingham.co.uk
Location: East Kilbride, Scotland
Lanarkshire OLD STABLES STUDIO sessions, with or without input. Regular PARKWOOD THROWING COURSES
theweemudhut.co.uk Courses: Throwing: bootcamp, and seasonal workshops Courses: Basic and intermediate
weekends, tasters and regular classes Dates: Various throwing
Dates: Various Location: Bury, Greater Manchester Dates: 8-week Thurs evenings,
CUMBRIA/N EAST Location: Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire craffitycreations.co.uk weekend courses, taster sessions
JAMES OUGHTIBRIDGE Location: Nr Alfreton, Derbyshire
MUDDY FINGERS POTTERY THE CRAFTY POTTER parkwoodthrowingcourses.co.uk
Courses: Adult night classes Course: Large Scale Slab Building Courses: Throwing, hand-building &
Dates: Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Dates: Contact for details modelling PLAY WITH CLAY
every six weeks Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire Dates: Various Courses: Throwing, toddler clay
Location: Jarrow, Tyne and Wear jamesoughtibridge.blogspot. Location: Chorley, Lancashire Dates: Saturday mornings,
muddyfingerspottery.com co.uk thecraftypotter.co.uk Tuesday afternoons, throwing weekly by
JIM ROBISON CERAMICS appointment.
ANNIE PEAKER THE DOWN TO EARTH POTTERY Location: Loughborough
Courses: Figurative Ceramic Courses Courses: Week-long Ceramics, and Courses: Hand-building for beginners
Glaze and surface courses creationspottery.co.uk
Dates: April - October (3 & 5 Days) to advanced. We are always trying out
Dates: Various new techniques such as use of decals SEVEN LIMES POTTERY
Location: Penrith, Cumbria
Location: Holmfirth, Huddersfield and coloured clay Courses: Varied courses/classes
anniepeaker.co.uk
boothhousegallery.co.uk Dates: Year-round: Tuesday pm and Dates: All
SCULPTURE LOUNGE STUDIOS Wednesday eve. Some Saturdays Location: Moss Side, Manchester
YORKS Courses: Throughout the year Location: Clitheroe. Lancs 7Limes.co.uk
Dates: Contact directly for further lesleywoods19@hotmail.com SEYMOUR ROAD STUDIOS
ART HOUSE, SHEFFIELD information FB: thedowntoearthpottery Courses: Weekly/1-day weekend classes
Courses: Wheel, handbuilding, Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire PAUL GOULD/MON CERAMICS Dates: Various
porcelain, raku, figurative, workshops, sculpturelounge.com Courses: Beginners & intermediates Location: West Bridgeford, Notts
summer intensive week (chimeneas)
ANNAMERCEDES WEAR Dates: Tuesdays & Wednesdays 2-4pm seymourroadstudios.co.uk
Dates: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm
Location: Sheffield City centre Courses: Regular one-day handbuilding and 7-9pm PAT SHORT CERAMICS
arthousesheffield.co.uk courses, includes making and decorating Saturdays and Sunday workshops: Courses: Beginners’ handbuilding
animals and figures various dates throughout the year workshops
KATIE BRAIDA Dates: Throughout the year Location: The Wirral Dates: Various
Courses: weekly class and day Location: Sheffield monceramics.co.uk Location: Edgbaston, Birmingham
workshops anna-mercedeswear.com GREEN MAN CERAMICS patshortceramics.com
Dates: Every Thursday evening and
various others Courses: Pottery Discovery weekends LINDA SOUTHWELL
Dates: Various,
Location: Scarborough LANCS/CHESHIRE/ Location: Colne, Lancs
Courses: Evening classes and one-to-
one experiences
katiebraida.com
MERSEY Tel: 01282 871129 Dates: Wednesday evenings and by
FIRED ART DESIGNS arrangement
PILLING POTTERY/NORTHERN
Courses: 1:1 wheel work, brushwork, BALTIC CLAY Location: The Harley Ceramics Studio,
KILNS
surface decoration. Handbuilding, slab Courses: Evening and weekend clay Welbeck, Worksop
Courses: From novice to professional:
work, coil work. Classes courses lindasouthwell.co.uk
throwing, hand-building, glazing,
Dates: Various Dates: Tue, Wed, Thurs (6.30pm - making glazes, kiln loading,
Location: Pontefract, Yorkshire
firedartdesigns.co.uk
8.30pm) & Sat
Location: Liverpool
programming kiln controllers, fitting WALES
elements
JILL FORD balticclay.com Dates: Various BASEART STUDIO, GALLERY &
Course: Workshop and Day Courses BLUE BUTTERFLY CRAFTS Location: Pilling, Lancs POTTERY WORKSHOPS
Dates: Thursday evenings & day Courses: Handbuilding. pillingpottery.com Courses: Handbuilding;
courses throughout the year Weekly 2-hr sessions and day-courses THE POTTERS BARN throwing; 1-2-1 one-off sessions; parties
Location: York, Tel: 01717 289008 Dates: Various, see website Courses: Adult half & full day: (adults, children, team-building)
JOY GIBBS PRICE CERAMICS  Location: Accrington, Lancs beginners throwing & handbuilding. Dates: Ongoing, days and evenings
GRAPE VINE STUDIOS bluebutterflycrafts.co.uk Intermediate & advanced throwing. Location: Taff’s Well, Cardiff
Courses: Handbuilding, throwing, raku JOAN CHAN Raku & pit firing baseart.org
Dates: Weekly sessions, Thurs 6-8pm, Courses: Introduction to clay, Dates: Various CARDIFF POTTERY WORKSHOPS
Fri/Sat 10am-12pm handbuilding, throwing, slip casting, Location: Sandbach, Cheshire/Staffs Courses: Handbuilding; throwing;
Location: Mattersley, Doncaster glaze workshop border one-off Saturday sessions; 1-2-1
joygibbsprice.co.uk Dates: Afternoons and evenings thepottersbarn.co.uk throwing; masterclasses with

80 ClayCraft Issue 15
Do you want your entry to stand out?
For details, contact Amy on 01732 445055
Anne Gibbs; parties (children, adults, ZOO CERAMICS Portrait drawing, painting, & general MARIAM CULLUM
teambuilding); pottery membership Courses: Half and full day handbuilding art. One off workshops & one-to-one Courses: 1:1 tuition in throwing,
tutored & un-tutored workshops, 10-week pottery classes tuition on request hand-building, slip-casting, surface
Dates: 6-wk day & eve sessions, various Dates: Various Dates: Mon-Fri inc weekends decoration and glaze preparation and
Location: Cardiff Location: Waddington, throughout the year. One offs by application.
cardiffpotteryworkshops.com Lincolnshire arrangement Dates: Various - Monday to Friday
GLOSTERS zooceramics.co.uk Location: Drayton Basset, nr Tamworth, 10am-4pm
Course: Throwing Staffs Location: Bury St Edmunds
stonehousestudios.co.uk mariamcullumceramics.co.uk
Dates: April,
Location: Porthmadog
WORCS/SHROPS/ WOBAGE FARM CRAFT KATIE'S POTTERY STUDIO
glosters.co.uk STAFFS/HEREFORD WORKSHOPS Courses: One-to-one & small group
JANE MALVISI Courses: Various multiple-day tuition in throwing, handbuilding,
Courses: Pottery classes, including Raku.
ALLYEARROUND POTTERY throwing workshops decorating, glazing & firing for all
Courses: Weekly classes; taster sessions; Dates: Various ages and abilities. Children's Saturday
All abilities welcome
one & two-day courses in throwing, Location: South Herefordshire class
Dates: Mon/Tues/Weds days and
hand-building and decorating; pottery workshops-at-wobage.co.uk Dates: Throughout the year
evenings
parties for all ages. All for beginners and Location: Leiston, Suffolk
Location: Bridgend, S Wales
more advanced katiespotterystudio.co.uk
janemalvisi.co.uk Dates: Various all-year-round! WARKS/N’HANTS/ SUDBURY POTTERY CLASS
ORIEL BODFARI GALLERY AND Location: South Herefordshire OXON Courses: Weekly classes, workshops,
POTTERY all-year-round.org.uk one offs and pottery for kids. Various
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, AMERTON ARTS STUDIO ROB BIBBY hand building, slab, coil and surface
Raku, etc Courses: Life sculpture. Working from a Courses: Pottery classes decoration. All abilities welcome
Dates: Various life model to create a figurative sculpture. Dates: Tuesday morning and evening, Dates: Weekly, daytime and evening/
Location: Bodfari, North Wales Step-by-step tuition, beginners welcome one-offs by some weekends
E: rjpceramic@gmail.com Dates: Termly, Saturdays arrangement Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
orielbodfarigallery.co.uk Location: Stowe by Chartley Location: Woodnewton, Oundle sudburypotteryclass.co.uk
amertonartstudio.com robbibbyceramics.co.uk THAXTED POTTERS
CAMBS/LINCS BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL CENTRE OF ENGLAND ARTS Courses: Beginners and intermediates
Courses: Beginners & Intermediate Courses: Novice to experienced, Dates: Various 6-week sessions
PAULA ARMSTRONG Dates: Tuesday & Thursday including throwing Location: Thaxted, Essex
Courses: Handbuilding, workshops Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Dates: Weekly, Thursday evenings thaxtedpotters.co.uk
Dates: Monday and Thursday The BCB operates a clay school and a 7-9pm
mornings, Tuesday & Thursday
evenings, monthly Saturday workshops
variety of courses throughout the year.
britishceramicsbiennial.com
Location: Nr Solihull
coea.co.uk
BEDS/BUCKS/HERTS
Location: Willingham, Cambs
parmstrongceramics.co.uk EARTH AND FIRE CERAMICS PUP RUGBY CLAY WITH CAROLE
Courses: hand-building, throwing by Courses: Pop-up pottery, pay-as-you- Courses: Handbuilding, throwing
MATTHEW BLAKELY arrangement, pop-up pottery. 1:1 or go. Come and have a go! Dates: Various
Courses: Weekend Courses: Throwing, small groups, 2-hour intensive lessons Dates: Wednesdays, fortnightly Location: Hitchin, Herts
Porcelain throwing Dates: Various, 4-weekly courses Location: Newton Village Hall, nr Rugby claywithcarole.co.uk
Dates: Monthly Location: Great Haywood, Stafford FB: @popuppotteryrugby
Location: Lode, Cambs DIGSWELL CERAMICS
Facebook: @earthandfireceramics E: puprugby@gmail.com
matthewblakely.co.uk COMMUNITY
KAREN FINCHAM CERAMICS SWANSPOOL CERAMICS Courses: Beginners’ tuition, support for
DEEPDALE POTTERY Courses: Hand building and throwing. Courses: Handbuilding, throwing, all experienced potters
Courses: Handbuilding and throwing One to one and group sessions levels. Open access studio. Weekend Dates: Tuesdays, Thursdays
for beginners and experienced Dates: Weekdays, evenings and courses & one-off experiences Location: Letchworth
Dates: Weekend and weekday courses, Saturdays Dates: Termly, year-round
including yurt accommodation if Location: Redditch, Worcestershire NORTH MARSTON POTTERY
Location: Castle Ashby, Northants Courses: Variety of pottery courses
required, throughout the year clayclass.co.uk swanspoolceramics.co.uk
Location: Barton upon Humber, North Dates: Contact directly for further
POP UP POTTERY STUDIO details
Lincs (EARTH & FIRE CERAMICS)
yurtatthechapel.co.uk Courses: Beginner courses to learn NORFOLK/SUFF/ Location: North Marston,
Buckinghamshire
HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM simple techniques ESSEX northmarstonpottery.co.uk
COLLEGE Dates: Tuesday evenings &
Friday afternoons RUBY SHARP
Courses: Handbuilding, throwing, PHIL ARTHUR Courses: Hand building, throwing,
plus summer school workshops Location: Great Haywood (near Courses: Pottery classes
Stafford), Staffordshire decorating pots, sculpture for home
Dates: Various Dates: Tuesday evening, Thursday and garden
Location: Cambridge carolinefarnellsmith@gmail.com afternoon
Dates: Throughout the year (weekend
hillsroadadulteducation.co.uk POTCLAYS Location: Cawston, Norfolk
& day sessions available)
THE POT SHOP Courses: Basic/Intermediate/Advanced Philarthur1951@btinternet.com
Location: Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Courses: Individual and small groups Throwing, Intro to glazes, Pottery Basics, DEBORAH BAYNES rubysharppottery.co.uk
pottery classes in a professional Moulding and Slipcasting, Tilemaking Courses: Residential and nonresidential
workshop Dates: Various Dates: Weekends (spring/autumn), full
Dates: Various, throughout the year Location: Stoke-on-Trent weeks (July/Aug) WILTS/HANTS/
Location: Lincoln potclays.co.uk Location: Shotley, Suffolk
potterycourses.net
BERKS
Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: THE SCULPTURE PLACE
@potshop1 Courses: Figurative Sculpture Classes BRICK HOUSE CRAFTS ANGELS FARM POTTERY
Tel. 01522 528994 Dates: Weekly sessions: Monday, Courses: handbuilding, throwing, Courses: Residential (B&B) & non-
POTTERYDAYZ Wednesday & Thursday (running for decoration, mould making, raku in the residential. Throwing, handbuilding,
Courses: Wheel throwing for beginners 6 weeks) summer. Beginners to professional decorating
and more Location: Wolverhampton, welcome. Leisure classes & City & Guilds Dates: Sat and w/ends once a month.
experienced Staffordshire L2 and L3 courses Weekly evening classes & Fri am.
Dates: Saturdays, 9.30-3pm thesculptureplace.co.uk Dates: Tues - Friday 10am to 4pm, Sat One-off days for groups, min 4, max 8
Location: Peterborough/East Midlands STONEHOUSE STUDIOS 10am - 12 midday attendees
FB: @claydayzz, Courses: Throwing & handbuilt Location: Silver End, Essex Location: Lyndhurst, New Forest, Hants.
E: potterydayz@gmail.com ceramics, sculpture & life sculpture. brickhouseceramics.co.uk angelsfarm.co.uk
Issue 15 ClayCraft 81
BRACKNELL AND WOKINGHAM BANWELL POTTERY LEACH POTTERY Location: Ashurst, West Sussex
COLLEGE Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, Courses: 3 & 5-day throwing, evening jwceramics.net
Courses: Mixed ability adult leisure modeling, slab work, coil work, tile- classes handbuilding, throwing THE CLAY ROOM UK
classes taught throughout the daytime making Dates: Various, each month Courses: Clay taster workshops;
and evening. All abilities welcome in Dates: Weekly evening class, Weds Location: St Ives, Cornwall introductory pottery; mould-making
our well-equipped pottery studio, 6-8pm leachpottery.com & slip-casting; transfer; termly pottery
where a range of pottery techniques are Location: Weston-super-Mare, TARKA POTTERY courses; Christmas workshops & private
taught by experienced tutors. One-day N Somerset Courses: All levels from beginners lessons
specialist courses taught throughout banwellpottery.org to intermediate all year round. Taster Dates: Various
the year sessions for individuals or groups, Location: Chelsfield, Orpington
CARANTOC ART
Dates: Mon – Thurs, daytime and weekly throwing and handbuilding theclayroomuk.com
Courses: Intensive & regular classes
evening courses. Child/family workshops, parties
Location: Woodley Hill House, Earley, available in pottery & ceramic sculpture THE CLAY STUDIO
Dates: Year-round Dates: Tuesday to Saturday Courses: Handbuilding, throwing,
Berks Location: North Devon
bracknell.ac.uk/courses/Leisure/ Location: Weston-super-Mare, surface decoration, glazing for
North Somerset tarkapottery.co.uk beginners/experienced potters.
courses/ceramics-sculpture
Tel: 01344 868600 carantoc-art.co.uk Raku, smoke-firing and animal sculpture
CREATIVE CLAY FOR ALL Dates: Mon-Thurs all day inc evenings
‘CLAY SURGERY’ WITH SUZANNE
Travelling clay workshops for those
KENT/SUSSEX/ Location: Groombridge, nr Tunbridge
& ABBY
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, who have no access to a kiln. Ideal for SURREY/LONDON Wells
community groups. claystudio@eunicelocher.com
glazing, raku, mould-making for
Based in Dorset ART OF MINE THE CLAY WORKSHOP
beginners and improvers
facebook.com/creativeclayforall Courses: 1-1 throwing tuition, hand Courses: Throwing, hand-building,
Dates: Weekends throughout the year
creativeclayforall@yahoo.co.uk building, surface decoration for all ages glazing, decorating, raku. All levels, inc
Location: Waterlooville, Hants
abbyducharme@hotmail.co.uk and abilities. Birthday parties, team 1:1s
PATRICK ESSON building and taster sessions
Courses: Modelling, coiling, slab work, Dates: Various, ongoing
THE CREATIVE CAVERN Dates: Various Location: Central Eastbourne
Courses: Various, inc 1:1 throwing, pinching, throwing Location: Maidstone, Kent
Dates: Various grahammatthewsceramics.com
Dates: Various info@thisartofmine.co.uk
Location: Winnersh, Berks Location: Gloucester LAURA CROSLAND CERAMICS
thepaintnightcompany.co.uk/ p.esson@aliqua-art-gallery.com ART SHOP AND POTTERY Courses: Various, one-to-one or group
pages/the-creative-cavern Courses: 1-to-1 throwing tuition. Dates: Various
CHARLOTTE MILLER CERAMICS One-off taster sessions & longer courses
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, Location: Chatham, Kent
EASTCOTT STUDIOS available. Slabbing, tile making and Kids lauracroslandceramics.com
Courses: Workshops, classes, drop-in mould-making, surface decoration Clay Club.
sessions, open access Dates: Termly part-time, taster Dates: Monday to Saturday 10.00am - PETER CUTHBERTSON
Dates: Various workshops, pottery parties 6.00pm Courses: Throwing and handbuilding,
Location: Swindon, Wilts Location: Bournemouth beginners and more advanced
Location: Brighton & Hove
eastcottstudios.co.uk charlottemillerceramics.com Dates: Weekly regular day and
artshopandpottery.com
KITE STUDIOS CLAY STUDIO evening classes plus one off weekends
FIRED THOUGHTS ARTS STUDIO AYLESFORD POTTERY by arrangement
Courses: Ceramics & ceramic sculpture Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, Courses: Raku days, 1-day, 10-week Location: East Hoathly, East Sussex
courses/workshops, all glazing, adult & children courses weekly Pottery classes, Mould Making, Glaze peter.cuthbertson@phonecoop.Coop
skill levels. Raku, 1:1 throwing, all & weekend. One-to-one sessions and Theory & Application
handbuild techniques pottery birthday parties EASTBOURNE STUDIO POTTERS
Dates: Various terms
Dates: Weekly, daytime & Dates: Mon-Sat various times Courses: Throwing, hand building,
Location: Aylesford, Kent
evening/weekends Location: Kemerton, Gloucestershire, surface decoration and glazing for
aylesfordschoolofceramics.co.uk
Location: Devizes, Wilts and London beginners and experienced potters.
whelan581@btinternet.com kitestudios.org BURWASH POTTERY Plus, Personal Project Development
Courses: Various handbuilding, with specialist support. Open access:
JEANNE LEWISTIFF NEW BREWERY ARTS decoration. All levels. Classes, studio hire available for experienced
Courses: Small groups or 1-1 in Courses: Variety of ceramic courses workshops, parties, taster sessions
throwing and/or hand building makers
Dates: Contact directly for further Dates: Terms of 6 weeks, various Dates: Weekly courses throughout the
Dates: Contact for details details Location: Burwash, East Sussex
Location: Maidenhead, Berkshire year. Personal Project on Weds 6-9pm.
Location: Cirencester, burwashpotter.co.uk Location: Eastbourne
E: Jeannelewi@hotmail.co.uk Gloucestershire
THE CERAMIC STUDIO eastbournestudiopottery@gmail.com
SASHA WARDELL newbreweryarts.org.uk eastbournestudiopottery.com
Courses: From beginner to
Courses: Bone china & mould RUARDEAN GARDEN POTTERY professional, plus taster sessions
making courses FOREST ROW SCHOOL OF
Courses: Weekends, week-long Dates: Various CERAMICS
Dates: May to September ( incl.) in Courses: Throwing, Pot Making Location: Five Oak Green, Kent
SW France / Feb & March in Wiltshire Courses: Adult intensive throwing and
Dates: Various theceramicstudio.me.uk handbuilding weekly classes.
Location: SW France/ Wiltshire Location: Forest of Dean
sashawardell.com CERNAMIC Weekend workshops: raku, soda/smoke
ruardeanpottery.com firing, animal sculpture, glaze chemistry,
Courses: With Nam Tran; throwing,
RACHEL FOOKS: CERAMICS mould-making, raku slip decorating.
DORSET/GLOS/ Courses: Weekly classes and one-off Dates: Various Three-month residential Sept-Nov 2018
Location: Forest Row, West Sussex
sessions, hand-building & throwing for
SOMERSET/AVON all abilities
Location: SE London
cernamic.com frschoolofceramics.co.uk
Location: Wareham, Dorset CLAYNGLAZE POTTERY STUDIOS GO CREATE
ARTISAN CRAFT CLASSES & rachelfooksceramics.com
WORKSHOPS Courses: Pay as you go pottery for all Courses: Pottery, sculpture & craft
levels. Various training days/weekend Dates: Various
Courses: Weekly pottery classes -
wheel and handbuilding
DEVON/CORNWALL courses & fine art workshops Location: SW London
Dates: Mondays and Wednesdays, Dates: Days, evenings & weekends gocreate.co.uk
GOONZOYLE POTTERY
one-offs by arrangement Courses: Wheel, handbuilding, glazing, throughout the year CLAIRE GRIFFITHS
Location: Winterborne Monkton, raku and pit-firing. For all abilities in fully Location: West Sussex Dates: Starting September;
Dorchester equipped rural studio. claynglaze.co.uk Weds 10.00am -12.30pm &
mail@artisandt1.co.uk Dates: Morning, Afternoon & Evening THE CLAY PLACE Thurs 7.00- 9.30pm
ASHBROOK STUDIO drop-in workshops throughout the Courses: 6-week courses, one-day Location: Whitstable
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, year. Contact directly for more workshops, bespoke clay days. jc.griffiths@btinternet.com
glazes information. Hand building techniques, slab, coil, HANDMADE IN CHISWICK
One-to-one or small group, daily Location: Camborne, Cornwall surface decoration Courses: Weekly classes and
Dates: All year marykaunenglish@yahoo.co.uk Dates: Wednesday/Friday 6-week one-off workshops inc 1:1 throwing.
Location: Waterrow, Somerset FB: Goonzoylepottery courses Studio time for more experienced
ashbrook-ceramics.co.uk marykaunenglish.com Various dates for one-day workshops learners

82 ClayCraft Issue 15
Dates: Term time for weekly classes, Location: Greenwich, London Dates: Various glazing. Full-board accommodation
by arrangements for workshops and mazehillpottery.co.uk Location: Espressions Art Cafe, available
studio time PADDOCK STUDIO POTTERY Canterbury Dates: All year round, Monday 9am to
Location: London, W4 Courses: 1-day individual or shared, imogentaylor-noble.com Friday 5pm
HandmadeinChiswick.weebly.com throwing, handbuilding TURNING EARTH Location: Saint Génies de Comolas,
sylviejoly@blueyonder.co.uk Dates: Various Courses: Open access studio Tues- France
Twitter: @jolyopsimath Location: Lewes, East Sussex Sun for all levels – must be working Facebook: @FredPotierGres
THE KILN ROOMS thepaddockstudiopottery.co.uk independently. SASHA WARDELL
Courses: Beginners one-off taster THE PAINTING POTTERY CAFE Classes available, see website for Course: Bone china & mould making
sessions; beginners taster classes: Courses: Evening classes: Throwing, details/availability courses
beginner/intermediate courses in hand- coiling, slab & pinch for different Dates: Open access studio Tues-Sun. Dates: May to September (incl) in SW
building, throwing, decorating, glazing. monthly projects. All materials and Location: Hoxton E2 and Lee Valley E10, France/Feb & March in Wiltshire
Masterclasses. Open access glazes provided. £35pp London Location: SW France/Wiltshire
Dates: Various, year round, plus open Dates: 3rd Thursday of the month e2.turningearth.uk sashawardell.com
access 6.30-9.30pm
Location: Three studios in Peckham, Location: Brighton FRANCE SPAIN
East London paintingpotterycafe.co.uk
thekilnrooms.com L’APIPOTERIE /E. PENSA
SULEYMAN SABA TOTEM CERAMICS POTTERY
KITE STUDIOS CLAY STUDIO Courses: Pottery classes Courses: Handbuilding for utilitarian
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding, use and animal sculpture. SCHOOL
Dates: Tuesday and Wednesday
glazing, adult & children courses weekly evenings (Clapham), Bilingual course French and English Courses: Throwing, sculpting,
& weekend. Mondays and Tuesdays (Kingsbury) Dates: 10-12 July and 25-27 August handbuilding, slip casting, general skills
One-to-one sessions and pottery Location: London (Kingsbury and Location: Beaufort sur Gervanne/ for beginners.
birthday parties Clapham) South East of France in the Vercors Weekly classes & courses
Dates: Mon-Sat various times suleymansaba.com regional park Dates: 1-5 day courses, weekly classes,
Location: Kemerton, Gloucestershire, epensa26@gmail.com year-round
STAR POTTERY
and London MAS SARRAT POTTERY Location: Andalucia
Courses: Taster, Weekly classes
kitestudios.org Dates: Various Courses: Introduction to pottery totemceramics.com
LILLAGUNILLA CERAMIC STUDIO Location: Lewes, East Sussex (handbuilding and throwing).
Courses: One-day workshops and hamid-pottery.co.uk Improver pottery handbuilding and REST OF WORLD
Saturday classes in throwing and hand- IMOGEN TAYLORNOBLE throwing) 5-day courses
building Courses: Weekly pottery classes for Dates: April 16-30 and 23-27 DUCTAC, MALL OF EMIRATES
Dates: Various adults and children. Location: Cazals, Lot, France Courses: Introduction to ‘Pottery for all’;
Location: Charlton, South East London Suitable for all levels. Jenniegilbert.com hand-building & throwing. Trial sessions
lillagunillaceramics.co.uk Hand-building, glaze mixing & glazing, Facebook: @cvpotterycourses Dates: Sunday, Monday, Thursday
MAZE HILL POTTERY experimental firing days. UN PETIT TOUR DE TERRE 10-1pm. Tuesday 6.30-9.30pm
Course: Weekly Evening Classes Obvara, Raku, & Saggar. 1:1 throwing Courses: All levels, hand-building, Location: Dubai, UAE
Dates: Throughout the year sessions at my Whitstable studio surface decoration, making tools, raku, ductac.org

NEXT
Don’t
miss it!
MONTH
PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW
ISSUE 16
ON SALE
15 JUNE

 Potfest With the original


Potfest poised to celebrate its 25th
show this summer it's fair to say
that the event's longevity has far
exceeded the expectations of its co-  Colouring clay In the last
founders Geoff and Christine Cox in this current series, we take a
look at appliqué

PLUS:
• pinched penguins
• Raku firing
• coiled mugs
* These are just some of the features planned for the next issue but
circumstances outside our control may force last-minute changes. If

 Throwing project:
this happens, we will substitute items of equal or greater interest.

Wall planter  Salad bowls for summer Issue 15 ClayCraft 83

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