Collecting Work

Rachel and her sisters popped into the pottery to pick up their fabulous 'funky fruits' from her 9th Birthday party celebrations a few weeks ago.

First Week of the Holidays...

I spent a couple of days this week working at Grace Academy in Solihull. Children could opt into either clay with myself or football in the school hall. I was somewhat surprised by some of the footballing teenage lads, who, at lunch break, plonked themselves down at the clay tables and proceeded to make stuff for half an hour or so- "It really gets you focused" was one of the comments.

Twenty staff from Lillian De Lissa Nursery School made the trip from Birmingham to Eastnor to sample the delights of our potter's wheel team building workshop - not that the gang needed much team building! I've never known such a cohesive bunch! The school greatly values creativity and has an excellent approach to its work with the under five's.

We all had a fantastic time constructing a Lillian De Lissa coat of arms and throwing wobblies on the potter's wheel! I can't wait till the Autumn when I'll be visiting the school again to work with the children for the third time.

Last Week of Term...

...I had the pleasure of working with Palfrey Junior School in Birmingham. The project was part of a community cohesion drive and children from neighbouring Pheasey Park Primary came along to Palfrey to join in the clay fun. Over one hundred children each made a tile. When assembled the tiles will make up a circular clock, one metre in diameter. I'll be visiting Pheasey Park in the autumn, when children from Palfrey will help Pheasey Park make their own clock.


Also had a final flying potter visit to Badsey First School near Evesham. We produced a village of little Badsey inspired clay houses. The last four sessions have all been spent working with years four and five - nice end to the school year, and for half of the children a clay finale to their time spent at Badsey. These children were also the very first that I worked with at the school - six years ago! Then they were all in the Reception class - where does the time go!?

Special Occasion Workshops

The last couple of weekends have been taken up with large groups of women visiting the pottery, choosing clay as a way of marking that special day:

Miranda's Hen Party
Twenty one of them in total. The gals were staying in Tepee accommodation hence the feathered headdress's.





Keston's 40th
Keston and fourteen of her girlfriends, spent a morning at Eastnor Pottery taking turns on the wheel and making decorative plates to mark her birthday.





Penny's Henny!
Another hen party. This time local lass Penny and friends descended on the studio to make ceramic artifacts and momentoes. Nice hat Penny!

Jess' Work Experience

We were fortunate to have an additional member of staff this week - Jess, a year 10 John Masefield High School student, who spent five days accompanying us on various workshops, projects and tasks.




This is how Jess' week panned out:
Monday & Tuesday - John Moore Primary School in Tewkesbury, working with the whole school, to produce collaborative planters - one for each class.

Wednesday - A day with Gemma at the studio, packing kilns, caretaking wet pots, and making tools.

Thursday - Assisting Sarah on a Clayplay session at the pottery for the under five's, and their families.

Friday - Demonstrating the potter's wheel in front of an appreciative audience in Ledbury town centre. We took a stand at a craft market as part of Ledbury Poetry Festival. Whilst Jon chatted to potential customers, Jess threw some fantastic pots on the wheel - very impressive - well done Jess!

Sally's Clay Play

A regular and valued customer of our children's events, mum of three Sally organised for her pre-school group to visit the studio on Friday. The children and grown-ups prodded, pushed, rolled and squidged their way through an hour's worth of clay fun, before retiring to the Pottery lawn for a picnic - nice!

Schools Work

This week we had the pleasure of working with Clifton Primary School in Birmingham, Badsey First School near Evesham, Lillian de Lissa Nursery School in Birmingham, St Francis Xavier Primary from Hereford, and Gorse Hill Primary, Worcester - phew!

Whilst I was out and about being the Flying Potter, Sarah and Gemma delivered a variety of workshop sessions here at the studio in Eastnor. Here are a few images from this busy, busy, hot and sticky week!
Just a few of the 90 year 3 children Jon worked with at Clifton Primary on Monday.

Funky Fruit and Veg made by years 5 and 6 at Badsey First School. The children are studying their local 'Vale of Evesham' environment.





Model village!
Sarah and Gemma worked with year 2 from St Francis Xavier Primary School at Eastnor Pottery HQ - fabulous fire of London inspired clay houses - drying in the sun.

Kilned Caterpillar

Back in May I worked with thousands of Oxfordshire Cubs and Scouts, to produce this fantastic collaborative Caterpillar. See previous blog entry for details: http://www.eastnorpottery.co.uk/blog/2009_05_01_archive.html

The Big Chill

Collaborative 'Love pots' from Big Chill 2007. Can you find your heart?!






The festival season is now in full swing, and we are extremely fortunate to have http://www.bigchill.net take place here in Eastnor Deer Park.

For the last couple of years, we have provided a variety of clay workshop sessions as part of the event. This year we'll be pitching our pea green potting tent in the 'Body and Soul' field - offering punters the opportunity to make pots on the potter's wheel. 1/2 hr workshop sessions will take place throughout the festival - on site, pre-booking is essential! Come up and see us or call 07814730022, when you've arrived in Eastnor.

Sing a Song of Sixpence

I've been invited by Shire Hall Museum and Art Gallery in Staffordshire, to take part in an exhibition entitled Nursery Rhymes, aimed at the under five's. Selected makers have been asked to illustrate a nursery rhyme in their particular artform. I have been assigned 'Sing a song of Sixpence'! As well as producing a giant pie dish, I'm creating a set of handling pieces to go in the dish. Here are just a few of the four and twenty blackbirds - work in progress. The exhibition runs 12 Sept - 1 Nov 2009. Check out www.staffordshire.gov.uk/sams for details.