Mud Settee at Evesham Nursery

I spent three lovely days working with the children and staff of Evesham Nursery school in their idyllic forest school site.

The children helped dig, bag shift, and re-arrange half a tonne of Worcestershire's finest soil before rendering the structure with a soggy mix of mud, clay, water and straw.




Visit our Facebook photo album to see the sofa taking shape.

Pottery Hen Party

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of hosting a pottery hen party for a group of girls from North Wales.

As the gang had been 'celebrating' the previous evening, a calm and gentle activity was sought to soothe tired heads and weary souls! Making and painting coil-pots at Eastnor Pottery provided the perfect solution.

To view the marvellous creations the women made, please take a look at the Facebook album we've created.

Oratory Primary School

I spent a lovely couple of days working with the children and staff at The Oratory Primary School in Birmingham. Each child in the school made an individual coil-pot as well as experiencing a 'potter's wheel' assembly.

Pictured here, my lonesome wheel in the expanse of the empty hall.

Abbey Park First School

Gemma spent an enjoyable couple of days working with years three and four at Abbey Park First School in Pershore .

Prior to Gemma's visit, the children had worked with a storyteller on a couple of Indian folk tales; The Boy Who Wanted a Drum, and The Moon Creation Story.

On the first day, the children presented their stories to Gemma before producing a couple of collaborative flowerpots. On day two the children concentrated on their own individual creations inspired by the characters from the stories.The two classes really used their imagination, producing some beautiful drawings and excellent 3D drums, figures, moons, boats, and houses, amongst other things. What an inspirational project!














All of the work will now be dried and fired before returning to the school in a few week's time.

Potter on Film...(Again)

For the second time last week my practice was recorded as moving image.

Brearley and Teviot Nursery are making a promotional DVD of all the fantastic opportunities and learning experiences they offer the children.

As well as experiencing the sheer joy of water and spinning clay, the children made honey pots, cups and a fantastic aeroplane (pictured above).

The man behind the lens - James a talented film-maker who also facilitates educational projects in and around the city.

Bilston Video

I spent the day last Monday being filmed for a short DVD to accompany my exhibition at Bilston Craft Museum.

The production team, pictured left to right; Anthony (film-maker), Carrie and Natalie (Bilston Craft Gallery).

Mum's on Tour

Once a year a group of friends from Oxford relinquish their family ties and chores and spend a weekend away enjoying each others company. The mini break usually encompasses a group activity; last weekend it was the potter's wheel.

The girls spent Sunday morning in Eastnor making some very tidy looking pots on the potter's wheel, and some credible hand-built sculptures and constructions. We've created a Facebook photo album to record the fun and clay frolics!

Potter's Wheel Workshop

Sally and Barry proudly display their freshly thrown wares. The couple were attending one of our regular potter's wheel workshops.

Having never thrown a pot before, they grasped the concept straight away. the pair made a collection of plates, bowls and mugs which we'll fire and glaze once they've had a chance to dry out.

If you fancy sampling the delights of the potter's wheel, please check out our website .

Country House Collection

Participants from our Easter children's pottery workshops sessions collect their masterpieces.

A Drumming Good Time

The boys tryout my drum pots in the pottery garden...

The Cracks Have Appeared...

It's been a few weeks since I was last at the Brickworks. On my last visit, I left the largest completed vessel unwrapped to allow the bricks to dry and shrink.

Quite a dramatic effect I think you'll agree?

I love the tones and colour displayed by the uneven drying - the darker bricks at the bottom are still quite damp whilst the 'white' ones at the top are nearly dry enough for firing.

Work Experience Student

Introducing Sally, who has joined us this week on a work experience placement. Sally is a second year Ceramics student from Cardiff School of Art and Design. We are really grateful for the extra pair of hands, especially a degree student with knowledge and understanding of materials and process.

Sally's been working with me at Coleford Brick and Tile Company, in the Forest of Dene, helping with the work for my show at the Bilston Museum and Art Gallery.

Photo Session

Tuesday was a busy day here at the Pottery. Gemma and myself were joined once again by Chris Smart - photographer extraordinaire, Natalie - exhibitions officer from Bilston Museum and Art Gallery, and Sally - work experience student from Cardiff School of Art and Design.

The day was spent photographing my work for the exhibition in July. There was a lot of 'moving' furniture and pottery around the studio as Chris experimented with backgrounds, light and composition. As per usual the results were fantastic. The images will be used for publicity purposes prior to the show and for large prints to be hung on the walls to compliment the pots.

Kiln Catastrophe

For some years now, the nature of my practice has been interpersonal - I've worked with participants of all ages and abilities, making things out of clay destined to be recycled rather than being fired.

I was starkly and cruelly reminded this week of the potential for disaster when committing work to the kiln.

I lifted the kiln lid to find all of the pieces...in pieces or severely cracked beyond repair - 2-3 days of work ruined in one foul swoop.

You would think that twenty years plus of experience would render the firing of work a mundane and risk free activity...It's anything but. There are so many variables to the process of firing; temperature, rate of temperature climb, size of the work, position in the kiln...I could go on.

Just one small change - in this case the shape of the thrown form, and you can pretty much throw everything you know out of the window!

Although I've been working with brick clay for the past three years, I'm still learning how it works...but when you have a deadline looming, the need to get it right is intensified.

I had forgotten what a frustrating and destructive process transforming clay into ceramic could be. Those pieces that survive the rigours of the kiln are special and should not in any way be taken for granted - lots of 'metaphor for life' potential me thinks!

Skills on Show at Brearley & Teviot Nursery

It always astounds me the social and personal developments that take place during a child's first year in education at Nursery school.

I've had the privilege to work at Brearley and Teviot Nursery for the past twelve months and have witnessed huge changes in the class of 2011. As a new intake in September 2010, the children enjoyed experiencing clay in a physical and tactile manner - squidging, flattening and experimenting with simple hand tools.

The majority of children I worked with on Wednesday had advanced to the point where they wanted to produce objects as opposed to playing with the material.

The first animals, (mouse/elephant) although charming with all the correct features in the right places, were constructed out of solid lumps - destined to explode if they were ever to be fired. In an attempt to challenge the children's learning, I demonstrated the pinch-pot technique as a way of creating a hollow form - a technique normally reserved for older children.

The results were astounding - perfect pinch-pots executed with great skill and dexterity.

We took this technique outside, producing bowls, vases and other vessels to contain the dandelions, daisy and other vegetation the children had collected.

Children's Pottery Workshops at Easter

Blur's 'Country House' provided the inspiration for our children's pottery sessions in the Easter holidays. Young potters from all over the West Midlands (and beyond) sampled the traditional technique of slab building in order to create miniature dwellings. There were a considerable amount of thatched cottages produced as well as the odd hotel and haunted mansion. The children's masterpieces will be fired, glazed and will be ready for collection on the 6th, 7th, and 8th of May from Eastnor Pottery.

The next workshop sessions are due to take place in half term on the 1st and 2nd of June. The theme is coil-pot critters and places can only be reserved by telephoning 01531 633886, or by sending an email to admin@eastnorpottery.co.uk