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NEWSLETTERSUMMER 2010

www.anglianpotters.org.uk

IN THIS ISSUE:Glaze recipes

Stephen ParryRaku kiln building

Namibian challengeNeil and Sally Macdonell

The Percival David Collection

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CHAIRMAN'S REPORTSELECTED MEMBER

Congratulations to John Mastertonon becoming as a Selected Member.We look forward to seeing more ofhis Copper Red bowls at futureexhibitions.RAKU KILNS

I understand that the Raku kilnbuilding day went well. Our thanksto Jerry Finlayson for hosting andleading this so well.HADDENHAM GALLERY

Anja Penger has arranged for a Selected Members Exhibition at theHaddenham Gallery from 9 October to 7 November next.DAY EVENTS

A great and popular feature of our Day Events has been the wonderfullunches. It is sad to learn that no one was available to co-ordinate thearrangements in Brenda Green's absence on AGM Day. I hope and trust thatwe can resume our former arrangements at future days, and we must nottake our volunteers for granted! I look forward to meeting many of you atsome or all of our forthcoming events.STOP PRESS: AGMThe AGM held on 16 May was very well attended, despite the last-minutechange of venue. We welcome four new officers to the committee: RayAuker as Vice Chairman, Jackie Watson and Karrie Langdon as ExhibitionsOrganiserss and Christine Pike as Press Officer. Many thanks are due toHelen Humphreys and Cathy D'Arcy as retiring Exhibitions Organisers.A longer report follows in the next Newsletter.Victor

EDITOR’S NOTESWelcome to our biggest edition so far: a jam-packed 24 pages! For thissummer edition I have been swamped with material, so have decided toexpand and contract the number of pages according to the amount of copythat you send in. I hope you enjoy the variety of contributions: alongside ourusual reports from Demonstration Days, there are useful glaze recipes,fascinating museum visits, travels in Africa, exciting kiln building, and lots ofbook reviews as well as members news and shows. Enjoy!Carolyn

ANGLIAN POTTERS OFFICERSPRESIDENT LADY SAINSBURY

CHAIRMANVictor Knibbs

VICE CHAIRMANRay Auker

SECRETARYSusan Cupitt

TREASURERLiz Chipchase

EDITORCarolyn Postgate

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARYMary Wyatt

PUBLICITY SECRETARYSally Macpherson

PRESS OFFICERChristine Pike

EXHIBITIONS ORGANISERSJackie Watson

Karrie Langdon

SELECTED MEMBERS SECRETARYAnja Penger

WEBMASTERIan George

EVENTS ORGANISERSHeather Graham

Felicity Hoyle

POTTERS CAMP ORGANISERJerry Finlayson

Raku Kiln Building weekend, fitting buttons to lids

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9 & 10 October 2010We are booked in again for Ickworthand applications are welcomed. Lastyear it was a relaxed and enjoyableoccasion with many suggesting thatthey would like to come again.Some fees to the National Trusthave gone up a bit but it is still agood deal.Fees: £55 per table (you can share)and up to £17 per table for table hireand admin costs and expenses (liketransporting the marquee). Help isneeded to put up the marquee onthe Friday and take down on theMonday (if not on Sunday evening).

ANGLIAN POTTERS AT ICKWORTH

CORRECTIONOn pages 4-5 in the Spring 2010Newsletter, the photographs taken inthe Grapevine Gallery were wronglycredited to Anja Penger: they werein fact taken by Peter Lowe, theowner of the gallery, and we are verygrateful to him for supplying suchexcellent shots!Carolyn

Please apply well before 30 June.For all enquiries and to return theenclosed application form contact:Harvey Bradley, 29 Meadow Rise,Billericay CM11 2DTemail: bradley845@btinternet.comtel: 01277 659281Harvey Bradley

This year John Masterton was newlyappointed as a Selected Member.His work will be familiar to you as heexhibits in AP open exhibitions andat many other venues. John’s workis finely thrown porcelain. He usescopper red, celadon and tenmokuglazes which are fired to 1280°C-1300°C in reduction in a gas firedkiln. Congratulation to John and,again, well done selectioncommittee!Anja PengerSelected Members’ Secretary

SELECTION 2010

CONGRATULATIONS...to Ian and Karen George on the birthof their son, Adam Morgan George,on 1 May 2010.

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CONTENTSPage 2 Chairman’s Report,; Editor’s Notes; CommitteePage 3 Anglian Potters at Ickworth; Selection MeetingPage 4 Stephen Parry Demonstration Day at MundfordPage 7 Chinese Ceramics in the British Museum: The Percival David CollectionPage 8 Raku Kiln Building Weekend at ShotleyPage 10 Raku Glaze Recipes from Potters’ CampPage 11 Glaze Recipes from Wendy LawrencePage 12 Neil and Sally Macdonell Demonstration Day at MundfordPage 16 The Excitement of a Challenge: Namibian JourneyPage 17 Clay Academy at Great Yarmouth; My Favourite Tool; Ceramic HelplinePage 18 Book ReviewsPage 21 The Burton Art Gallery and Museum, Bideford, DevonPage 22 Thanks to the Recession: Cambridge Open Studios; City & Guilds at Brick House;

Members’ Websites; Anglian Potters on FacebookPage 23 Deepdale Christmas Market; Anglian Potters Clay StoresPage 24 Members’ Shows; Wanted & For Sale; Diary Dates, Membership Fees; Advertising Rates

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ANGLIAN POTTERS SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2010

Cover: Cat at the window & fishin the pond, by Neil MacdonellPhoto: Carolyn Postgate

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STEPHEN PARRY AT MUNDFORD

This was a rare opportunity to hearStephen talk about his work and tobe thrilled by his demonstration. Hetook us through his life, which hasalways involved potting. At 16 yearsold he went to stay in the LoireValley with a potter friend of hisparents, Owen Watson. Here hewas introduced to wood firing andthe local ash glazed pots. Thetraditional French stoneware pots(often fired on their sides so theglaze ran horizontally across thepots) inspired him and reference wasmade to this by the audience withregard to some of his more recentpots as we traced these influencescoming through. He was intrigued bythe local black clay of the areawhich showed the flashing. Aftertrying a range of other jobs hetrained at Croydon Art College. Thiswas followed by working in theDartington Pottery as a student intheir training workshop and later asa member of staff. Then he madehis own pots. He taught inCamberwell and Southend Collegeand eventually saved enough topurchase his own pottery inRyburgh, Norfolk. He showed uspictures of the pottery which heinitially had to renovate and which hedesigned with a showroom above hiswork space, as he had been advisedto sell direct. It was a wonderfulspace in the rafters.Stephen works on a momentum

kilns take 3-4 days to fire. This ledto an invitation to visit Japan and thelarge anagama kilns which contain1000 pots and will take a year’swork at a time.Stephen built his own kilns. At firsthe made mostly kitchen ware andhad a large kiln which he has nowturned into two fireboxes which havea crossdraft rather than a downdraftand are easier to pack and morepredictable. They fire with a slowstart overnight and take 20-24 hoursto fire. He amused us with his talesof the passers-by on the road callingthe fire brigade out as they sawhuge flames coming from the kilnchimney and the firemen arriving justat the critical time of firing. He nowreduces during the day so theflames are not so visible. The thirdkiln he built is smaller for testing. Heconstantly experiments and tests.He made kitchen pots and jugs andis known for his ash glazes. Heuses pine ash glaze (often using ashfrom his wood burning stove), anapple ash (from an apple orchard inHerefordshire) which produces abeautiful blue glaze, and an oak ash.The ash glaze contains ash, clayand feldspar or sometimes flint. Hesometimes add different ball clays.He mixes his own clay, which is finegrogged and stoneware andsometimes he mixes it with a blackValentine’s clay. He has also startedto use porcelain.When Stephen made the kitchenpots, he raw fired them. Now hetends to make individual pieceswhich he biscuit fires before glazing.He has made tiled panels for TheRocket in Cromer (a communitycentre above the lifeboat house). Hehad to experiment with these and,as the walls of the building were notstraight, he made them in metalframes.At the Salthouse Exhibition atSalthouse Church in Norfolk he hadbeen assigned a plot outside theChurch and he used similar tileswith a transfer of himself on it. Hehas experimented recently withtransfers fired onto pots at 850°Cafter a firing to 1260°C.DemonstrationStephen started off demonstrating alarge pot. He was throwing on amomentum wheel. He has been

wheel and for his large pots he hasadapted a metal cartwheel mountedon a bearing from a Mini. At theback is a board which he stands onso that he can work on the upperparts of his large pots (they arenearly as tall as he is). Stephen hasexperimented with local clays. Helikes the random patterns found innature and is inspired by his localviews of trees, hills and sunsets andthe open flat areas of the Norfolkcoast. Recently he has begun toexplore the fens and the manysheds and silos which can be foundrusting there – colours which echothose on his wood fired pots.He helped a Japanese potter atWysing build and fire his kiln. These

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influenced by the large Egyptianpots, where both ends of thecylinder are thrown. He hasexperimented with different methodsto make the large pots and he isintrigued by the way the differentmethods can change the feel of thewhole pot.He put about 20 pounds of clay asnear to the centre of the wheel aspossible and beat it down in order tosave water (if it gets too wet it islikely to crack). He threw the lumpand opened it down to thewheelhead. We watched enthralledas he silently, meditatively threw andthe pot grew beneath his fingers. Heused a rib made from an oldboxwood ruler, which, he says, can

sometimes be picked up from carboot sales! In the first section thebase wall is left thicker than the top.Having thrown the top, he thenthrilled us all with the massiveblowtorch (made from parts pickedup at Fakenham market). The hugeflame licked the sides of the pot asit slowly rotated on the wheelhead.The blowtorch dried the outside of

the pot leaving the inside damp –steam rising from the centre.Stephen throws on bats, so he thentook off this pot. On another bat hethrew a chuck and covered it with acloth. Then he took the pot he hadmade and, as the audience gasped,he turned the pot upside down andplaced it into the chuck. He thenpulled the top (which was the base)up to the desired height.

Stephen then made a base ring onanother wooden bat. He scored thetop of the pot and turned the largepot upside down onto the base ring.He turned the edge up andblowtorched the base, again with thepot turning. He turned the pot overand placed a ring of clay on the top.He stood to pull up this ring of clay.He dried the base and top. His clayis a mix of his own ball clay, chinaclay and fine grog (which is pre-firedto cone 34 and does not bloat).Having dried the base and top,Stephen added handfuls of thick slipwhich he wrapped round the pot –rather like a loose bandage, Ithought. His slip is basically theclay with some added flux. Thisgives a different finish and texture inthe wood firing. The slip gives

movement to his pots. He hasresearched which slips will work onthe clays he uses: varying the claysor the slips will create variation. Heuses one clay with iron in it whichfires black and he also impressesporcelain balls into the pot to looklike hidden shells. These balls ofporcelain have some mushed uptissue paper in them to stop themshrinking. He then impresses themwith a plaster stamp.This method has been adapted to

smaller pots. Stephen thendemonstrated a pot which he startedin the same way as the larger pot –i.e. open both at ends. It wasblowtorched. He then put it in achuck and added a base to the top.Then he collared it from the outsideand the base naturally curved down.He threw a collar from a lump of clayand then placed the bottle in thecentre, base down and dried with theblowtorch. He put the neck ring onand shaped it and then covered thepot with slip.

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Turning to something different,Stephen showed us how he makeshis flat dishes. He described howdifficult it was to get a good edge.When he had made the tiles for TheRocket at Cromer, he had made thetiles by placing wet grogged clayinto wooden frames. So he adaptedthis method for his flat dishes.Having made the frame, he placed acloth over the frame. Then he madea simple design on the cloth withslip using a slip trailer. He then driedit a little until there was a skin onthe slip. Next he placed the soft, wetclay on top and smoothed the clayto get the edges neat and slightlycurved. He banged the clay downonto a bat which helped to smoothout the clay. He will dry it for 4-5days and then take the frame off. Atthis point he placed cloth over an oldsatellite dish and placed the dishwithin it. Once again he banged thesatellite dish down so that the dishtook on its curve. He leaves it herefor 3-4 days. At this point he madethe feet for the dish, by cuttingsquares from a length of clay. Hescored the clay and placed the fourlegs onto the dish. He placed a baton top and then turned the wholedish over. We appreciated how theedge, which could have been thickand coarse, had been transformedinto a naturally curving fine edge.These dishes are fired on theiredges and are not glazed with theash glazes. The slip for these dishesis a calcite china clay and not thick,for a thick slip would crack and aporcelain clay would crack andshrink. The clay for these dishes isblack clay and stoneware clay.

Stephen then made a jug. It wassheer delight to watch the clay moveunder his hands. In no time at all itseemed he had pulled the clay talland straight. Usually he would makethe spout later, but he showed ushow he did it. He had been taught byMick Casson how to make theraised spout which hedemonstrated. Some clay was left atthe top of the pot for the rim. Thenwith the thumb inside and fingerssupporting on the outside he pulledsome clay up into a flat cone. Thisneeded to be even. The cone waseased to form the spout and thesides slightly indented and markedwith a flat tool. The base wasundercut and the extra clay formedthe foot of the jug. The handle wasmade by coiling a roll of clay andchopping it into sections. He thenpulled one section of the coil. Hehalf pulled it and then attached it tothe top of the jug and continued topull the handle and join it on the pot.The pot was then ready to decoratewith marks.

Stephen provided us with a grippingand stimulating demonstration whichthrilled us all. Our thanks to him forhis generous sharing of the secretsof his years of experience andexperimentation. He is truly analchemical potter!Wendy Bratherton

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CHINESE CERAMICS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM

During the move each piece was cleaned,checked and documented, with a new touch-screen catalogue available in the gallery andalso online. Tall cabinets house the majority ofthe collection around the walls, with a centralarea where significant pieces are displayed withfull documentation. The cabinets are all of non-reflective glass, lit with LED lights, so it ispossible to see right through the gallery from oneend to the other. Much of the work has beendisplayed in groups by colour – monochromeporcelain being a major part of the collection.This gives a stunning picture of work that looksas fresh today as when it was made.As you enter the gallery there are two largefourteenth century temple vases that are datedand have been used as primary examples in the

study of Chinese blue and white wares. They aloneare worth millions.I’m afraid that all I can do is to enthuse about theway in which this collection has been revitalised togive the visitor a vision of the spread of the highestquality Chinese ceramics over seventeencenturies. Every time I visit – almost every time Iget into London – I find some more inspiration. Thecopper red glaze I use on some of my work isbased on an analysis of the 14th-15th centurypieces shown in this gallery. If my work reachesthe same level of perfection, I might be prepared tosay “that’s not bad!”Next time you are anywhere near the BritishMuseum, pay a visit, even if Chinese pots aren’tyour thing. As the new Contemporary Ceramicsshop and CPA centre will be opposite the BM,there will be even more excuses to pop along.John Masterton

One of the highlights of 2009 was the opening of a new galleryin the British Museum, housing the Sir Percival DavidCollection on Chinese ceramics. Sir Percival David, a memberof the wealthy Sassoon banking family, was born in 1892 inIndia. He amassed a wonderful collection of Chinese works,some 1700 pieces in all, mostly the highest quality Imperialpieces, with examples from the 3rd to the 19th centuries. Thisis one of the most complete collections of Imperial Chineseceramics in the world – it includes 12 examples of Ru warefrom the 11th century Northern Sung dynasty, which, with theother pieces already in the BM collection, constitute about athird of the known examples.I first came across the collection thanks to a University-organised visit when I was in my first year at Harrow. It washoused in a beautiful Bloomsbury town house in GordonSquare, where Sir Percival David had established a publicmuseum of the work. The collection was left to the Universityof London School of Oriental and African Studies. Over theyears, funding for the museum has been reduced, and theUniversity was unwilling to supply any more money.Fortunately, space was provided in the British Museum,where part of the old music library was refurbished, thanks tothe generosity of Sir Joseph Hotung. A new gallery has beencreated to show the works at their best.

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RAKU KILN BUILDING WEEKEND AT SHOTLEYAbout a dozen Anglia Pottersassembled bright and early on aSaturday in April, all with pieces ofkit such as masks, gloves andgoggles, which we were asked tobring. Susan handed out an A4sheet of instructions and directionson what we were going to do. Cathy,Jerry and John had efficiently workedout the logistics, we just had tofollow them!First item – cut the drum to height.“See John in the garage” we read.The cutting was quite spectacular,and only a few of us had a go withthe oxy-acetylene torch. It certainlytook some practice, but Sally wasclever enough to cut her own drum.There followed an interesting task ofcutting and bending metal rods forhandles. Jerry’s garage took on thelook of a production line machineshop. Soon everyone was having aturn at doing each stage until all wascompleted. This was the blueprint forthe whole day. It was great to sharein the work and see the kilns beginto take shape.A team was set to make the buttonsout of recycled kiln shelves: cutwith an electric tile cutter, thendrilled using a pillar drill.Next came the cutting of theceramic fibre, no small task as weneeded two thicknesses for eachkiln, including lids and bases. Julietand Cass soon got organised in amass-production line. Once thekilns were lined, another team took

over to wire the buttons intothe kiln bases and lids.The final item on the menuwas “Forge a pair of tongs.See Jerry.”This proved to be veryinteresting. Pete cut all themetal rods, and thenconstructed a tiny forge toheat the rod ends, in orderto flatten them. It proved tobe a trial of strength – notunlike the Trial of Strengthmachine one finds at theend of the pier. The girlsdiscovered thatblacksmithing took a lot ofarm power. Jerry gave thefinal shaping and we eachhad a super large pair oftongs. At the end of theafternoon, one kiln wasfired to show how to use it.The day had been most enjoyableand instructive, and had runsmoothly due to all the planning ofJerry’s team. The day was madeperfect by the lovely weather whichenabled us to have our picnic and allrefreshments out in the field.Thanks to all the team for such agood project. However, a specialthanks has to go to Jerry for not onlyhaving us at the barn for such aproject, but for all the extraexpertise which he so freely sharedwith us.words: June GentlePictures: Sally Macpherson bending lid handles

cutting the drum

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HOW TO BUILD A RAKU KILN:1. Cut the drum to the height you

wish, cut the lid from the top ofthe drum, and make holes for thebuttons.

2. Burn out the interior waste.3. The handles:a) Cut four 13½" lengths of metal

rod.b) Bend into shape.c) Weld the handles onto the kiln

and lid.4. Make the buttons which will hold

the ceramic fibre in place:a) Slice thin kiln shelves into ca. 2"

squares. You’ll need about 20squares.

b) Drill the holes.5. Line the kiln and lid with two

thicknesses of ceramic fibre. Thefirst layer can be made of bits offibre, but the second layer mustbe one piece, and eased in,leaving a small overlap becausethe fibre shrinks. The first circle offibre for the base should be madefrom strips, to save fibre.

6. Fix the ceramic fibre in the kilnand lid with the buttons.Your kiln is made.

7. You may wish to spray theceramic fibre in your kiln withrigidiser.

8. Forge a pair of tongs.

firing a finished kiln

finishing the tongs

fitting buttons to the lidlining the lids

bending the arms of the tongs

creating the fork

the forge

forging the tongs

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RAKU GLAZE RECIPES FROM POTTERS’ CAMP 2009

1 OXIDISED: BLUE/GREEN;REDUCED: METALLIC LUSTREAlkaline Frit Transparent 22%Alkaline Frit Soft 78%Bentonite 2gmCopper 2gmNickel 1gm

2 OXIDISED: BRIGHT BLUE/PURPLE;REDUCED: RED/GOLD LUSTREAlkaline Frit Transparent 22%Alkaline Frit Soft 78%Bentonite 2gmColbalt 0.25gmCopper 2gm

3 OXIDISED: TURQUOISE;REDUCED: RED/GOLD LUSTREAlkaline Frit Transparent 22%Alkaline Frit Soft 78%Bentonite 2gmCopper 4gm

4 OXIDISED: STRONG GREEN; RE-DUCED: GOLD LUSTREAlkaline Frit Transparent 22%Alkaline Frit Soft 78%Bentonite 2gmChrome 0.5gmCopper 2gm5 OXIDISED: MUSTARD;REDUCED: GUN METALAlkaline Frit Transparent 22%Alkaline Frit Soft 78%Bentonite 2gmCrocus Martis 4gm

6 OXIDISED: BRIGHT TURQUOISE;REDUCED: RED/GOLD LUSTREAlkaline Frit Transparent 22%Alkaline Frit Soft 78%Bentonite 2gmTin Oxide 2gmCopper 3gm

7 OXIDISED: CREAMY MUSTARD;REDUCED: GUN METALLead Bisilicate 40%Standard Borax Frit 60%Bentonite 2gmTin Oxide 3gmCrocus Martis 2gmManganese 0.25gm

8 OXIDISED: DARK BLUE/GREEN;REDUCED: SLIGHT METAL EFFECTLead Bisilicate 40%Standard Borax Frit 60%Bentonite 2gmTin Oxide 3gmChrome 0.5gmColbalt 0.5gmNickel 1gm

9 OXIDISED: WHITE;REDUCED: SILVER WHITELead Bisilicate 40%Standard Borax Frit 60%Bentonite 2gmTin Oxide 5gm

10 OXIDISED: DARK BLUE/GREEN;REDUCED: RED/GOLD LUSTRELead Bisilicate 40%Standard Borax Frit 60%Bentonite 2gmColbalt 0.25gmCopper 1gm

11 OXIDISED: BLUE/VIOLET;REDUCED: VIOLET/RED LUSTRELead Bisilicate 40%Standard Borax Frit 60%Bentonite 2gmTin Oxide 3gmColbalt 0.25gmCopper 1gm

These recipes were used at last year’s Potters’ Camp. The photo showscolour tests, and is a good indicator of colour. The glaze recipes are a guide,as they ALWAYS vary. The colour depends on the temperature of the kiln,the amount of reduction, thicknessof glaze, type of body of pot,thickness of clay. The recipe startswith 100g of frit usually 78:22 or60:40 (or even 100% alkaline frit asit still works), then the oxides areadded in gram quantities accordingto the recipes.Martin George

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WENDY LAWRENCE’S GLAZE RECIPESB1 GLOSSY GREENNephaline Syenite 36%Whiting 9%Barium Carbonate 9%Borax Frit 9%Talc 4%Flint 28%China Clay 5%Copper Carbonate 3gmRutile 8gm

B4 LIGHT BLUE GLAZENephaline Syenite 36%Whiting 9%Barium carbonate 9%Borax Frit 9%Talc 4%Flint 28%China Clay 5%Copper Carb 0.5gmTin 4gm

C1Potash Feldspar 50%Dolomite 20%China Clay 20%Bone Ash 10%Cobalt 0.5gmTitanium 4gmSilicon Carbide Additions 5gm

C4 RICH BROWNPotash Feldspar 50%Dolomite 20%China Clay 20%Bone Ash 10%Iron Oxide 6gmIllmenite 3gmSilicon Carbide 5gm

C5Potash Feldspar 50%Dolomite 20%China Clay 20%Bone Ash 10%Nickel 3gmVanadium 2gmSilicon Carbide 5gm

CAPotash Feldspar 50%Dolomite 20%China Clay 20%Bone Ash 10%Silicon Carbide 3gm

D4 GREY / BLUENepheline Syenite 60%Whiting 18%China Clay 18%Talc 14%Cobalt 0.5gmNickel 3gmSilicon Carbide 6gm

D5Nepheline Syenite 60%Whiting 18%China Clay 18%Talc 14%Nickel 2gmIron 2gm

DANepheline Syenite 60%Whiting 18%China Clay 18%Talc 14%Silicon Carbide 3/33gm

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NEIL AND SALLY MACDONELL AT MUNDFORD

For the April demonstration day atMundford we were very fortunate toget two artists for the price of one:Neil and Sally MacDonell are atalented husband and wife team whomake very different kinds of figurativesculpture in their shared studio inthe basement of their Bath home.This was definitely a two hander of asession, in every sense of the word– where one would start ananecdote, the other would frequentlyfinish it or chip in with a salientdetail. And it was a fascinatingsnapshot of what I imagine theirprofessional relationship is like. Neilhas a meticulous and thoughtfulapproach to his work and was keento reveal many of the processes andinspiration involved in itsconstruction, while Sally, althoughmore reticent and happy to let himtake the stage, showed aplayfulness and spontaneity thatcomplemented her husband

perfectly. Theyclearly respect andadmire each other’swork hugely.Neil’s route into

ceramics was via painting andteaching art. In the halcyon daysbefore budget restraints andgovernment funding cuts, it wouldappear that every school inLincolnshire (where he was thenliving) possessed a well-equippedpottery – although properly trainedstaff were less easy to come by. Soit was that Neil was paid to train toteach ceramics and “began arelationship with clay that has neverleft”. Teaching pottery to children, hesaid, opened his eyes to thepossibilities of clay as a means ofexpression.From the beginning, Neil has reliedon the use of hand made moulds tomake his work and early pieceswere cast and altered sculpturesfrequently utilizing natural and foundobjects, such as fruit and itemsscavenged from roadside verges,including discarded drink cartons orrusty exhaust pipes. In fact,

Dungeness, in Kent, remains afavourite holiday location, due to therichness of opportunities for findingweather-beaten and decaying thingsthat can be transformed intosomething amazing in the studio. Itmay be as insignificant as a bottlecap or a button, but, after listeningto Neil’s enthusiasm, I promise youwill never look at litter in the sameway again!“I love Dungeness because it is likea desert in some respects, but ithas also been used intensively forindustry and fishing and theevidence left over the years is allaround you”, he explained; “I find itfascinating the way things decayand are metamorphosed by theweather and the action of the sea”.Most of Neil’s work is focused onthe human face, most often partiallyenclosed in an elaborate boxsetting. The inspiration for thesepieces is taken from some smallivory carvings he once saw at theBritish Museum. They were fromancient Phoenicia and depictedcourtesans peeping out from behindintricately carved windows. Well-

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versed in art history, Neil oftenborrows from classical cultures andyou can find influences and symbolsfrom Greece, Rome and Egypt in hiswork, juxtaposed with the detritus ofmodern life and transformed intosomething that he happily describesas “slightly sinister and odd”.Sally’s work, too, has an air ofancient ruin and mystery. Herenigmatic figures (always female),with their elaborate headgear, lookas though they have stood in desertsands for millennia or once adornedthe temple of some long-forgottenreligion.Initially, Sally worked in porcelain,which, she says, was a hangoverfrom her student days, but she foundit very temperamental for figuresculpting and now uses a smoothstoneware. Her first real commercialsuccess came about almostaccidentally. At the suggestion of a

fellow potter, she decided to try herhand at smoke firing, at first makinguse of ‘glaze failures’ and piecesthat had not survived bisque firingintact. “It opened up a whole newworld for me”, she explained, and itwas to be the focus of her work forthe next ten years.Sally’s technique for smoke firing isunusual in that, instead of firing tobisque, she applies thin layers of awhite engobe and then fires to1186ºC. This avoids the problem offragility, so frequently encounteredwith smoke fired work, and meansthat relatively delicate modelling canbe achieved without fear ofbreakage. The engobe, even whenfired to maturity, remains sufficientlyabsorbent to take a pattern from thesmoke. Sally said that sheparticularly likes the unpredictabilityof smoke firing – even the weathercan affect it and she appreciates

this spontaneity.However after a decade of sepia,Sally felt it was time to let somecolour back into her work, althoughher working method remains muchthe same. A bisque-fired figure isgiven a wash of copper oxide whichis then wiped away to leave just alittle staining in the contours andcrevices. Several thin layers of whiteor coloured engobes are thenapplied, sometimes to the wholepiece and sometimes just tohighlight a certain area. She doesnot use coloured slips orunderglazes. Occasionally she willfinish a piece with the application ofa little gold or metal leaf.

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Kilns for ceramics

New and second-hand equipment

Kilns and furnaces serviced and repaired

Potters wheels – pugmills

Essex Kilns LtdTel 01621 869342

email sales@essexkilns.co.ukwww.essexkilns.co.uk

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The afternoon’s demonstration reallyshowed Neil and Sally’s contrastingworking methods: Neil began bygathering together lots of differentmoulds and stamps which will beused to build a piece – in thisinstance, a large face mask.Possessing over 1000 moulds, thepermutations are endless! Themajority of the work is all in thepreparation of the surface of theclay, which is built up in thin layersof stamped, pressed, pierced andtorn stoneware, positioned preciselyso that each tiny mark or symbolwill be in exactly the right positionwhen turned right side out of theface mould. This is a process whichcan take several hours, dependingon the size of the piece.Sally, on the other hand, works

relativelyquickly andspontaneously,letting the clay

dictate what a figure will become.She uses a slab-building technique,which she describes as being“somewhere between baking anddressmaking”. Hollow tubes arepushed gently from the inside tocreate the rounded shapes ofmuscle, belly, etc., with smallerslabs applied to the surface todescribe breast, buttocks, and anyareas needing greater emphasis. Iwas particularly struck by hermethod for making feet, which is toapproach them rather like a pair ofshoes: first, an ‘insole’ shape is cutout, then tiny rolls of clay are addedfor the toes, then an instep is placedover the top and a heel joined at theback. Similarly, the hands arecreated almost like a pair of gloves,with the fingers being enclosedbetween two small slabs of clay andtiny knuckles added and smoothedon with a paintbrush. Hands and feetare very important to Sally, as sheexplained: “The tension in a toe, afoot, or a hand, can really make thefigure shout”. While Sally’s seatedlady was taking shape, Neil wasbusy pressing his assembled claylayers into the mould. Even at thisstage he might refine the surface bypeeling away sections of clay andadding other, patterned, fragmentsinto the gap. To secure one piece toanother he only uses a little water,never slip, so that he can avoidhaving to wash out the plastermould, which would shorten its life.The backs of Neil’s masks are asimportant to him as the front and he

took a good deal of trouble to get thesurface perfectly smooth and level.He estimates that he can make twomedium-sized masks in a day, witha further half day for finishing.By some unseen signal, both artistsfinished almost simultaneously.There was a round of applause asNeil pulled his finished mask fromthe mould, followed by another asSally put the finishing touches to herfigure.Seeing their work side by side wasinspirational and demonstratedeloquently just how diverse andindividual any sculptor’s response iseven to shared ideas andexperiences. Neil and Sallyapproach the same theme fromcompletely different directions butthere is a unity and harmony thatenhances the work of each.Christine Pike

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It is always too easy to remain inone’s safety zone producing well-tested pieces of work that sell, butthen it becomes production line andyields very little reward. There aremany areas of life that can provideinspiration for possible pottery work,but I feel that honest emotion willalways win through.Having enjoyed a trip to Namibia inMay last year, I set myself thechallenge of producing work for 2010inspired by my ‘journey intoNamibia’. This was quite a task as Irealised that I would be venturinginto the unknown, making animals,something I could neverhave foreseen.Namibia is a land ofvariation. The vistas of thehuge sea of sand dunes inthe south; the SkeletonCoast; the rugged sceneryof Damaraland offeringricher vegetation; thebushy Savannah with itsrock paintings; EtoshaNational Park with itsanimals; and of course thepeople all contribute to theintrigue, contrast andvariety of the country.Smoke-firing techniques do havetheir limitations, so working out howto achieve the forms and patternsthat I observed has been somethingof a challenge. Also at the back ofmy mind was the thought that I

couldn’t fully indulge myselfbecause, like all of us, I need toappeal to the buying public.I have chosen to produce smoke-fired pieces that I feel represent thecountry and my journey. The Himbatribal women are very beautiful,proud and unique to Namibia. I havetried to capture this in myrepresentation of them. It has beendifficult to choose which animals tomake as there are so many that Ifound fascinating, but the verytechnique eventually dictated theselection. The desert elephant hadto be chosen as it is a recognised

symbol of Africa’s wild life. Thecheetah holds a special place in myheart. I chose the ground squirrel(similar to the meerkat) for its totalamusement factor, the loveable furseals for their huge black, soft eyes,

pelicans for their fascinatingbehaviour and the guineafowl for its form and colour.The Namibian sand dunes’ever-changing patterns,affected by the strong sunlight, create somewhatstrange and surreal images.My panel and driftwoodpictures have beendeveloped from my ownphotographs, adapted tosuit the technique and thecolours to accommodatethe European decor.It has been a very exciting,adventurous period of

production, the results of which canbe seen during Cambridge OpenStudios weekends 17/18 and 24/25July, and of course at AnglianPotters’ shows.Juliet A Gormanwww.smoke-fired.biz

THE EXCITEMENT OF A CHALLENGE

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Having graduated with a BA HonsDegree in 2008, I have spent acouple of years getting experience ofworking in my own studio at homeand selling at craft fairs. I lovemaking the work but packing it inmy car, setting up, standing all daytrying to sell, then packing it allback in the car was wearing thin. Iwas offered the opportunity to take astudio in a new renovation of an oldherring-packing store called TheCourtyard near the new outerharbour in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Ihad serious doubts about thelocation but when I heard that thetourist bus, coach tours and theYarmouth tourist land train would bevisiting I warmed up a little.The Courtyard will offer studios andaccommodation apartments forartists and craftspeople. There is abrewery, art gallery, conference/

CLAY ACADEMY AT GREAT YARMOUTH CERAMIC HELPLINEMembers to contact:Alan Foxley: handbuilding, reductionfiring 01799 522631Colin Saunders: mould-making,slipware, transfers 01379 588278Victor Knibbs: oxidised stoneware,electric kilns, modifying clay bodies

01480 214741Deborah Baynes: raku, stoneware,earthenware (reduction & oxidised),salt glaze 01473 788300Beryl Hines: general, earthenware,raku

01473 735437Usch Spettigue: raw glazing/singlefiring 01473 787587Margaret Gardiner: salt glaze

01279 654025Sonia Lewis: high-fired ware, porcelain

01353 688316If you are willing to give advice, and beadded to this list, please contact theEditor.

exhibition facility and acovered all-weather courtyard.My studio will offer tuition,Potter-for-a-Day experiencesand studio space to rent toother potters. Work producedfrom the studio will be on saleand we will all sell eachother’s work when we are inthe studio. This way, no onepotter has to be there all thetime and the studio can beopen and working seven daysa week on a rota of potterssharing. We start on March29th 2010 and I can’t wait to

get in there and start this newadventure. It will be a big change butI am already lucky enough to havefour other lovely potters (allmembers of Anglian Potters, I mustadd) who will begin the adventurewith me. I attach a picture of arecent piece of my work and will letyou know how it goes.Susan Holmes

MY FAVOURITE TOOLMy favourite tool: an old brass doorknob. I use it when I am makingteapots. By rotating with a circularmovement it makes a very neatdepression on the body of the teapotat the point where the drainageholes and spout need to be andfacilitates more easily the tidying upof the holes on the inside of the pot.Maureen Baker

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GRAYSON PERRY

Jacky KleinThames & Hudson £35Throughout the 256 pages of thiscatalogue-raisonné of the work ofGrayson Perry aka Claire, the readeris not only engulfed in thedelightfully sumptuous colourillustrations of the work of thiscontroversial ceramicist, but alsointroduced to the creative designprocesses of the artist. The scope ofthe material for the decoration on theclay form range from war, sex andgender, religion and folk culture,through to the darker innerlandscapes of the mind. The style iscartoon graffiti, often accompaniedby ‘speech bubbles’, in a primitiveperspective, similar to Lowry or thetwo-dimensional format of Beardsley.

BOOK REVIEWS... comparison.Despite the grand title, this bookisn’t just for top-end rakuenthusiasts. It covers everythingfrom the Japanese and Americanorigins of the form, through makingware, kiln building, firing andfinishing. Throughout, the book iswell illustrated with step-by-stepinstructions and inspirationalfinished work from a wide range ofmakers.Branfman’s tone of writing strikes acomfortable balance betweenknowledge, sense andencouragement. He urges people tohave a go, to experiment, but isabsolutely clear about setting a safeframework for that exploration. Rakuhas moved on so much in recentyears. He covers modern variants,such as horse hair raku, and therelated techniques of pit and saggarfirings, and even how to mend a potthat has failed to cope with thethermal stresses. To quote: “A potemerges from the reductioncontainer in two pieces . . .Suddenly the devious thought ofgluing the pieces back togetherenters your mind. Quickly, you seekout counselling for your affliction.Well, go ahead and glue the thingback together! Legitimateprecedents exist . . .” In short, Ithoroughly recommend thisconfident, authoritative, entertainingand beautiful addition to the rakulibrary.Mark Boyd

MASTERING RAKU

Steve BranfmanLark Books £19.95I was recommended SteveBranfman’s earlier book, Raku: apractical approach (A&C Black) byraku specialist Tim Andrews when Ifirst became interested in setting upa pottery at home. It wasn’t aspretty as some books, but it reallydelivered the information I needed toget underway and even to bluff myway into seeming more experiencedthan I really was. So I was lookingforward to seeing this book, which,with a larger format and more colour,promised so much. And I wasn’tdisappointed. Branfman’s earlier titlenow looks like a Haynes Manual by

NEWS FROMCORBY KILNS LTD

We are moving! From 1 August wewill be at 56 High Street, Burton LatimerNN15 5LB, where we will have ashowroom for new kilns and

equipment, clays, some glazes, tools, enamelling kilns and equipment. The landline number is still tobe connected – in the meantime our contact telephone numbers are 07711 773913 and 07766 251871.We will still be doing kiln servicing and repairs.29 and 30 August – come and see us at Northamptonshire Open Studios launch event at KelmarshHall. (Just off Junction 2 of the A14.) There will be an exhibition of all the Open Studios artists’ works,plenty to see and do with a trade show, vintage car and motor bike show, music, and lots more still tobe announced. More information will be on www.openstudios.org.uk. Open Studios brochure availableon request detailing all the artists and locations involved.

email: info@corbykilns.co.uk www.corbykilns.co.uk

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500 CERAMIC SCULPTURES,contemporary practice, singular worksLark Books £16.99I like this series of books, not leastbecause of the way they are puttogether. Rather than this being oneperson’s research and notion aboutwhat good contemporary ceramicsculpture should be, it is a juriedcollection of 500 pieces from – nowhere’s the enormity of the task –7,500 submissions. The differencemay be subtle, but it frees the bookfrom the individual gallery-goinghabits and contacts of the juror.Indeed, such is the emphasis on thework rather than the compiler thatthe juror, Glen R Brown, isn’t evenmentioned on the cover.But what use is a picture book withonly the barest of technical details?First, these are beautiful pictures offantastically varied works. So, youcan simply enjoy the diversity. But ifyou are in a bit of a rut, what betterplace to start climbing out of it?Secondly, as a snapshot of currentpractice, largely by professionalpotters rather than students, it takessome beating.There’s nothing wrong withtraditional approaches to clay work,but this book shows there are somany directions that ceramicsculpture can take that there seemslittle point in harking back to earliernotions of perfection. It also givesthe lie to the idea that ceramic skillsare under threat, that concepts arenow more important than refinedexecution. Many of the pieces inthis book are beautifully finished,with everything from volcanic and dryglazes to terra sigillata, raku andsuper-smooth porcelain. Theemphasis is very much on thecontemporary, but you would have to

have a very limited view of ceramicsnot to find something to admire here.Mark Boyd

250 TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND TRADE

SECRETS FOR POTTERS

Jacqui AtkinA&C Black £16.99As you would expect from the title,there is something in here foreveryone. Whether you want toknow how to make a plaster mouldof a pear, make agate ware, throw afaceted bowl, produce perfect spoutsor understand which tools areneeded to get into an awkwardangle, you will find it in here.This is both blessing and curse. Onone hand it means that the book ispacked with information, but on theother hand it is neithercomprehensive nor brilliantlystructured. You wouldn’t want thisas your main making referencebecause of both these traits, but it’sgreat to thumb through whilewatching over a firing.It’s full of bite-sized chunks ofinformation and includes things thatyou won’t find easily elsewhere. Forexample, there is a ‘Decorativewares directory’ at the end of thebook in a section called ‘Usefulinformation’. Ignoring the inferencethat the rest of the book is uselessmisinformation, this section showsprofiles of pot shapes withrecommended methods of makingthem – thrown, coiled, etc. It doesn’tclaim to be fool proof, but it’s alovely idea for a beginner confrontedwith the pliability of clay and theplethora of making techniques

Born at Chelmsford in March 1960,his education progressed from theKing Edward VI Grammar School,through an Art foundation course atBraintree College, to a BA degreecourse in Fine Art at PortsmouthPolytechnic. He graduated in 1982.In September 1983 he started tostudy pottery at the Central Instituteunder the tuition of SarahSanderson, with his first Londonexhibition in December the same year.

In 2002 the Stedelijk Museum,Amsterdam, offered him a soloexhibition, which contributed toClaire being awarded the TurnerPrize in 2003 (the first time for aceramicist) which he accepteddressed in one of his manymagnificent frocks. As atransvestite/cross-dresser, hecurrently lives in London with hiswife, Philippa, and daughter, Flo.This publication by Thames &Hudson is a tribute to a very talentedartist, who not only brings to theattention of the general public theboundaries of ceramics, butexpands the possibilities to thoselike Tracey Emin, the very meaningof art. I am sure this book willbecome a standard work ofreference on Grayson Perry: a potterof Anglia, if not yet an AnglianPotter.Rodney Hunt

An illusion of depth 2003

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available. Perhaps this wouldn’t havefound a place in a more linear book.Throughout the book, the emphasisis on tips and tricks that will makeyour potting life easier, whether youare a beginner or a more seasonedpotter. There are so many shortcutsthat it’s a wonder that past pottersproduced anything at all. This mightnot be at the top of your nextChristmas list, but it would be auseful present whatever your level ofexperience.Mark Boyd

WHEEL THROWING

Emily ReasonLark Books £17.99Do you remember the chaos of yourfirst attempt at throwing? What yourtutor was saying in one earconfounded the memory of whatthey said a second ago coming outof the other. The wheel itself wasclearly both sentient and malicious,and while you were trying to wrestlea supposedly inanimate lump of claywith both hands (and possibly a footif things were going really badly),you just knew that this wasn’t yourfinest hour. If you had any sparemental capacity, the struggle wouldhave convinced you that yourinnocent lump of clay had beensneakily replaced by a recalcitrantweasel on amphetamines thatseemed determined to drink all thewater you could throw at it beforecollapsing in a slithering heap andspinning off into the slip tray. It’sremarkable that any of us gothooked!In short, like driving, to start with

there is simply too much going on inthe heat of the moment. This iswhere a good throwing book canhelp by breaking down the simpleact of throwing into much simplertasks that can be absorbed in frontof the telly before you go into battle.It can help with terminology too.Why any author would tacklesomething so manifestly tactile aslearning to throw is beyond me.However, if you are thinking oflearning from a book, here’s onepiece of hard-won advice: justchoose one. Any one. This one willdo at a pinch. It’s accessible andnicely designed, but the examples ofthrown work aren’t anything specialand the web links to videos thatcould have provided a useful touch

didn’t work in April.Just as everyone’s take on throwingis slightly different in practice, so itis in print, and you will findconflicting approaches betweenauthors. That’s why I suggestpicking one book and sticking to it.There is little here that mostexperienced throwers would takeissue with so long as it all works.However, rather than add slightlyfeeble sections on glazing and firingat the end of the book I would ratherhave seen more on trouble shooting– not to bring the spectre of thatslippery weasel to the fore, but atleast to reassure people that if atfirst you don’t succeed, it really isworth trying again.Mark Boyd

POTTERY EQUIPMENT FOR SALEKiln about 3ft square on the ground but 5ft high standing on legs anda low down storage shelf. The dimensions of the interior are 17insquare with16in square shelves. The last time I used it the elementswere sound and the thermostat OK but I always used cones to besure that the correct temperature was reached. I have three or fourfull sized shelves for the inside plus a half sized one and lots of firebrick supports for the shelves. I also have a new set of elementsready to be put in. The biggest problem for transport is the height,The legs do not take off and it all weighs about 9cwt so it takes fourmen to lift it. Its going to need heavy duty electricity supply.

Electric Wheel 4ft x 3ft stand up wheel about 3ft 6in high. Quiteheavy, but two men can lift it. Almost unused.

Kick wheel 2ft 6in x 3ft stand up wheel about 3ft 6ins high. Not quiteso heavy.

Pug Mill 1ft 6in x 2ft about 3ft high. Very heavy. This needs theelectrics sorting out and connecting.

Clay I have several bags of red stoneware clay, some grey stonewareclay, three big plastic tubs for clay, not quite dustbin size.

Glazes Six plastic tubs with various glazes: tenmoku, blue matt,clear, off-white, oatmeal, and a wonderful Geoff Brown red/brown withmetallic highlights.

Moulds, tools etc. An assortment of moulds for dishes and a lampbase bottle shape. Lots of tools, oxides, shelf/batt wash, brush-onwax, cones, stilts, jugs and lots of small round wheel bats so youdon’t have to cut pots off before they have hardened a little.I haven’t potted for several years due to ill health and am anxious toget the whole lot away to someone who would find it useful. I wouldprefer to sell it all in one lot.Any serious offer over over £250, buyer must organize transport.Jo TaylorRampton, nr Cambridgetel: 01954 200437email: taylor4geese@hotmail.com

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quantities of pots, crocks and ovensleft Bideford Quay for the settlersites of Virginia, returning laden withtobacco.RJ Lloyd started collecting NorthDevon Slipware in the early 1950s.He appreciated that, with so manypotteries working in the area, it waspart of North Devon’s industrialhistory. The collection also includeskey early works by studio pottersMichael Cardew, Clive Bowen, HarryJuniper and the Leach Pottery. MrLloyd sold the collection six yearsago and it was the wish of thesubsequent owner to sell thecollection to the Burton so that itcould remain in Bideford. Withoutthe intervention of this benefactor thecollection may well have been soldoverseas.The RJ Lloyd Collectioncomprises over 500 pieces ofpredominantly North Devon Slipwarepottery with sgraffito decoration,together with comparable pieces andrelated artefacts. The innovativedisplay areas allow access to asmuch of the collection as possible.There is provision for access to partsof the collection still in store viaappointment and accompanied by amember of staff. North Devon hasbeen one of the country’s greatcentres for pottery-making sincemedieval times because of thesupply of red earthenware clay. Withwood from nearby forests to fuel thekilns and the natural advantages ofBideford as a port from which toexport finished goods, the potters ofBideford and Barnstaple flourishedwell into the 19th century. Many ofthe pots feature poems, riddles ormessages, giving a valuable insightinto the lives of local people over theyears. North Devon Slipware, madeby the Fishley family, directlyinfluenced the Studio Potterymovement.If you are in Devon this summer, andwould like to visit the pottery instore, contact Miranda Clarke,Visual Arts Managertel: 01237 471455email: miranda.clarke@torridge.gov.ukThe Burton Art Gallery & MuseumKingsley Road, Bideford EX39 2QQwww.burtonartgallery.co.uk

On 12 April 2010 The Burton ArtGallery & Museum, Bideford, opensthe doors of its new CeramicsGallery, unveiling a unique andsignificant collection ofpredominantly North Devon slipware,collected by acclaimed artist andBideford resident RJ Lloyd. Thecollection includes delightful harvestjugs and puzzle jugs through toeveryday domestic wares andcommemorative items. It representsone of the finest collections ofslipware pottery now held inmuseum hands. Supported by theHeritage Lottery Fund, independentcharity The Art Fund, BidefordBridge Trust, Friends of the Burton,Devon County Council and theViscountess Boyd Charitable Trust;the launch of this comprehensivecollection is a key moment in theBurton’s history and in the heritageof ceramics in the UK. Throughoutearly 2010 the Burton undertook arefurbishment programmeestablishing a dedicated displayspace for the collection on the firstfloor of the building.The town of Bideford’s history isintimately bound up with the potteryindustry. In the 17th century smallships voyaged to the New Worldwith cargoes of pots, manyexamples of which can be foundthere today in museums. Due to theaccessibility of clay and wood,potters made a good living in theBideford area and many becamewealthy trading merchants. Vast

Summer Opening HoursJuly–SeptemberMon-Fri 10-5, Sat 10-4, Sun 11-4

THE BURTON ART GALLERY & MUSEUM, BIDEFORD, DEVON

THE RJ LLOYD CERAMICS COLLECTION:artist as collectorBurton Art Gallery and MuseumA new fully illustrated book on theceramic collection of RJ Lloyd ispublished by the Museum toaccompany the new permanentdisplay. The book includes acontextual essay on the place ofceramic collections in museums bythe internationally renowned potterAlison Britton and an introductoryessay by Professor Simon Olding.At the heart of the book is aconversation between RJ Lloyd andthe Burton’s Exhibitions andCollections Officer Warren Collum.This dialogue traces RJ Lloyd’sgrowing fascination for the slipwarepottery of England, and especiallyNorth Devon, from rare early piecesthrough to work made by renownedcraft potters such as MichaelCardew and Clive Bowen. The oncethriving pottery trade of North Devonis captured in this extensivecollection, which celebrates theordinary and the extraordinarythrough work of honest conviction,lively drawing and commemorativeinscriptions. The book is publishedin association with the Crafts StudyCentre.Articles and photographs providedby The Burton Art Gallery &Museum

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When Cambridge Open Studios lostits funding from Eastern Arts andlocal councils it had just a very shorttime to avoid bankruptcy.An extraordinary general meetingwas held and ideas aired. The mainconcerns seemed to focus on thefact that most members not onlywished Open Studios to continue butwanted it brought back to itsfundamental principles. This entailedlooking at all aspects of the way inwhich Open Studios was run. Aworking party was set up not only toreport back on ideas but attempt toset a budget for the following year(2010).Thanks mainly to large grants overthe years COS had become a largeorganisation with premises and apaid co-ordinator. When the workingparty reported back to the AGM

MEMBERS' WEBSITES:www.angelamellor.comwww.angelamellorgallery.comwww.brendagreenart.co.ukwww.broadwayceramics.comwww.cathydarcy.comwww.ceramicsbuyanja.co.ukwww.corbykilns.co.ukwww.chrisrumsey.co.ukwww.heathergrahampotter.comwww.helenhpottery.co.ukwww.helenmartino.co.ukwww.iangeorgeceramics.co.ukwww.ingridhunter.comwww.janburridge.co.ukwww.janehollidge.co.ukwww.jjvincent.comwww.johnmasterton.co.ukwww.judsonsinfrance.comwww.madeincley.co.ukwww.maggygardiner.comwww.matthewblakely.co.ukwww.patsouthwood.co.ukwww.potterycourses.comwww.potterycourses.netwww.rebeccaharvey.comwww.richardbaxter.co.ukwww.roceramics.co.ukwww.rowanhumberstone.co.ukwww.sculpturelounge.comwww.secretceramics.co.ukwww.susancupitt.co.ukwww.suffolkstoneware.co.ukwww.woodnewtonpottery.co.uk

Contact the Editor if you want toadd your site to this list.

www.anglianpotters.org.uk

explore their own interests.The course takes 2 years andstudents can use the facilities andteaching experience of Mary andMaureen at Brick House for 5 hoursa week. All materials and firing iscovered by the cost of the course.Level 2 (13 weeks) costs £200 plusC&G registration fee £55 and Level 3(78 weeks over 2 years / 6 terms)costs £200 per term plus C&G fee£70 (one-off for whole course).For further information contact:Mary Reed, The Barns, SheepcoteLane, Silver End, Witham, EssexCM8 3PJTel: 01376 585655Mary Wyatt

I thought members would beinterested to hear about the City andGuilds Level 3 course which isavailable at Brick House, Silver End,Essex. I have just completed thiscourse and found it very useful.Although students need to make ajournal and keep notes, most of thecourse is practical and hands-on,which is what I wanted. We had tocomplete 5 different projects and theway you tackle these is very muchup to you. I was able to exploredifferent kinds of clay, learn to throwand test a number of different glazes(as an outlet they have access to avery wide range of clays andmaterials). The recent end-of-courseexhibition was a testament to thefact that there is no ‘house style’ atBrick House and students can

CITY & GUILDS AT BRICK HOUSE

(most members attending!) therewas unanimous endorsement of theideas proposed. Now, largely thanksto moving to a new and user friendlywebsite, the paperwork has beenslashed. Artists manage their ownsites online and all business andcommunication is managed in thisway. The large group is broken downto smaller regional units for publicity.Previously many artists feltdisconnected and as a result lackedenthusiasm. Now things havechanged – it all depends on us andas a result we are a stronger andmore vital group. Cambridge OpenStudios includes many potters,some members of Anglian Potters,who open their studios duringweekends this July.Sonia Lewiswww.camopenstudios.co.uk

THANKS TO THE RECESSION…

AP ON FACEBOOKAnglian Potters now has two pageson Facebook, one, Anglian Potters,which is open to all, and is intendedas the ‘official’ Facebook presenceof the Association. There you’ll findinfo, such as forthcoming events,members’ show announcements,gallery shows, craft fairs, etc; it willbasically be another forum for infoalso published on the AP websitewith info added by members of thegroup.The second, Friends of AnglianPotters, is intended for informalgeneral natter, open to members andfriends: a place where we can postphotos, ask for advice, have achat...Why not looking us up andjoin us!Robi Bateman

Jim

Ree

d

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Brick House Crafts operate from5,000 sq ft premises in Essex. They arepleased to confirm the continuation oftheir 10% discount scheme to membersof Anglian Potters on raw materials,clays (up to 1/2t) and hand tools.Lessons available on an hourly basistogether with City & Guilds Level 2 & 3courses (100% pass rate to date).Contact Mary or MaureenTel: 01376 585655

www.brickhouseceramics.co.uk

DEEPDALE CHRISTMAS MARKETSaturday 4-Sunday 5 December 2010Are you interested in having a stall at the Deepdale Christmas Market,Dalegate Market, Burnham Deepdale, on the north Norfolk coast? Themarket opens 10am to 6pm on Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday, witha Christmas carol evening on Saturday evening from 4pm to 6pm.We are trying not to duplicate stalls at the market, to offer a real selection tovisitors. So please fill out the online form with as much information aspossible and we will confirm your booking, and send you a payment link.Stalls cost £30 for two days, £20 for one day. Accepted and paid stallswill be listed on the Deepdale website until the event, with stall name,description and website or email.Event Details:www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/events/indevent.asp?EventID=1853170733Stall Form: www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/events/cmstallform.htmlContact Jason Borthwick for more details: tel: 01485 210036email: jason@deepdalefarm.co.ukwww.deepdalefarm.co.uk

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FOR SALEShimpo 21 Wheel with pedal

operated speed controller, verygood condition £600

Please contact Tel Turnbulltel: 01263 588905

mobile: 07975602331

DIARY DATES 2010:Halesworth Gallery:28 May-15 June, HalesworthPotters’ Camp:29 July-1 August, ShotleySummer Show:15 August-1 September,Emmanuel College, CambridgeBridget Drakeford:5 September, MundfordIckworth Wood Fair:9-10 October, Ickworth HouseSelected Members' Exhibition:9 October-7 NovemberHaddenham GalleryChristine Hester Smith:17 October, MundfordChristmas Show:13 November-12 DecemberAll Saints Church, Cambridge

MEMBERSHIP FEES:Ordinary £27 (half year £15)Joint £45 for two people at thesame address – half year £25Institution £50 for a college orworkshop – half year £27(details on application to theMembership Secretary)Student £10 for full-timestudents of ceramics – proof ofstatus is required

ADVERTISING RATESPrice per issue, 4 issues a yearFull page w 18cm x h 26.8cm £60.00Half page w 18cm x h 13.4cm £30.00Third page w 18cm x h 8.8cm £20.002 column w 11.8cm x h 17.6cm £26.002 column w 11.8cm x h 8.8cm £13.001 column w 5.7cm x h 17.6cm £13.001 column w 5.7cm x h 8.8cm £6.50Leaflet inserts (300) £30.00

Copy dates:Spring Issue 1 FebruarySummer Issue 1 MayAutumn Issue 1 AugustWinter Issue 1 NovemberCopy to be supplied as .jpg, .tif, .pdfAdvertisements can be designed if textand pictures (minimum 300dpi) areprovided Printed in full colourContact Carolyn Postgate, Editore: carolyn@clara.co.ukt: 01954 211033

COPY DATE FOR

AUTUMN NEWSLETTER:1 AUGUST 2010FOR PUBLICATION BY:1 SEPTEMBER 2010

MEMBERS' SHOWS

PAT ARMSTRONG, ROB BIBBY & KATHERINE WINFREY

Stamford Arts Centre: 22 May-6 June Open: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Sun 11am-4pmRUTLAND OPEN STUDIOS www.rutlandopenstudios.co.ukPat Armstrong: Open 5th/6th & 12th/13th June 10am-5pm115 Stamford Road, Easton-On-The-HillKatherine Winfrey: Open 12th/13th June 10am-5pmThe Old Butcher’s Shop, Barnack

PAT SOUTHWOODNorfolk Open Studios: 29-31 May, 5-6 June 10am-5pm129 Lower Street, Salhouse, Norwich www.patsouthwood.co.uk

TUTOR NEEDEDI am the Adult Education Co-ordinator for the Art department atHills Road Sixth Form College.We are currently looking for a tutorto run our Monday night ceramiccourse.The course starts on the17th May 7pm–9pm and runs for 8weeks.If anyone is interested pleasecontact me:email: tlumb@hillsroad.ac.uktel: 01223 247 251Tony Lumb

WANTED...EXPERIENCED STUDIO

POTTERBusy, prosperous and well-established seaside Antiques, Arts& Crafts Centre which is open 7days per week in northwest Norfolkseeks studio potter to join team ofstudio potters to demonstrate oneday per week in exchange forpermanent low cost sell space.Please contact Mrs Carol Maloneyat Le Strange Old Barns Antiques,Arts & Crafts Centre, OldHunstanton, Norfolk PE36 6JGtel: 01485 533402

Katherine Winfrey Rob Bibby

SONIA LEWISOpen Studio: 17/18 & 24/25 July 11am-6pmHigh fired porcelain and wood fired stonewareAll most welcome

Sonia Lewis