Finished Pottery Photos

 So after 14 weeks of pottery, what do I have to show for it?

Term 1: 

 4 mugs.  These were the first things I made.  None of them were the same so I decided to play with the handles rather than try and make them the same.

5 bowls.  Again none were the same.  This time I played with the colours and decoration.

 4 plates.

  

4 vases. Two big and two small.

 

 Term 2:

4 plates, but they will get their own post. 

2 lidded pots. Very pleased with how they came out.  The lids fit!

4 vases. All small.

 

And lastly a pot for firing beads covered in glaze, plus beads.
 

Needle Felted Butterflies

Peacock - Aglais io

 

Over the last couple of weeks I've been working on my submission for the annual Arts and Crafts Society exhibition.

Every August they have an exhibition for members in the local festival hall with free entry for all to view.  I love how inclusive it is - of different art and craft types and abilities. 

This year I have needle felted three butterflies and framed them up.

Large Blue - Phengoirs arion

 

I have to admit that they were kits from The Makerss, but while they might supply the materials and some instructions it's still up to the maker to produce the final thing.  For instance you have to mix some of the colours yourself.

They are fun and relatively quick to make, but I am still learning how to add details and make things look natural.

Small Tortoriseshell - Aglais urticae

 

I'm also submitting some glass, but that's for another post. 

Shrink Pot Making Course

 

 This weekend I spent a day at the Makers Barn learning how to make shrink pots.

So first, if you haven't come across the Makers Barn yet, then you really should have a look.  Based just outside Petworth and only open Friday and Saturday it is an old barn in the middle of a field full of the most amazing collection of arts and crafts from local makers.  It's a great place to visit if you have a birthday coming up or need inspiration for Christmas for instance.

 

Anyway, this year Rosie has started inviting local makers to come and run workshops at the barn.  When I saw the shrink pots course on the website, I just had to book.  I've been fascinated by them for years. 

The course was run by Chris Matthews, who was so generous with his knowledge and helped us all end the day with a finished pot. 

 

I say finished but mine isn't quite.  The idea of a shrink pot is you work with very green wood which is quite wet - you can feel this when working with it.  As it dries it will shrink sealing the bottom of the pot, but it does mean that I can't finish my lid until I know how small it needs to be.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

Firstly we had to cut chunks of wood from freshly cut branches to become our pots.  I went with Sycamore. 

 

Then you drill a hole down the middle, and chip away the excess leaving you with a hollow cylinder. 

Next I cut off the bark and gave it texture.  If I had left the bark on, it would have fallen off as the pot shrunk. 

 

Then you make a bottom for your pot.  I used red cedar, which smelt lovely.  This has to be cut and shaped to be just a little bigger than the bottom of your pot.  Then with some careful tapping you pop it in.  I was very pleased with how mine fitted.  At this point you should be able to see a little daylight round it, but this will disappear as it dries.

 

Then you can make a lid.  There are many options for this.  I ended up with some spalted beech with a cedar tenon which will hold it in place once the pot is dry and I know how big to make it. 

Some of the class made lids that twisted, or one like mine but with different details.   The options really are massive. 

It was a really lovely relaxed day.  Lunch was tasty and we were blessed with the weather.  It's a great location and I'll be keeping an eye on the website to see what other courses Rosie puts on next year. 

And I've got a lovely pot and the knowledge to make more, if I can find some green wood and convince 'im outdoors to let me use a corner of his workshop.  (I can't have sawdust in the studio!) 

New Kiln

Look how small the old bead kiln is compaired with the new one!

 

When I started working in glass I got myself a little second hand kiln so I could anneal my beads so they wouldn't explode as they cool.  When I say second hand I think I might be its third or even fourth owner, but it doesn't matter - it works. 💜

 

But it is tiny.  After all it's just for beads.  But I do sometimes use it for fusing glass.  If I want to do this I can do one coaster sized thing at a time (or more smaller things).  Which is a pain if you want to do a set of coasters. 

 

Then at the end of last year I received a bonus at work!

I could finally buy a bigger kiln!

But I couldn't quite bring myself to do it.  I don't have a lot of space in the studio so everything has to pull its weight, and I don't do that much fusing so was it really worth it?  And even with a bonus it was still a lot of money.

 

I liked the idea but kept putting it off. 

Then I started taking pottery classes which got me thinking about doing some pottery at home.  Could I use my little kiln to fire clay?  No.  Clay fires much hotter than glass does, even when casting.

Anyway, long story short, I found a kiln designed to do both glass and clay!  Wow.  It's a Kilncare IKON V46.

So after a lot of thinking I ordered one.  It's not that much more than a kiln just designed for glass and the ability to do both things makes it feel like a better resource.

Don't worry I'm keeping the little bead kiln.  I don't think beads would work that well in the new one, but it's great to have a few more options.

 

It does mean a bit of a reorganisation in the studio, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.   Watch this space to see what happens next!