Innholdsfortegnelse for #48 i ClayCraft

Welcome For the first time in what feels like forever, the sun is shining in a blue sky and I have my office window open. The scent from the wintersweet hedge outside is wafting in, and the birdsong is really quite loud! I feel very cheerful – something that has been severely lacking over the past year. Jumping ahead, next month we’re focusing on ‘spring in the garden’ and planning this was inspiring. I got excited at the thought of warmer weather, plants bursting into life out of the soil and spending more time outside. A burst of creativity is just what I needed, and watching the reactions on social media to the Throw Down, it certainly seems to have sparked just that in a lot of people. There are…

HANDMADE IN BRITAIN The Interactive Virtual Craft Fair Tuesday 23 - Sunday 28 March 2021 Handmade in Britain is delighted to announce the second edition of its Interactive Virtual Craft Fair, which takes place towards the end of March. Sharing the month with International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day, this new edition will focus on supporting and celebrating women in craft, as well as makers from BAME communities. The organisation is keen to reflect the full range of backgrounds and perspectives found in contemporary Britain. It has made a conscious decision to do its part in creating a more diverse and inclusive craft and design community. The second edition of its virtual craft fair marks the start of this journey and will feature craft workshops, alongside a full programme of…

PROJECT TWO EGGSTRAORDINARY OBJECTS! COLOURFUL EGGS Make these jolly little eggs as an alternative to the chocolate variety for children’s egg hunts at Easter; they will love the bright colours and have something special to collect and keep. If you prefer, you could use them as interior design accents too, alter the decoration to suit your surroundings and display them in a bowl DIFFICULTY RATING You will need: ■ White earthenware clay – to make the examples shown ■ Rib/kidney ■ Liquid underglaze colours – Amaco velvets were used here ■ Brushes for application Before you begin Each egg is made from 114 g (4oz) clay – 57g (2oz) for each half. If you weigh out your clay before you begin it will make sure that each one is the…

PROJECT THREE CYLINDER VASE In this project, we combine a simple making technique with intricate slip decoration that includes several methods of application. If you want to challenge your skills, include all the decorating methods suggested or pick one or two if you aren’t confident enough to try all of them DIFFICULTY RATING You will need: ■ Tube former – a short length of plastic drainpipe works well ■ Newspaper ■ Red earthenware clay ■ Rolling pin, plastic sheet, 5mm max roller guides ■ Ribs ■ A brayer (not essential but useful) ■ 3 coloured slips ■ Sgrato tool ■ Slip-trailing bulb ■ Pale coloured transparent glaze Roll your former tube in newspaper and secure it in place by stuffng the excess into the ends. Prepare a large block of…

THROW DOWN ROUND-UP In episode one of the Throw Down, after a promising start, a glaze mishap seemed to spell the end for Ara, and he was the first contestant to hear the words “I’m so sorry…”, while Sal took potter of the week with her doggie cheese set. Week two saw Irina leave the pottery, after the brick-making challenge and a 3D slab build, in which Jodie’s lighthouse gained her the potter of the week. Susan fell victim in episode three after a week of contrasts. Very intricate fruit – needing an eye for detail – and throwing while blindfolded challenged all the potters. Shenyue won potter of the week with her bowl of green fruit (vegetables, to you and me). Week four saw the contestants making bone china…

Doug’s DIARY Photo: Layton Thompson) January has, for some reason, felt like the longest of months, as we slip icily into February, the shortest month of the year. I don’t know why it should have seemed so long, but this certainly appears to have been a similar experience for many of my friends across the socially distanced media. Maybe it’s because of lockdown, and the horror of everything to do with the pandemic and a yearning to come out of the darkness, both literally and metaphorically. Early in the month, we attended the funeral of our friend, the potter Phil Rogers, who I wrote about in last month’s diary. Of course, with current lockdown rules, we were unable to travel to Wales, so joined the service online. There were contributions…

BLOG Confessions of a novice Far from purrfect The look on these kitties’ faces says it all. It was one of those times when everything went wrong, and the results were only fit for the sledgehammer Like many of you, I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed recently. After a flurry of clay-related activity in the lead-up to Christmas, including my interview with Keith Brymer Jones in the last issue, it’d all gone a bit quiet. During the first lockdown, all the hours I saved by not driving to and from schools and workplaces were converted to clay time. In contrast, January 2021 seemed full of more important things to do. The house was a post-Christmas mess. Hell, I was a post-Christmas mess! So it wasn’t until a couple of weeks into…

INSPIRING CREATIVITY Debbie Bent from Eastcott Studios recently sent in these wonderful photos. “Loving your magazine! Thank you… I keep copies in the studio and encourage my visitors to browse through. As their confidence grows, I get them to follow the step-by-step guides on their own, and many then sign up for their own copy! I have attached two lovely pieces made by one of my regulars who was inspired by your magazine; she has cerebral palsy and has difficulty reading but was able to follow your step-by-step guide.”…

PROJECT FIVE LEAPING HARE SCULPTURE Spring is the time when we see hares leaping and chasing one another in the fields. It’s a beautiful sight that can lift the spirits, so why not try to catch that joie de vivre in clay, I thought – everyone loves a hare, don’t they? DIFFICULTY RATING You will need: ■ Paper clay ■ A short length of dowel ■ Wooden modelling tools ■ Foam support blocks ■ Underglaze colours & transparent glaze to decorate Before you begin: Make some paper clay slip by drying out a few small slabs first, then reconstituting them in warm water. When the clay has slaked down, mix it thoroughly to a creamlike consistency and store it in a lidded container. You will notice that we haven’t given…

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 STEF BAXTER POTTERY Courses: Handbuilding & throwing day class drop-in. Night and weekend classes. 1-1 tuition & Raku classes. Suitable for all levels. Open access coming. Dates: see website Location; Govan, Glasgow stefbaxterpottery.com CLAY WORKS STUDIO Courses: All levels from beginners to intermediate. Taster courses, general pottery and throwing courses. Open access facility for more advanced makers coming soon Dates: See website Location: Dumfries & Galloway clayworksstudios.co.uk DUNDEE CERAMICS WORKSHOP Courses: Classes for all levels from beginner to intermediate, for individuals and groups. 1-1 tuition available. Open studio access and kiln hire for members Dates: Throughout the year (see website) Location: Dundee dundeeceramicsworkshop.com FORGAN ARTS CENTRE Courses: All levels…

STUDIO HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR POTTERS COURSE Tim Thornton is running an online course on studio health and safety, beginning on 15 February and comprising eight, weekly, one-hour live sessions (not just video recordings), plus a dedicated forum for course participants. The course covers everything you need to know to run your studio safely. The main topics covered are understanding and managing hazards and risks; identifying and managing potentially toxic or dangerous substances; the risks of dust and silica, and how to reduce them; physiological risks of wedging, throwing, lifting etc.; heat, kiln fumes and other risks of various methods of firing; safe use of wheels and other machinery; proper disposal of waste; and general good practice in the studio. For further information, and to sign up, go to:.timthornton.com/health-and-safety-for-potters…

PROJECT ONE LIDDED STORAGE JAR Everyone needs storage jars in their kitchen, but often they are tucked away in cupboards out of sight. Make this lovely jar to contain anything from rice or pasta to biscuits and proudly put it out on display DIFFICULTY RATING You will need: ■ Clay – earthenware or stoneware, colour of choice ■ Throwing equipment – batts, water bowl, sponge, ribs, cutting wire ■ Clay weights: 1.1kg (2 ½ lb) for jar, 225g (½ lb) for lid Prepare the 1.1kg of clay by kneading it well to remove any possible trapped air, then fix a batt to the wheel head – for details visit: claycraft.co.uk/how-to Form the clay into a rough cone shape. Dampen, but don’t flood, the surface of the batt or wheel head and…

PROJECT FOUR OPEN KITCHEN BOWL You can make thrown bowls in any number of shapes, and it can be great fun developing them in different proportions for culinary use. This bowl has been made and decorated to hold eggs, but it would look equally good serving food at the table DIFFICULTY RATING You will need: ■ Clay – earthenware or stoneware, colour of choice ■ Throwing equipment – batts, water bowl, sponge, ribs, cutting wire ■ Turning tool ■ Clay weight: 700g (1½ lb) to make a bowl 21cm wide and 8cm high. Before you begin: A reminder when throwing – to save wordy repetition! Always compress the clay at the rim after each lift – pinch the rim gently between your fingers and thumb, at the same time resting…