This piece is called Doo Wah Diddy ( from the song) and I love the way Helen Sinclair captures human emotion so precisely in all of her work. This girl is strutting without a care in the world and she has the presence of a carefree empowered person. “She really blows my mind”
People often ask if I have many firing disasters and I usually say no ( with crossed fingers) because I can usually tell when a piece is not strong enough to hold its shape when I am building it. I put a couple of layers on this this morning, and then it started to sag. […]
These woven pheasants by Juliette Hamilton look simply lovely strutting beneath the leaf laden beech tree. Before I framed them in long grass. It was lovely to sit outside this morning and have my first cup of tea with this view.
Having completed the base this piece is now ready to be turned back over. This was a much heavier turn due to its shape. Maisy dog was her usual helpful self! I applied the slip which looks a but of a dull grey at the moment, but when fired it should go the colour […]
This beautiful weather is drying the clay really well so I needed to turn this piece today. I must do this when the clay is at exactly the right consistency. Too wet and it will collapse, too dry and the slip will not adhere to the surface. Psyching myself up, this one is 130 kg. […]
It was lovely to have Lucy Coyne working in the garden today. Lucy is also a jeweller and her large pieces have such beautifully observed and detailed elements within them. Thank you Lucy. I have been making slips. Carefully Inlaying this coloured slip was the perfect gentle job for such a hot day.
It has been a thoughtful sort of a day today. I have taken time to contemplate the form and decide upon exact detail upon the surface. This piece is a commission and so the detail has already been planned and agreed, however I always let the form dictate the exact positioning of any detail. […]
The clay is now dry enough to alter the shape of the top without too much risk of collapse- I hope!!! I am thinking about the ergonomics of this piece. It is for sitting on and so it needs to be comfortable and to quickly dry if it rains. It is a little high at […]
Today I have been smoothing the join marks out of the clay with my fingers and thumbs. The clay is very dry at the base now ( it needs to be- to be strong enough to hold itself up) so it’s something of an exfoliating experience! This is hard work and a bit awkward, […]
Phew I have joined the top. The days before I join it are pretty dodgy as the walls are desperate to collapse. Now that it is joined the air inside acts as a cushion and holds the top up. These stainless steel thistles by Lucy Coyne make my dandelion collection look like it is […]