Sunday 6 April 2014

A Blank Canvas to work on.

When you look back over a year
some weeks tend to stand out rather more than others
I think this is going to be one of those weeks.
I shall start with some of the pots we have made.
I love pots when they are at the leather hard stage
this 17" wide dish is a blank canvas
and I stand looking at it thinking of all of the designs I could add
I have so many Ideas I just have to pick the one that I feel
will make the most of the shape & size of the bowl.
I'm stood here thinking I should have made 20 so that I can slip them
all in different ways.
This is what it's like to stare at a blank canvas but have 10
ideas running through your head.
it's all very exciting and a moment in life that only you can
live, this is the best part of being a creative person, having the belief
to do what is right by the pot.
Other people can appreciate the finished pot but as a maker
you have a unique bond with each piece.
Here is the other end of the spectrum
60 balls of clay weighed out to make ramekins
and the 60 completed in just over two hours.
This in it's self is a great discipline and a moment that you can really 
get into the zone and loose yourself in your work. 
As a Potter I find the time adding handles to be a strange place
because sometimes I love to just get on with it
but at the same time I want to be making more pots
and this time feels like lost time, if that makes any sense?
Marion has been trying out a new slip
these three bowls by Marion all have the same slip
but with three different glazes. 
I took a few days out of the workshop on Monday & Tuesday
to paint the front windows of our little cottage.

 Then on the Friday night we had a chimney Fire
and we were lucky not to loose the lot.
it turned out to be not that bad, but it gave us a scare.
 I said on my facebook page that some days you go out of the door
looking for inspiration and some days there it is staring you in the face. 
This was the sun on the statue across the road.
I love the shadow on the wall.
 We had a day when the light was just great everywhere you turned.
 and I finally took the plunge and started making bigger pots
this bread crock is made of 14lbs of clay.
 It looked like spring was here last week.
 So I captured some of it and put it in a jug.
 We had a very quiet day at the court today
but the Morgan owners club were in town
and I took this shot that I really thought captured the event.
I hope this gives you a flavor of what's going on in the workshop
at the moment.
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5 comments:

Dennis Allen said...

Oh if that 60 in two hours included the prep, throwing , a little trimming, glazing, firing, packing, selling....A guy could almost make a living.

Paul Jessop said...

Yep your right Dennis Just the throwing, I find that the quickest bit, luckily for me Marion does the turning slipping and Glazing. You should get yourself a Marion Lewis!

Paul Jessop said...

But not this one!

Dennis Allen said...

Been married to the same woman for almost 40 years but she has no desire to help in the studio.No plans to upgrade.

Paul Jessop said...

Good for you Dennis 40 years! she sounds like a reliable runner.

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