Sunday 28 February 2010

New Barrington Court Guide 2010

This weekend sees the start of the new season
at Barrington Court.
They have designed a new Guide leaflet.
with a nice plan of the grounds.
No 3 Second hand book sales and Barrington Pottery.
Yesterday was the first day and I noticed a marked increase
in the number of people coming to see me.
so this all looks good for the start of the season.

Friday 26 February 2010

Kiln Elements & Blogging

Last month I put this picture up and asked for advice.
"Were my Elements about to pack up"?, I asked,
and how can I get them back into shape.
were these elements a reflection of myself after the Christmas Festivities.
As ever you very kindly gave me some excellent advice, which I followed
I heated the kiln up to 75oc over a 90 min period,
turned off the power supply and with my kiln gloves on I eased them back into place.
Two firings later and they are still in place.
I love doing the blog for a number of reasons.
1. You don't feel so alone.
2. The feed back to your work gives great encouragement
3. You can ask questions that your partner would just look at you blankly.
4. The amount of inspiration I gain from looking at other blogs.
5. A sense of belonging.
6. When the Virtual friends that you make Turn up in the real world.
and so on...
So thank you for all of your help and advice
Today marks the end of my first year of my workshop being open at Barrington Court.
and the New season starts Tomorrow.
I will be moving to the new workshop this time next week
and I'm already sorting out what track to dance around the new workshop too.
resistance by Muse it top of my play list at the moment.

Wednesday 24 February 2010

Vote for the Leach Museum

Last July Marion and I made the Journey to St Ives to visit the Leach Pottery Museum.
It's a great place, when we were there school kids were having a go at playing with clay,
while others sat and watched the video.
Students were working in the new workshops.
And I was able to have a good look around and get a feel for what it must have been like to work there.
It certainly gave me inspiration for the lay out of my new workshop.

I had left my camera in the car so this poor quality shot was taken
on my mobile phone.
I had this email from them today and I have voted.
I would ask you to vote because if it wins it will get a lot more publicity.

The Leach Pottery in St Ives is one of eleven institutions long-listed for the £100,000 Art Fund Prize, the UK ’s largest single arts prize.
The long list has been selected by a panel of Judges chaired this year by broadcaster Kirsty Young. The £100,000 prize is awarded to the museum or gallery for a project completed in the last year, that the Judges deem demonstrates the most originality, imagination and excellence. The Prize, which has been sponsored by the UK ’s leading independent art charity, The Art Fund, for three years, aims to increase public appreciation and enjoyment of the UK ’s museums and galleries.
The public can vote for their favourite long-listed institution and leave comments for the Judges on the Art Fund Prize website telling the Judges why they should win. The poll results and online comments will be given to the Judges for their consideration when selecting the Short List and Winner. Visitors to the website can enter an exclusive competition to win a limited edition Jonathan Yeo print.To vote, comment or for more information about the Art Fund Prize go t
o: http://www.artfundprize.org.uk/

Please vote for us and pass this on to as many people as possible! Thank you.
Margaret Parma
Administrator
Leach Pottery
Higher Stennack
St. Ives
Cornwall
TR26 2HE
01736 799703
__________

This is the current vote level, as you can see
it's winning by a mile at the moment.

Thank you for loving your museum
Here are the results so far:
The Ashmolean museum (1.5%)
Blists Hill Victorian Town (0.5%)
Great North Museum (8.5%)
Hampton Court Palace (1.5%)
The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum (1%)
The Leach Pottery (72.6%)
The National Army Museum (0.5%)
The Natural History Museum (1.5%)
The Royal Institution (5.5%)
The Towner (5%)
The Ulster Museum (2%)


Thank you
Paul Jessop

Monday 22 February 2010

Home Made Display Units.

I finished off these units yesterday.

The Idea was Taken from Doug Fitch's visit to the workshop last week.

I was talking through some Ideas and I had seen a picture of the one Doug had made for his showroom, made from old scaffolding planks.

I loved the look of Doug's one the style really suites his rustic earthy pots.

I decided to do a bit of digging around for the best local supplier and had a word with my friendly builders merchants. I told them of the price I was looking to pay and they did me a deal if I bought 10.

But for this price they wouldn't deliver, so as they are 3.9mtrs long I had to do at least one cut on each plank in their yard with a hand saw so that I could fit them in my truck.

This is the result.

I decided to keep the end bits on a make a feature of them
and I've sanded this one down to see what it looks like.
The top is two and a half planks wide.

This is the second one but it hasn't been sanded yet.

I've added a plank on the base to display pancheons.

And good news on the workshop.
The Electricians were due to start today and at 9am they turned up
and got started.
My Lease on the new workshop is going to start on the 5th March
and I'm hoping to make the move over that weekend.

Friday 12 February 2010

Somerset Guild of Craftsmen.

I am pleased to announce that I have been accepted by the selection panel to become
a full Craft member of the Somerset Guild of Craftsmen.


I have cut and pasted this section from the web site.
to give you a flavour of the Guild.

Somerset Guild of Craftsmen
The Somerset Guild of Craftsmen is one of the oldest Guilds in the country and has been promoting the best of design and craftsmanship in the county for more than 75 years. All our makers are skilled, dedicated craftsmen and women who have undergone a stringent selection procedure to become a craft Guild member.
Situated in the ancient heart of Somerset, the Guild has a county wide membership of over a hundred and seventy members. 2008 was our 75th anniversary, and we are proud to count amongst our members during that time many names of international repute in the field of art, craft and design.
The Guild's Gallery, the Courthouse, is open throughout the year showcasing and selling members' work to discerning customers looking for something original, unique and beautifully made.
and here is a link to the web site.

Wednesday 10 February 2010

Dazed and Confused

I have got so much going on at the moment I'm starting to feel
Dazed and Confused.
If I have so much going on why is nothing happening ?????
My meeting with the contractor last Friday was good
it looks like I should be in the new workshop
by the second week in March.
I went for a long walk with Cadbury yesterday afternoon just to try and do some Blue Sky thinking about what needs to be done when.
But as you can see the blue sky didn't last long.
I'm also applying for a small business grant from the
Somerset Levels and Moors - local action for Rural Communities group.
24 pages and a business plan.
I also held my first Pottery evening class on Monday night.
I had two ladies and they got on very well.
I was very pleased with the progress they both made on the wheel.
and we had a good time.
I'm still trying to make some stock and decorate the workshop.
Dazed and Confused
I am.
Oh!
I forgot to say that today I'm taking some pots up to
The Somerset Guild of Craftsmen Gallery,
for a selection panel meeting tonight
to see if I can become a full member of the Guild.

Thursday 4 February 2010

Pottery Workshop

As you can see I'm starting to find my workshop space at a premium
I was hoping I would be in the new workshop by now.
I've got four wheels in the workshop at the moment and one in the showroom.
I have been busy making stock for the start of the new season at
Barrington Court
it opens on 27th February.
I'm hoping to be all in and set up by the 1st of March.

I'm always an optimist but this all seems along way off at the moment.
I spent some more time today painting walls and Beams.
Still all very exciting and a meeting with the contractor
at 10am Friday morning.

Wednesday 3 February 2010

Discover South Somerset 2010

Some of you may remember last February I showed the 2009 Guide
with my details in a small corner of the booklet
under a section other places to visit.
This years guide has just come out

and I'm in it but I'm not if that makes any sense.
The full page picture is of my showroom
but no where in the book does it Mention
Barrington Pottery.
I remember the guy taking pictures back in September.
I'm very pleased with the picture and I'm sure that people who came last year
will remember where it is.
and I will be a part of the art weeks open studio event in September.
it is great to have the picture in the Visitor Guide.
For those who are searching the guide out on the web
my details are as follows.
Paul Jessop
Barrington Pottery
Barrington Court,
Barrington, Nr Ilminster,
Somerset TA19 0NQ
tel: 01460 54410.
email:paulthepotter@btinternet.com

Monday 1 February 2010

Dear Drooper !

Dear Drooper, Does anyone remember that great kids TV show in the 70's
" The Banana Splits"
it had a section called Dear Drooper.
Well my elements have started to droop, they have never done it before
and this kiln is 9 years old now.
The question I want to ask is
" does this mean my elements are about to give up on me " ?

chatting to a visitor to the showroom today
he said that they may have lost their tensile strength.
Interesting theory !
I saw this this morning while walking with caddy, the word Subtle came to mind.

My 10 Wassail Cups came out Ok along with a lots of other fine pots
These are glazed with the Horse Chestnut Ash Glaze I made last year.


Harvest on the Farm TV appearance

It’s great to be back on the Blog! The most exciting thing that’s happening right now, is that I’ve been asked to appear on Channel 5’s TV s...