Fresh pots and Late summer sunshine.

OK it's 3.30pm and I have made 70 pie dishes today

here is a shot of 50 of them drying in the sun.

there are another 20 in the workshop

Honest!

I have a new camera thanks to a combination of

Marion & Cadbury

I'm sure the real story will find it's way

onto Caddies blog

The upshot of the saga, is that I now have a new

and better camera

which is great because I'm also updating my web site

with lots of new stuff.

I'll let you know when it's all done. 

The pie dishes look great with the Autumn colours.

so natural. 

Lipped bowls for the web site. 

people love this big chap

but he is still in the showroom. 

and these are the ramekins.

 I had three nutters in the workshop

all at the same time today.

They were all none related, they just seem to arrive all at once

totally independent.

They did seem to cancel each other out though

which was quite funny.

I'm going to check the alignment of the stars this evening

as it could be a sign

3 unwise men turning up on my doorstep

unfortunately none of them were baring gifts.

anyway I think I've had my fair share

so I'm hoping that's it for the year.

Very interesting day lined up for Wednesday

so I'll let you know more

later in the week.

Somerset Arts Week 2011 Venue 24 week one

Somerset Art Weeks is well under way

and we have seen a good amount of people through the doors

sales are going well

and just like this sunflower in the back garden at home

it's enough to make you Smile.

I've had some new pots out of the kiln today

including these Soup Bowls. 

 and some more salt pigs.

and some new Pie dishes

as we had sold out on Monday

so now these 5" pie dishes are back in stock. 

and walking through the village the other day

I noticed two of my jugs sat in the window of a cottage in the village. 

It's nice to your work in peoples houses.

why not come and see us while art weeks is on.

you can also see work by

 Clare Newman

WPA Demonstration Day Saturday October 29th

I just received this in the post yesterday.

with a nice article.

it comes with a booking form.

Joining the

west country potters association

is very worth while and you can do it here.

Join

let me know if you are coming.

Somerset Arts Week 2011 Venue 24

Today See's the start of 

 Somerset Art Weeks 2011 Exhibitions & Events

This year is group workshops

and the Barrington Court workshops have entered

we are venue 24.

open 6 days a week 11am - 6pm

closed Wednesdays. 

we had a very successful private view event last night

thank you to all that attended and made it such a great night.

as per usual on one of our do's

the invite time of 6pm - 8pm

was totally ignored and we pushed the last few

out of the door at 10.30pm 

This year I have work by Clare Newman in my showroom

come and have a look.

we would love to see you.

Mystery Resolved

OK it's been a difficult week dealing with my slip issues

but I have finally resolved it.

These are the supposedly two same piles of

Hyplas 71 Ball clay.

the one on the left is what it should be like

and the one on the right is the rouge batch.

I was so unhappy with it I decided to go to CTM supplies with a small

sample of the rouge batch.

Their stock matched  what it should be like that's the one on the left

so I bought 30KG. 

This is the difference when bisc fired.

I took it back and made up some new batches. 

The big top pot is the wrong batch

it should look like the smaller one. 

I got into a bit of a mess making up my new batches and

throwing away the old ones. it took me all afternoon to sort this

and I was getting more wound up as the day went on.

So I decided to take a picture of the batch codes on the bags

and email them to Imrys the maker. 

it was at this point I noticed the rouge batch was not actually Hyplas Ball clay

it was a different ball clay all together HYMOD!

No wonder it was a different colour.

in fact the reason I had not noticed was that Bath Potters

had put the paper sack in a plastic bag, whilst trying to be helpful!

but had put in the wrong ball clay.

ARRRGGHHHH!!!

Sunday 11th September

Just a quick blog to let customers know

I am closed all day today.

Sunday 11th September.

for your further viewing pleasure I have added a selection

of pictures from the past year.. 

5" pie dishes have been a great success. 

I've just noticed this picture has been tampered with

the Pancheons are not that tall. 

and if you go to work Early enough

you see things like this. 

and this. 

and Cadbury has started up his blog again

you can check it out here.

John Leach Open Day

Don't Foget it's John Leach's Muchelney Pottery

Open Day

on Saturday 10th September

Here is the link for more info

John Leach

http://www.johnleachpottery.co.uk/Open_Day_2011.asp

The Same But Different!

OK I slipped some items as per my last post

Both of these jugs have 100% Ball clay slip

nothing added.

the one on the left has the old batch

and the one on the right has the new batch.

This is the one on the right glazed and fired.

and this jug also had the new batch on the rim. 

You were right it doesn't seem to make much difference

But I can tell. 

all in all a good firing with some nice colourful results. 

a chap asked me yesterday why I had priced this pot with the 

beautiful glaze the same as one with a handle.

I told him he had answered his own question when he said

 "with the beautiful glaze."

Colour on the shelf

but I'm still not convinced.

"It's called market forces". I'm told

I have an answer to that, but I'd better keep that to myself! 

We shall end today's blog with a cute little jam pot

that has shape, form and a richness of colour 

that when you pick it up,tells

it's own story.

To me that's what pots should do.

They should talk to you and make you feel you want

to pick them up and hold them.

To Slip or not to Slip ? that is the question.

Laura is probably going to pick me up on my grammar with this title.

But nether the less the question needs to be asked.

I just mixed up a new batch of Hyplas 71 Ball Clay

from a new 25KG sack

and look at the difference in colour.

the one on the left is the old bucket

and the new one on the right is much creamier in colour.

So the dilemma is do I use it ?

Will it come out the same colour

" I'm thinking not" 

I slipped this dish with the old white inside

and the green outside.

and these Tankards are for an order

I've decided not to slip them until I've had some feedback

from some of my trusted friends on the blog. 

also waiting in the wings are these three small harvest type jugs

that are at present being looked over by Bernard Leach. 

So While I'm waiting for some potterly advice

I have got on with an order for Tapas bowls from

the local pub.

The Barrington Oak.

Thank You in advance,

as I am sure You will be able to help me.