Pots are like people in so many ways.

I Have always said to my customers the reason people relate to pots in such a personal way is that pots are very much like people themselves.

The obvious things are that they have a foot a belly a shoulder and a neck.

But I think the reasons spread much further than that.

Some pots seem to speak to you straight away, These are the confident pots

often with something in common with yourself.

Some pots sneak up on you without noticing, then suddenly you start
noticing them and start smiling when you see them.

Some pots you never want to see again
and there's nothing wrong with that!
Others that you lust after belong to someone else.

Can you see where I'm coming from?
A few might shock you.

I know I've seen a few that make me wonder about the state of mind of the maker.
Those ones tend to be left on a shelf as you quietly walk past.
here again I can think of people.

The vast majority will go unnoticed and will go about their daily business.
But when you see a pot that lifts your spirits
and you feel a connection that's the point at which you should buy it.
Hand Made pots are one off's
it's not like buying something from a department store
when it's sold that's it.
there aren't going to be 10 more in the stock room.
and if there are then they won't quite be the same
as the one you saw first.
I try and convey this to people in my showroom, but it's hard
to try and not sound pushy.
God Knows the last thing I would ever want people to feel is pushed
into making a purchase.
To me it's all about the experience of buying a pot that speaks to you
as much as the pot it's self .
Buying from the maker is the best thing you can do.

So go on Break the mould this year!

Barrington Pottery is entering a New Chapter in it's white Knuckle ride.

We open on Sunday's as well as every other day of the week
It's about being open when visitors are around
and at the moment Barrington Court is closed in the week
and only open at weekends
until mid February 2016.
But I just Love having the workshop all to myself
during the week.
I can listen to the plays on BBC Radio 4.
Today I put my i pod on loud and just stuck it on random
from 495 songs Brilliant!

But it also means I can crack on with making more pots
without being disturbed. 

These Cider Beakers are a classic case of me just loving making pots . 

I've also found time to make these small storage jars with a handle.

I have a set of these I made years ago

on my shelf at home in the kitchen for Tea, Coffee and Sugar

They are great and I made them to show my visitors this week from Japan.

Here I am with Koi and Rumi from the Gallery St-Ives Tokyo.

who paid me a visit on Monday to discuss pots

for me to make for a new Exhibition in the gallery in April 2016.

http://www.gallery-st-ives.co.jp/e/top-e.html

Earlier in the week I posted this Picture on my Facebook page

and suggested that if you know someone that's just starting

to get interested in pottery and you want to buy them an inspirational

Christmas present

then you couldn't go far wrong by buying them

a good quality pot and an inspirational book!

But having reflected on this

if they are not into Country pottery, you would do better

to buy them a years subscription to Ceramic Review.

This covers far more bases and art forms using ceramics.

They do have an offer on at the moment of 1 Year for £38

http://www.ceramicreview.com/subscribe/

This dish was a new design and it sold within 10 mins of being put on the shelf.

That's a nice feeling.

In Other News:

Tom from The Great British Pottery Throw Down

came to see us again this week

with some more pie dishes

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-great-pottery-throw-down-air-date-contestants-and-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-bake-a6710151.html#gallery

I got to know Tom at Art in Clay in Hatfield in August this year

he was in the audience of my demonstration

" Your first 10,000 pots are your worst"

He's been improving his throwing skills by making pie dishes for us

for the past few months

and he's come on great.

he has his own web site with some great pots

( Mind you they are Stoneware! )

You can check him out here.

http://www.tkjceramics.com/

here are some of the bisc fired pie dishes.

He's not allowed to tell me how he's got on

in the show.

He's been a Major in the Army so I'm sure no amount of 

interrogation from me will make him spill the beans.

We shall just have to watch it and find out.

Personally I'm loving it.

Ceramics seems to be the big Buzz word at the moment

and that can only be good for us all.

Happy Potting.

Pottery on National TV BBC2

It's Sunday afternoon and I've just got back from the workshop.

I've had a good day today.

I've been making Pancheon's and Shallow Pancheon's

at the end of the day I decided to make a pot, just because I wanted

to make it.

When I'm at the wheel I always see other pots I want to make

and so today I just got on and made it.

It's 44cm wide and will have two large handles.

I'm very pleased to say that I have finally got to grips

with the big kiln, that was firing too hot at the bottom.

It means I can't just fire it over night, I have to be with it

to adjust the damper and the spy hole bungs. But I must admit

I do like firing it while I'm in the workshop.

My Harvest jugs are all now completed, I had kept them out of the kiln

until I was sure I could fire them OK.

and I've done a few Autumnal shots of pots in the showroom.

I love it when the afternoon sun starts flooding through the workshop

windows, so to make the most of it I cleaned them today.

 This week has seen the start of a New TV show on BBC2 about Pottery

They have called it the #greatpotterythrowdown.

There has been a lot said about it before it started, and a fair few

comments now it has started.

My View is plain and simple.

"Pottery is on National television and people are talking about it

that can only be a good thing".

This country has some very talented potters and I love being apart

of this vibrant and creative community. 

I make simple honest pottery and I'm proud to do so.

I'm self taught and haven't been on a degree course,

but that hasn't stopped me believing in my creative ideas.

the wording on these bowls pretty much

sums up the way I like to approach life.

The results from the last Glaze firing made me realise

that I have finally got to grips with the bigger kiln.

 I've added a few extra workshop shots, these

are Handles firming up before being fixed to the pots.

 and these are some new Casseroles I'm working on.

 This Honey pot is in the showroom at £30

I'm surprised it's still there!

 One of Our classic Pancheons glazed and ready for bread making.

Here is our old Gas kiln in the back garden

I'm hoping to fire it up again next year.

 I love the simple pleasures of being a potter, especially in the 

new workshop.

I love the way the sunlight catches and dances around the edges

of these large cups.

 I was very pleased to get the last batch of leaf resist jugs finished

and off to their new homes.

Time for a Beer down the local pub

The Barrington Boar.

have a great week and I'll catch up soon.