Saturday 26 July 2008

Playing with clay and PotFest 2008

When I return to teaching in the autumn I will be doing some slab building with the pupils. Oh joy! I don't know much about clay (apart from the fact that I don't have the patience for it). So I booked a workshop with my friend and ceramic artist Sally Storr for a lesson in slab building.



So here is my first attempt with clay (don't laugh). It is a vase made by wrapping clay around an empty toilet roll tube and adding a base. I used a plastic mat to impress some decoration and punched the "button holes" with the head of a screw.



Here is a close up of the detail made with the plastic mat. If I make up some paper clay I should be able to fire the children's pots in a barbeque (hopefully). I have five weeks of the school holidays to get it right.
So, all fired up with enthusiam (fired up, geddit)? I visited Potfest at Penrith today. 100 selected potters and ceramic artists showing off their wares. It was wonderful! I could have remortgaged the house just to buy pots if I could. Here is a gorgeous Turtle Dish made by Spring Studios that I bought. Not only is it beautifully designed but I love the attention to detail, such as the feet and handles.






I bought this cat bowl (not for the cat) because it was quirky and fun.



I also love this elephant bowl made from thin porcelain.





So the next Potfest is from August 8 - 10 so I may have to take a visit there too!

5 comments:

  1. Wow
    Looks like you had a lot of fun!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your first attempt is wonderful!!! Love the simplicity of it, yet very unique!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you. I showed it to my DH and he said "is it supposed to look like that"?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I go to an Atelier once a week to learn the ceramics secrets... and it is not as easy as it looks!... lots of patience... which I lack.
    Lovely pieces these are.
    What is paper clay? I guess it is not papier mache cos otherwise it would...errr..burn in the barbacue...

    Ingenious use of materials for surface texture!



    www.florcita.eu

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi. I found my way to your blog through DaWanda.

    I like the one you made and the ones you bought!

    ReplyDelete

Please add your comments - I love to hear from you.