Welcome

I spent some time at a usual haunt of mine, The Ceramics Studio in Ettington last week, working on some hand built pieces of my own.

I’ve attended quite a few classes at the studio now, over the course of quite a few years, including both throwing classes and hand building classes. As fun as throwing is, I feel like it has a much steeper learning curve! So while I have made some decent pieces, I just find the process of hand building a bit less stressful, and more open to creating different forms.

So I booked in for a slot of ‘studio time’ which is for those who have an idea of what they want to make that might not fit their classes schedule. You turn up with any particular tools, sketches, and ideas – and they help you along the way to making it a reality!

This time, I’ve been wanting to make some small vases, that would suit both dried flowers and are able to hold water too for single stems of flowers too.

Here are some pictures of the building process! They were slab built, and I’d prepared some paper templates at home that I brought along to use – and they worked a treat.

It took about 3 hours to make 4 vases.

I then brought them home to spend my time decorating them. I’m sticking to black underglaze – of course – and a mix of just painting, plus some carving/sgraffito work.

Here are the finished decorated pieces! Now I just have to hope they survive the bisque firing!

Then I’ll be back in the studio to make some more vases, and to apply glaze to these ready for their final firing.

Let’s hope they survive it all!

I’m really looking forward to having these on show when I’m exhibiting at The Ceramics Studio during Warwickshire Summer Art Weeks!!

I hope you’re treating yourself to something creative too.