End of 2013

This is likely to be the last posting for this year, as I am closing down for a couple of weeks and/or will have nothing to say of any interest!
Looking forward to 2014, with the prospect of Could Have Fooled Me V and the Dorset Art Weeks.

You win some, you loose some!

Unloaded another batch of pots from our wood fuelled kiln today.
It had been a struggle to fire in the rain, with damp wood and not enough wind to excite the flames! We did not leave until 6am, which resulted in me not being at my best for the last day of the TAG conference at Bournemouth University - however that was a good event with loads of networking and reasonable sales to the archaeologists. I also got to fondle some real iron age pots, two of which were of a type I have made replicas - and I was happy with the match!
Some very good pots came out of the wood kiln. The beaker at the top of this image had been electric fired with a fairly uninteresting finish, the ash has fluxed the glaze and turned it a richer darker brown - my favourite!
However the bowl below was one of three that blew up. That'll teach me to load slightly damp pots in the kiln! Ah, the joys of the festive season rush!
We had some great results with the Udu drums made at a recent workshop, they should go down well with their makers.
Thanks to Laurence Eastwood - Larry No Plates - for masterminding the firing.
I have set up an archive page on the website to record the firing :-
http://www.crumbleholme.plus.com/Beakerfolk/wood-kiln/WodenFiring09.htm

Half Loaded

I got half way through loading the wood fuelled kiln today, not a job best done in a December drizzle!
Pleased with the wares, mainly mortaria bowls, some being refired after the last firing was not quite hot enough in the corners.
Also featuring the drums made at a recent workshop by Laurence and his students.
Busy day tomorrow, off to Hengistbury Head for the opening of the visitor centre then a drive across Dorset to Bridport to strike the Dorset Pottery Group exhibition.
Sunday will hopefully see the rest of the kiln loaded.
3 days next week at Bournemouth University, attending the 35th Annual Conference of the Theoretical Archaeology Group. I am part of the entertainment, making prehistoric pots and selling my wares. A good place to meet interesting people who might help me understand a bit more concerning the current thinking about ceramics in prehistory. However I might not understand most of what they say in their very own Archeo-babble, a language developed by folk in academic circles!

Bowled Over

I've just finished applying glaze to the next batch of "mortaria" bowls, ready for the next wood firing. All they have to do now is dry out soon enough during the next week.

I've spent a few days recently down at the Bridport Arts Centre, setting up and stewarding the Dorset Pottery Group's annual exhibition. We are all very proud of the displays and are hopeful for reasonable sales during the 2 weeks. There is an archive of photos on the group's website :-
https://sites.google.com/site/dorsetpotterygroup/gallery/bridport-arts-centre-2013