SPOTLIGHT: WORLD OF WEDGWOOD

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PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW

BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL

Issue 7 £4.25

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7 STEP-BY-STEP
PROJECTS
Hands-on guides
to inspire you

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ALSO INSIDE: Meet the potter • Glaze tests • Courses

001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 7.indd 1 12/09/2017 16:53
 Meet the team... The Mighty Potters
N
o, I haven’t suddenly gone football the museum
mad, but I thought the Stoke City contains an
fans’ nickname was rather apt. archive of over
This month, our features really highlight the 80,000 items
resurgence in Stoke-on-Trent’s status as the and hosts a display from the V&A; you can
Jacqui Atkin Kevin Millward home of British ceramics. shop in three stores, enjoy a meal or
Ceramic Clay College
Wales p9 opens p6 With the six-week British Ceramics sumptuous afternoon tea, and relax in the
Biennial (BCB) running across various award-winning gardens. There are also two
venues in the city until November, visitors studios where visitors can learn to throw, or
will be spoilt for choice about what to see decorate a piece of Wedgwood bisque to take
first. One hundred artists are taking part in home. If you’re in Stoke, plan a visit.
a programme of exhibitions, installations, The development of Clay College Stoke is
new commissions and hands-on activities. something we’ve been supporting and
Alan Ault Doug Fitch There are too many to list, even in our covering since our launch, and the first
Casting Goodbye feature on the festival (see page 58), so check students are now in place and beginning
slips p26 students p47 out the website (britishceramicsbiennial. their journey. They will learn not only the
com) for more details, and to help plan your physical skills they need but, among other
*
Missed an issue? WIN £555 of vouchers
visit. It’s definitely an event that’s not to be
missed!
things, how to market themselves and their
work once they’ve graduated. The presence
ClayCraftClayCraft
THROW DOWN’S DANIEL PULLS HANDLES

If you’d like a VIP BCB tour followed by of a gallery on-site will be integral to this,
vouchers up for grabs

ClayCraft
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PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW Issue 3 £4.25

PINCH, COIL, SLAB

34 afternoon tea at the World of Wedgwood, giving the students the opportunity to
AND THROW
CREATE YOUR OWN TEA SET

42
Issue 1 £4.99 Issue 2 £4.25
PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW
Throw Down potter Starting with a slab-built teapot IN THE SPOTLIGHT!
FREE explains slips Emerging potters to watch out for
KIDNEY TOOL!
INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS
WORTH INSPIRATIONAL
£3.00 IDEAS 7 GREAT PROJECTS

14
POTTERY
PROJECTS
JOINING PINCH POTS

for two, turn to page 21 for our competition. display and sell their work. They will also be
to inspire you

You’ll have to be quick, as the prize can only manning it, interacting with customers and
Making pods and fruit
APPLYING GLAZE
IN THE MAKE YOUR
SPOTLIGHT! MARK!

3
Read about
studio potters types of
and their work stamp
Dipping, brushing and pouring SKILL SCHOOL

be taken during the festival, which means learning how to talk about their work. I
EARTHENWARE
GLAZING Learning to centre
COIL POT BUILD SMOKE-FIRING SKILL SCHOOL BRIGHT UNDERGLAZE
POTTERY TOOLS clay on the wheel

Issue 1 Economic, versatile clay OPEN! New ceramics school in Sussex

that the closing date is earlier than our usual can’t wait to see their first pieces on display.
One of 7 hands-on guides Judging glaze thickness
£4.99

WIN 2-day throwing course with Throw Down potter

to making your own THROWING MUGS AND ALSO Issue 3
INSIDE:

ClayCraftClayCraft
Basic kidney exercises £4.25 Your Q&As • Doug Fitch’s diary • Specialist directory
SLIP RESIST AND TAPE MAKING HANDLES STUNNING NEW COLOURS
types explained • Courses directory
ALSO INSIDE: Your Q&As • Clay
001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 2.indd 1

ALSO INSIDE: Stoneware clay • Spring Fling • Emerging Potters £200

WIN voucher for Ruthanne Tudball
29/03/2017 09:42

Down potter
31/01/2017 14:39

throwing course with Throw

ClayCraft
WIN 2-day
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001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 3.indd 1 09/05/2017 17:09

PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW

competitions. Good luck to all the students!

26
Issue 5 £4.25

PINCH, COIL, SLAB

MAKING SIMPLE FLOWERS
Issue 4 £4.25
AND THROW Issue 6 £4.25
PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW

54 Pinch yourself a posy! DECORATIVE PAPER RESIST

EGG CUPS
PINCH POTsimple

4
Stunning, bold designs with slip

4
and fun!

Say ‘Wedgwood’, and the iconic blue and

Attractive,

½7
CREATIVE IDEAS
PRICE INSPIRATIONAL
STEP-BY-STEP
TICKETS
IDEAS

INSPIRATIONAL PROJECTS
FOR PAPER CLAY
DIY IDEAS ART IN CLAY
HATFIELD

½
PRICE
TICKETS
FOR
LARGE
COIL-BUILD
Slab animals
BIRD BATH Pt
Pt 2
white jasper ware is probably the first thing
that springs to mind, but there is so much
ART IN CLAY Make a pebble
HATFIELD Glazing & firing
bird bath
MOULD PROJECT

RAKU FIRING TEXTURE TRANSFERS

SURFACE DECORATION THROWING TRANSFERS
ONE TO WATCH

EMERGING TALENT

ALSO INSIDE: Two-part moulds

• Kiln loading
UNIQUE EFFECTS PERFECT PATTERNS

• Supplier spotlight
Issue 4

SLIP INLAYS
£4.25

JUG OPTIONS USING DECALS

ALSO INSIDE: Pottery archaeology • Tea set series • Meet the potter
13/06/2017 16:42
ALSOIssue
£4.25
5
Relief bowl
INSIDE: Potfest report • Meet the potter • Hatfield preview
001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 6.indd 1
Issue 6
£4.25

08/08/2017 16:40
more to the brand than that. A visit to the
Buy now by visiting: World Of Wedgwood offers the chance to
Steve.indd 1
001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 4 v1
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shop.kelsey.co.uk tour the factory and watch the

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Issue 7 ClayCraft 3

003 Welcome Issue 6.indd 3 12/09/2017 16:54

 Contents
22
6 News
10 Kiln maintenance
Prolong the life of your kiln’s
elements with good care
12 PROJECT 1: cylinder mould
Step-by-step guide to making
a two-part mould for slip-casting
16 Meet the potter
Jo Ayre manages the studio and
outreach programmes for the
British Ceramics Biennial
12
4 ClayCraft Issue 7
004-5 Contents Issue 7.indd 4
Issue 7
WIN!
21
COMPETITION
A VIP tour of BCB, plus
afternoon tea for two at
World of Wedgwood
22 PROJECT 2: pinched mice
Easy and fun mouse build
26 Material matters
Alan Ault of Valentine Clays
explains casting slip; its origins
and use
30 Modern Makers
Hannah McAndrew reports on
the Upland: Modern Makers
project
10
34 PROJECT 3: simple spoons
Easy to make, and useful too!
39 Linda Bloomfield
The importance of test tiles
and line-blends, and how to
do them
42 PROJECT 4: sugar bowl
Using a template to make a
lidded sugar bowl. This can
be adapted to make bigger
containers if you choose
47 Doug’s Diary
Doug and Hannah say goodbye
to their Modern Makers, and
prepare for another show
49 Pots from the past
Thomas Hayman reports from a
dig at the Leeds Pottery site
50 Glossary
Your essential guide to the most
commonly-used pottery terms
51 Spotlight: Stonehouse
Studio
Isabel Dally introduces this
new workspace
54 Project 5: cooler
A terracotta, coil-built wine cooler
16
12/09/2017 16:55
 26 CONTENTS

58

58 80 Courses listing
Fancy signing up for a class?
Find one near you in our
We preview what’s in store for handy free listing guide
visitors to this six-week festival
82 Pottery suppliers directory
62 Project 6: tiles
Two methods for making tiles;
one a simple slab build, the other
using a mould
42 39
67 Spotlight: World of
Wedgwood
We take a look at the wide range
of attractions on offer for visitors 70 Project 7: surface
to this iconic brand’s site decoration
Glaze-on-glaze, with wax resist

51
73 Next month
74 Emerging Potters
Paul Bailey introduces more
up-and-coming new potters
who are destined for success

78 Events
Your guide to pottery and
ceramics events right
across the country
SPOTLIGHT: WORLD OF WEDGWOOD

ClayCraf t
76 ClayCraft
PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROW Issue 7 £4.25

BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL

6-week celebration
WIN!

subscriptions offer
VIP BCB TOUR
+ TEA AT
WEDGWOOD

7 STEP-BY-STEP
PROJECTS
Hands-on guides

Save money and have the

to inspire you

MODERN
MAKERS
magazine delivered to your door. Apprenticeship
scheme for
young people Issue 7
£4.25

You know it makes sense!

CERAMIC SPOONS NEW WORKSHOP USING RESISTS

PINCH PROJECT STONEHOUSE STUDIO GLAZE ON GLAZE

ALSO INSIDE: Meet the potter • Glaze tests • Courses
001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 7.indd 1
12/09/2017 16:53

Issue 7 ClayCraft 5

004-5 Contents Issue 7.indd 5 12/09/2017 16:55

 E
IN TH
If you have a news story, product launch or details of some

S
other topical item you’d like our readers to know about,

NEW email claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk

DO YOU OWN A TOWER POPPY?

A campaign is underway to
track down the 888,246 ceramic
poppies from artist Paul Cummins
and designer Tom Piper’s 2014
installation, Blood Swept Lands
and Seas of Red at the Tower of
London.
‘Where Are The Poppies Now’
aims to reunite digitally the poppies
from the original artwork, giving
people the opportunity to tell the
stories behind why – or for whom
– they bought their poppy. The site
will also show where the poppies
are now all around the world.
Poppy owners are planting their
poppies and sharing the stories
behind their purchase or gift. Some
poppies have travelled as far as
Australia and New Zealand – here
are the current statistics of the
Tower Poppies’ whereabouts.
The poppies have travelled:
● 4,166 miles to Akrotiri, Cyprus
● 8,989 miles to Perth, Australia
● 970.6 miles to Faenza, Italy
● 595.7 miles to Halberstadt,
Germany
● 3,890 miles to North Carolina,
North America
● 3.5 miles to Basingstoke, U.K
● 1,941.2 miles to Kefalonia, Greece
● 1,582.4 to Bucharest, Romania
● 5,969 miles to Lantau Island,
Hong Kong
To see more results, or to
log your own poppy, visit:
wherearethepoppiesnow.org.uk

Appeal for information about Hammer Vale pottery

Tim Winter is appealing for
information from anyone who
knows more about Hammer Vale
pottery. It was located in Hammer
Lane and was started in 1901 by
William Wilson Stallworthy – whose
father was the local Congregational
Church minister – along with James
Radley Young, a highly skilled
potter from Poole in Dorset.
Pottery produced at Hammer
included vases, candlesticks,
bowls, jugs, tiles and terracotta
gardenware as well as novelty
items including model pigs glazed
in various colours.
The pottery was sold in local
shops including Charman & Hatch
in Haslemere High Street, as well
as more widely through agents
in Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset,
Oxfordshire and London.
Haslemere Museum is asking
anybody who knows anything
about the pottery or the
Stallworthy family to get in touch.
“Perhaps you have an old
photograph showing the pottery
buildings in Hammer Lane? Or
maybe a family member in the past
has talked about the old pottery –
or indeed even worked there?” said
a spokesman.
“If you have any information –
no matter how small – do please
get in touch with Haslemere
Museum directly on 01428 642112
or by email to collections@
haslemeremuseum.co.uk.”

6 ClayCraft Issue 7

006-9 News.indd 6 12/09/2017 16:56

 IN THE NEWS

NEW POPPY INSTALLATION

14-18 NOW, the First World War
Centenary arts programme, is
responsible for the UK tour of the
two sculptures Wave and Weeping
Window, which formed part of the
original installation Blood Swept
Lands and Seas of Red by artist
Paul Cummins and designer Tom
Piper, originally staged by Historic
Royal Palaces at HM Tower of
London in 2014. 
The iconic Wave sculpture
opened at CWGC Plymouth Naval
Memorial on 23 August. Specially
presented by 14-18 NOW: WW1
Centenary Art Commissions, to
mark the centenary of the First
World War, Wave is a sweeping
arch of bright red poppy heads
suspended on towering stalks.
The installation is free to view
and open to the public daily
until 19 November, with CWGC
volunteers on hand from 10am to
6pm to tell the story of Wave, the
Commission, and CWGC Plymouth
Naval Memorial. This is the first venues across the UK. Weeping Backstage Trust and Clore Duffield
time the sculpture has been fixed Window is a cascade comprising Foundation for their support in
to a monument dedicated to several thousand handmade securing these sculptures for
remembering the war dead of the ceramic poppies seen pouring posterity.
two world wars. from a high window to the ground For more details, and for
The second sculpture, Weeping below. information on the venues, visit:
Window, is being exhibited at other 14-18 NOW is grateful to the 1418now.org.uk

Clive Bowen masterclass

Clay College Stoke is delighted to host
a practical masterclass led by the great
master of slipware, Clive Bowen.
Bowen was born in Cardiff in 1943.
After completing a course in painting
and etching at Cardiff College of Art, he
served an apprenticeship with Michael
Leach from 1965 to 1969. In 1971, he
established his own pottery at Shebbear
in North Devon where he still works today.
Bowen works predominantly in red
earthenware, the clay used for centuries
for making traditional Devon slipware
pots. It is his spontaneous and bold
take on slipware that will be explored
through this masterclass. Participants will
explore slipware through the creation and
decoration of forms using the techniques
of throwing, raw glazed slip trailing and
slip decoration.
Saturday 14 and
Sunday 15 October 2017
● 10am-5pm
● Clay College, Middleport
Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3PE
How much?
● £250 including light lunch and
refreshments during the day
This masterclass has limited places
and there is likely to be high demand so
prompt booking is recommended.
Please note that this masterclass is not
suitable for beginners.
To book a place, visit: claycollegestoke.
co.uk/book-classes/

Issue 7 ClayCraft 7

006-9 News.indd 7 12/09/2017 16:56

 E
IN TH
WS
NE
Competition
winner
The lucky recipient of a £200
voucher to spend on Ruthanne
Tudball’s work is Melanie Russell,
Chichester. Congratulations
Melanie!
We can’t wait to see what
you choose.
Clay College opens its doors
The Clay College has opened for
business, with its first intake of
students beginning their course on 11
September.
The aim of Clay College Stoke
is to teach the new generation of
studio potters the skills they need to
establish themselves as professional
makers. The course is intensive,
condensing a three-year curriculum
into a two-year Diploma, with each
year consisting of 45 weeks over
three terms. The focus of the course
will be on teaching practical skills, but
will also include research and design,
historic and international ceramics,
marketing, sales and business
skills. The course will facilitate the
8 ClayCraft Issue 7
006-9 News.indd 8
Presents
Clay College Hammer Down
Benefit Auction in Aid of
for the specialist Kiln building
Friday 13th October 2017
Adam Partridge Auctioneers will be hosting a benefit auction as part of their next studio ceramics sale
to raise money for
the Clay College venture at Middleport Pottery. Adam is a great supporter of local projects and charities
in the Cheshire
and Staffordshire areas, all the proceeds from this section of the sale will go to the College.
Because of the association between Middleport and the BBC’s Great Pottery Throw Down,
the benefit auction will feature work by Kate Malone (also a Patron of Clay College),
her fellow judge Keith Brymer Jones, Rich Miller (the kilnman) and most of the
contestants from the two series.
Instead of ‘Throw Down’ it’ll be a ‘Hammer Down’.
Lisa Hammond, founder of Adopt a Potter Trust
and the inspiration behind Clay College has
donated one of her own large pots.
The sale will also feature other donated pieces
by various potters and collectors including
Emma Rodgers, Svend Bayer,
Jeff Shapiro, David Binns
and Phil Rogers.
For further information, please get in
touch:
Jason Wood jason@adampartridge.co.uk
Lisa Hammond (born 1956)
Lisa Hammond lisa@lisahammond-pottery.co.uk a large vase, height 42cm
Est £600-£800
Emma Rodgers (born 1974) The Cheshire Saleroom, Macclesfield
a large monkey sculpture
height 45cm. Est £350-£550 WITHIN THE STUDIO CERAMICS & MODERN DESIGN SALE
exploration of a variety of styles,
including genres, materials, surface
treatment, as well as firing types.
The core curriculum and specialist
masterclasses are taught by potters
who make their living from their craft
and will offer a holistic approach,
teaching all the skills, knowledge and
techniques necessary for students to
set up as practicing potters.
Middleport Pottery receives
40,000 visitors a year and the
gallery space at Clay College Stoke
will house exhibitions of students
work, giving them the opportunity
to display, present and sell their
work to a wide range of visitors and
collectors.
12/09/2017 16:56
 Ceramic Wales 2017 review IN THE NEWS

This was the second year of this fair, the Richard Heeley.
only one of its kind in North Wales.
The fair ran from 1-3 September, and
was based in the School of Creative
Arts at Glyndwr University, Wrexham.
The Regent Street campus was first
built in 1838 as an infirmary and was
converted into an art school in 1953.
Since then, it has housed the majority of
the Art & Design courses.
The aim of the organisers has been
to promote and convey their passion
for ceramics on a personal level, but
also highlight the university department
and, hopefully, establish an appreciation
of the diversity of ceramics in the 21st
century to a buying public – maybe
even recruiting a few students along
the way!
It’s the brainchild of Wayne Clarke,
the department’s chief technician, a
worthy potter in his own right, ably
assisted by professional potters Wendy
Lawrence, Meri Wells and Simon Shaw.
Fifty potters had stands at the
event, together with a focus exhibition
of work by David and Margaret Frith
called ‘Made in Wales’. In addition, and
a lovely feature of this show, was a
taster exhibition of one piece of work
from each of the potters to whet your
 Christy Keeney.
Janet
Halligan. appetite as you entered the building.
Trade stands included leading
ceramics suppliers Potclays and
Cromartie.
There was a lively programme of
demonstrations and lectures to attend
for those wanting to expand their
knowledge or learn a little more about
the ceramic scene in general, including
an exciting Raku firing by John Scott.  Meri Wells.
A prize for the best stall, chosen by
Phillip Hughes, Curator of the Ruthin
Craft Centre, was very deservedly won
by Amberlea McNaught, the amazing
new talent on the ceramic scene.
I think it’s hard for most of us to
understand the huge amount of
planning and hard work that goes into
organising and running these events,
and it doesn’t end until long after the
show is over and all the exhibitors have
gone home, so well done to Wayne and
the rest of the team – if we didn’t have
events like this one, we would be all the
poorer for it.
 Daniel Boyle. Jacqui Atkin  Jo Keogh.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 9

006-9 News.indd 9 12/09/2017 16:57

 KILNS
STARTING IN BUSINESS
M
ost electric kilns in use
today use coiled wire
made of a very special
high-temperature alloy of iron-
aluminum-chrome (sometimes
known as Kanthal A-1 wire). The
chief advantage of this alloy over
others that were used in the past is
that it resists very high
temperatures (up to about 1315°C).
It does this partly by forming a
very tough alumina oxide coating
on the outside of the wire. The
disadvantages (or weaknesses) of
the alloy are that it becomes very
brittle after firing, the wire grows
with use, the resistance increases
with age, and anything that harms
the oxide coating can ruin the
element.
Keeping these factors in mind,
the kiln user must be careful not
to allow any contamination on the
elements. Reducing atmospheres,
carbon compounds (such as might
be found in some clays), glazes,
oxides of lead, halogens, fluorides,
and silica compounds (such as
found in kiln wash) will all attack
the alumina oxide coating.
Reducing atmospheres will be
caused by burning carbonaceous
materials in the kiln – something
never recommended by kiln
10 ClayCraft Issue 7
010-11 Kilns.indd 10
Why do elements in electric kilns fail? What can you
do to extend element life and save on kiln maintenance
costs? Stephen Lewicki, president of L&L Kilns, gives
advice on making the most of your elements
manufacturers. Reduction firing
should only be done in gas kilns.
Even stretching of the coil is
also critical. Once the elements
are fired, they can't be easily
re-stretched. If the coils become
bunched up in certain places,
because of improper initial stretch,
or because of rough firebrick
making the elements stick while
they expand and contract, the
element will overheat and burn
out where the coils touch each
other.
Crucial support
The condition of the firebrick or
element holders supporting the
element is important. The brick or
element holders must be clean and
free of kiln wash, glaze and
crumbling firebrick. Grooves or
holders must be in good condition.
Because it can be difficult to
repair firebrick grooves, many
owners overlook this. However, if
an element droops down out of a
broken groove, you may have lost
that element. Although pinning
the element in place with alloy
pins can help, this is not an ideal
solution because the pins tend to
come loose over time (because
their expansion factor is different  A typical than that of firebrick.) Ceramic
kiln without holders have the advantage of
hard ceramic being stronger and less prone to
element
damage than firebrick in the first
holders,
showing how place, and are easier to replace if
the brick they do get damaged or
breaks, and contaminated.
elements sag Keeping the element as cool as
from constant possible is one thing the kiln
loading and owner can, and should, think
wear.
about. The life of elements goes
down logarithmically with
ƒ The thin, element temperature. For instance,
dense wall
of ceramic
an element operated at 1150°C
holders may last twice as long as an
reflects the element operated at 1200°C, but
infrared heat four times as long as an element
into the kiln. operated at 1260°C. There is a big
12/09/2017 16:57
 Most electric kilns in use
today use coiled wire
made of a very special
high-temperature alloy
of iron-aluminum-
chrome.
difference between element coil
temperature and kiln temperature.
The coil may be 30°C to 85°C
hotter than the kiln. This
differential will be influenced by
the density of the load. Dense
loads will absorb more heat and
the elements will work harder
(and hotter) to get the heat into
the kiln. You should never load
your ware closer than about
13mm from the elements. It’s
especially important to keep the
load shelves away from the
elements. You want to get the heat
away from the elements and allow
it to circulate within the kiln.
Work or shelves that are too close
to the elements not only prevent
air circulation, but they re-radiate
heat back to the elements, causing
them to overheat. If the element is
buried behind insulating firebrick
it will get hotter than it needs to,
and the life will go down
010-11 Kilns.indd 11
dramatically. Dense ceramic
holders can help this condition
because they transmit the heat
from the element more efficiently.
Good design
Element design is often the
paramount factor in element life.
The three main aspects to this are
watt density, which is the ratio of
watts to surface area of element
(this should be as low as possible),
element stretch ratio, and the ratio
of wire gauge to coil diameter.
‚ You should There is, unfortunately, not much
never load the kiln consumer can do about
your ware element design, except to trust the
closer than manufacturer of the kiln.
about 13mm
from the
However, keep in mind that the
elements. relationships between the
competing ‘ideals’ in a design
‚ Elements make element design difficult and
are easy
to change
time-consuming. The kiln
if your kiln consumer should be aware that
uses ceramic cheap replacement elements from
holders. outside vendors may not have the
proper design, and may fail
sooner. Also, there are several
cheaper grades of iron-aluminum-
chrome alloy available and there is
no way for the average consumer
to know that he or she has
received the top grade (which is
necessary for the ultra-high
temperatures encountered in most
ceramic hobby kilns.) Only buy
elements from a reputable source.
If you ever have to re-form an
element (for instance, if an element
gets out of its brick slot or element
holder, and droops down) you
can’t do this cold. The element
KILNS
must first be heated (not quite to
red heat) and then carefully
reformed with a tool such as
needle-nose pliers. The heating of
the alloy will soften it.
Long soak times will accelerate
the element aging process, so try
not to soak at final set point for
any longer than you absolutely
need to.
No matter what you do,
elements will increase in
resistance over time. This is
because the part of the wire that
actually carries the current gets
thinner as more of the aluminum
is transformed into alumina oxide.
Element resistance is measured in
ohms. As resistance increases, the
current draw (amperage) will go
down and the firing time will
increase. The only reliable way to
know which elements need
replacing when the kiln starts
slowing down is to measure the
ohms of each individual element
with a digital ohmmeter. You
must isolate each element for this
measurement, then compare each
value with the ohm values
provided by the manufacturer.
Typically, when the element has
increased in resistance by 8% it’s
time to change it. Keep in mind
that for kilns with graded
elements (where elements vary in
power output from top to bottom
to avoid zone switches) you may
need to replace all elements as a
set. In kilns with individual zone
control switches, you can adjust
for variations in element output
caused by resistance change.
By keeping your elements and
element holders or grooves clean,
using only good elements to start
with, properly stretching and
installing them, and making sure
that they transfer their heat as
efficiently as possible, you can do
a lot to maximise element life and
minimise your maintenance costs.
L&L kilns are distributed in the
UK by Potclays.
potclays.co.uk
Issue 7 ClayCraft 11
12/09/2017 16:57
 SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT TWO-PART CYLINDER
ONE MOULD FOR SLIP CASTING
T his is the first mould we will make
specifically for slip casting, but
don’t be put off by this if casting
isn’t a technique you want to learn about,
because it can easily be used as a press
mould instead. However, the beauty of slip
casting is that you can make the forms much
faster than you could do otherwise, and you
have the security of knowing that every item
will be identical – an important factor for
some batch production. 

You w ill n ee d : del

✔ Something to use as a mo

s you
There are several useful item
as a mo del for you r cyli nder.
can use
for
● Plastic drainpipe – perfect
r mo ulds and widely
two-part cylinde
le from buil der ’s mer cha nts
availab
DIY stor es. It’s ava ilab le in several
or
to sizes
widths and can easily be cut
Use ful, also , bec ause
of your choice.
it doesn’t nee d soa p sizi ng. You can
mak ea
1
cast the pipe itself, or use it to
plaster master model.
a variety
● Old rolling pins – choose
bec aus e they
with removable handles
are flat ended.
ing –
● Heavy- duty cardboard tub
se will need
from carpet rolls, etc. The
ere d with clin gfi lm
to be carefully cov
surf ace bef ore cas ting .
to seal the
In addition you will need:
✔ Plaster
model
✔ Clay to build up around the
use d in previou s mo uld -
(the clay
d – to
making exercises will be goo  Begin by cutting your model to size – in this example, we are
save using fresh clay). using a plastic drainpipe. If using this, make sure the cut is level so
u
✔ Boards to use as a cottle (yo that the cylinder will stand vertically. Sand the cut edges to remove
s if you don’t burrs of plastic.
could use thick clay slab
12 ClayCraft
have boa rds)7.
Issue

012-15 Project 1 Mould.indd 12 12/09/2017 16:58

 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

2 4

 Moulds for casting differ from those we have made

 To prevent plaster getting inside the pipe when it’s
cast, you will need to seal the ends. You can cut discs
to size from wood or Perspex or simply fill the pipe with
clay and smooth off the ends to flatten.
3 is central.
in earlier issues of ClayCraft because they need an
extension of clay, or another material, to form the
opening of the mould through which the slip is poured.
This extension is referred to as the ‘spare’. If there were
no spare, the rim of the cast would be very uneven.
The spare can be made from clay, although other
materials can be used as well (see the list of alternatives
in the tips box).
Make your spare 3-5mm smaller than the
circumference of the opening – this distance will
represent the thickness of wall once the form is slip cast.
Fix the spare onto the end of the model, making sure it
Now neaten up the join to remove excess slip and
smooth the clay. Take care not to create any undercuts.

 Draw a line along the length of the model to define

each half (you can do this with masking tape if, as in this
example, the pipe is black and therefore difficult to mark
clearly.
Pencil an arrow to show the actual half-way mark – it
can be easy to mistake which side of the tape is correct.
 Carefully and lightly, draw a continuation of the half
way division across the shoulder of the model and up to
the top of the spare with a pin.

TIP: OTHER MATERIALS YOU CAN USE TO MAKE SPARES

● Bottle/jar corks (available in many sizes – look online for suppliers)
● Styrofoam – simply cut to the required size
● Wood – MDF
● Plasticine
● Polymer clay
All can usually be stuck on to the end of the model with double-sided
tape or similar, but they must be fixed securely

Issue 7 ClayCraft 13 .
012-15 Project 1 Mould.indd 13 12/09/2017 16:58
PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
ONE
6 9
 Now roll a thick slab of clay large enough for the
model to lie on, with 5 cm spare all the way around
except for the end with the spare.
Place the slab on a non-absorbent board then make a
central channel for the model to sit on, with your rolling
pin. This is really just to prevent the model from moving
as you work.
7
 To make sure the position is correct, place one of
the cottle boards at the end with the spare, so that it
butts up directly. When cast in plaster, this end will then
remain open.
Secure the board with a thick coil of clay to stop it from
falling over as you get the position right.
8 11
 Now build up the clay around the model to the half-
way mark. Make sure to level it periodically, and be careful
not to create undercuts at the edge of the model itself –
especially at the base, where the pipe is filled with clay.
It can be tricky to work around the spare, but this must
be divided in the same way – take your time to make sure
it is neat and level.
14 ClayCraft Issue 7
012-15 Project 1 Mould.indd 14
 Build the cottle around the model.
Seal all the possible escape routes
for the plaster with thin coils of clay
– including the spare – and secure the
boards with string to avoid spillage from the
weight of the plaster. Wipe over the model with a barely
damp cloth to remove specks of clay. You are now ready
to cast the first half of the model.
10
 Cast the first half in plaster – the amount required will
entirely depend on the size of your model, but use the
guideline of 1½ lb of plaster (680g) to 1 pint of water (575ml)
and scale up the amount accordingly. The mixing process is
the same as all previous plaster projects in ClayCraft.
 Carefully remove the cottle boards and surform any
sharp edges around the plaster.
Now turn the whole thing over and reposition the
mould on the board. Carefully lift the base slab clay off
the model, which should remain in place in the plaster.
Wipe over the surface of the model to remove traces of
clay and remove the tape if you have used it to divide the
model.
12/09/2017 16:59
 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

12
 Make 4-6 ‘natches’ in the plaster by rotating the end
of a metal tool like an old knife or melon scoop to form
little wells. These will locate the second half of the cast
and hold the two parts together properly when casting.
15
 Remove the cottle boards and surform
all sharp edges around the plaster.
Very carefully separate the two halves of
the mould (see tip for stuck moulds).
Remove the model then carefully wipe away
any clay residue from the model with a damp cloth.

In the next
issue: we will
demonstrate
the slip casting
process
and explore
different surface
treatments for
this making
method.

13
 Soap size the surface of the plaster then wipe the size
back with a damp sponge. Repeat the process at least
twice more, and up to seven times, to prevent the two
halves of the mould sticking together.
16
 Fit the two halves together and put the mould
somewhere warm to dry out completely before using –
this can take quite a long time depending on the warmth
of the drying area – at least a week, but often longer.
The finished image shows the mould held together
with sections of inner tube from a bicycle – you will need
something similar to hold your mould together when slip
casting.

TIP: UNSTICKING MOULDS

If your mould won't come apart
easily after casting the second
half, place a soft cloth over the
surface then place a weight or
other heavy object on top. Give
the weight a sharp tap with
another weight, and the mould
should easily pop apart – if not,
try again in another position.
For moulds that are really
14 stuck; allow it to dry out
somewhat then stand it in a sink with the join side
 Now build the cottle around the model again in the uppermost and pour boiling water over it. As the
same way as before and again, seal any possible escape plaster contracts, the mould should spring apart.
routes for plaster with thin coils of clay. Remove the model, then dry the mould with the
Cast the second half with the same weight of plaster sections together.
that you used for the first half.

Issue 7 ClayCraft 15

012-15 Project 1 Mould.indd 15 12/09/2017 16:59

 MEET THE POTTER
Jo Ayre is based at the old Spode Works in Stoke-on-Trent, and manages the studio for the
British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) and its various community and education programmes

A s a young child, Jo’s

grandmother used to
take her to the Potteries
Museum and Art Gallery, where
„ Jo Ayre is
the resident
artist and
studio
manager for
they always popped in to see the the British
large display of Cow Creamers, Ceramics
among other exhibits. Biennial.
“Stoke has always had places like
Gladstone Pottery Museum, where
you can drop in and ‘have a go’,”
says Jo, “but recently there’s been
an upsurge in some sectors, and I
would say that there are more
places for children to try things.
Adults want to do it too, but with ‚ Part of the
community
closures in adult education courses
work that
there’s been a decline in the will be
number of ways they can get incorporated
involved, so that’s one of the into
things I’ve been involved with HeartBeat;
since starting this job.” an exchange
Like many others, Jo’s first programme
with artists
experience of clay was at school. “I
in India, and
really enjoyed art at school. My inspired by
teacher was a ceramics specialist, the Warli
but we didn’t do much pottery. painters of
However, as I went on through art Maharashtra.

GCSE and A level, she let me do

more and more; slip casting and
firing the kiln.
“I don’t remember ‘an epiphany’
with clay; it was just always there.
I don’t think that as a child I
appreciated how much ceramics is
present in Stoke, and that it’s not
normal for anywhere else.”
While studying for her A levels,
Jo took a weekend and holiday job
at the Wedgwood Visitor Centre
and started working with the
thrower there, balling up the clay.
He taught her bits and pieces,
before she was thrown in at the
deep end, helping visitors to
throw. She stayed at Wedgwood
16 ClayCraft Issue 7

016-20 Meet the Potter.indd 16 12/09/2017 17:00


while doing a foundation course at
Newcastle-under-Lyme, which
was, she says, a fantastic course.
“It blew my mind! It was full-on,
but it was so nice to be completely
absorbed in art, design, and
making all the time. I’m not sure
what it is about clay, but I was
definitely drawn to the material
itself, rather than finished objects.
That’s changed over time, and now
I’m a complete ceramics enthusiast,
but, initially, it was the material
that drew me in.”
Having decided to specialise in
ceramics, Jo started to think about
where to study and decided that
Cardiff felt like a good fit. She
would come home for the holidays
and got another job, at Gladstone
Pottery Museum.
“I was mainly throwing, but
sometimes would work on casting
or fettling, and I worked with Rita
Floyd; in quiet moments, she’d
016-20 Meet the Potter.indd 17
teach me flower-making. Kevin
(Millward) would let me have a go
on the jigger and jollier too, so it
was a very supportive atmosphere,
and I really got some hours under
my belt there. That helped with
skills, but research has always
been important to me, so being in
that museum context was great,
and the work I went on to do
during my degree was all about
Stoke.”
After graduating in 2005, Jo
returned to Stoke and worked at
Gladstone full-time, before
applying to do an MA at the Royal
College of Art. The course suited
her, with its ready access to other
disciplines, and freedom of
movement between them, and she
says it was a great experience.
Staying in London after
graduating, Jo was part of a shared
studio, and she and another artist
would load up an old Volvo estate
MEET THE POTTER
and deliver workshops in schools.
“For me, there’s always been
‘making’, and ‘working with other
people’. I’ve identified working
with others as a significant part of
what I do now, and that
interaction is interesting for me,
because I’m quite introverted! But
I always seem to end up in
scenarios where I’m making
alongside other people, or want to
encourage it to happen.
Sometimes, part of me does think
that a studio at the bottom of the
garden would be great, but it’s
also about the balance of having
other people around you to give
you energy. Also, from a practical
point of view, it makes sense; it
gives you access to equipment and
a second pair of hands. Often
you’re doing something, and you
can’t actually move it – you need
help!”
Jo enjoyed teaching and realised
that she wanted to take it further,
so enrolled on a PGCE course at
the Institute of Education. She
went on to teach full-time in two
schools with very different
 The main approaches to education, which she
studio has found interesting.
now expanded “The good think about teaching
into several
neighbouring
art is that it’s so creative. You don’t
rooms… only have to think about how you
make something, but it has to be
‚ … one of relevant to the pupils, accessible,
which holds and find a spark of something
slip-casting
moulds,
that’s going to make them feel that
inherited from they can achieve it, or get a better
the Spode understanding of the subject. I
factory. found that really stimulating.”
.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 17
12/09/2017 17:00
 New beginnings
After nearly four years of teaching,
Jo’s London flat was going to be
sold, so she and her partner took
the opportunity to move closer to
Jo’s family, and now live in
Newcastle under Lyme, (three
miles from Spode). “I’d handed in
my notice, and I saw the BCB 2015
studio assistant job advertised.
They were looking for someone to
look after the studio, and I thought
it looked interesting. I was in
FRESH in the first BCB in 2009,
so I remembered Barney (Hare
Duke) from that, and had visited
all the others, so I was familiar
with it.”
Immediately after taking the
position, Jo was thrown in at the  During Jo’s research at Burleigh, she had a conversation with the designer,
Sarah Heaton, about whether people train in ceramic design, or train in design
deep end, helping Bruce McClean and then do ceramics. Handles are a giveaway; ceramic designers have an
with a project he was working on understanding of ergonomics and how handles work with the form. Jo made these
for BCB 2015, making large teapots to draw attention to the handles, and incorporated the grey that Sarah has
platters for him to paint, and very successfully introduced to the Burleigh range.
assisting him with some slab-built
forms. feel comfortable to make things, rather than leave.
“It was fun to work with him. I especially when there are other “Two years ago, when I started,
really enjoy working with other people around.” this studio was here to support our
people, and I put a lot of energy Jo’s role at BCB has developed so programme of outreach, and to
into trying to make sure the that now she plays an integral role support artists who might be
atmosphere is right for someone to in the clay engagement working with us. There was also
programmes, leading on the some production, but I thought if
content and practical aspects of I’ve got this studio, then I want
delivering a meaningful clay this to be a community resource,
experience. so I worked to develop that. The
“One of the great things that’s festival has been instrumental in
happened in the past year or so is the direction my practice has
that we’ve been able to support taken,” says Jo.
two makers as artists in training. A demand for classes was
They’ve been able to develop their apparent, from people Jo was
practice in terms of the meeting at previous BCB festivals,
participatory side of things, and and she started running four-week
use the studio on a regular basis, courses. “People came and did one,
so they can now go out and deliver then they did the next, and the
really good workshops. next, and before I knew it, there
“We got support from Arts was a small community of people
Connect to deliver that, and it’s who were really committed to
been great. Our community and being here. They call themselves
engagement programme has the Clay Comrades, and their help
expanded quite significantly, and I and participation have been
 Traditionally, engraved rollers were used to can’t do it all myself, so being able invaluable."
make the patterned tissues for transfer-printing,
but the last engraver has retired. If new rollers to support other artists to deliver The studio is in a series of
are needed, there’s no one to do it. Alison Howell it is really good. It also makes sure rooms off the vast China Hall, but
has been looking at using laser-cut, rubber that there’s work in the area, initially, it was one room, with no
rollers as an alternative for the future. encouraging people to stay here doors, and very little in the way of
18 ClayCraft Issue 7

016-20 Meet the Potter.indd 18 12/09/2017 17:00


storage. The Clay Comrades all
pitched in and helped to clear
space, clean, put in cupboards and
shelving, and generally sort it all
out, to allow the expansion into
further rooms. “It was very
exciting,” says Jo. “It felt like they
were really taking ownership of
the place; it wasn’t imposed by me,
it just happened organically.”
Community engagement
Jo’s passionate about trying to
provide access to clay for anyone
who’s enthusiastic. She says she
would love to see her different
classes becoming more
intermingled, so that people are
attending because of an interest in
clay, not because they belong to a
The festival has been
instrumental in the direction
my practice has taken
016-20 Meet the Potter.indd 19
 ArtCity particular demographic. The City
commissioned Council receives Neighbourhood
‘The Lost Learning in Deprived Areas
Garden’. Jo
funding from the EU, which
Ayre was the
lead artist, makes the courses taught by Jo
and it was accessible for those who can’t
installed otherwise afford them, opening up
with help a much wider audience.
from ceramic “Some weeks, we can have
artist Alice around 100 people through the
Thatcher,
studio, which is quite amazing. It
the Clay
Comrades, feels like local people have got an
and the local interest in ceramics, and also it
community. feels a bit like they are
(Photo: Thea rediscovering a love for ceramics,
Stallwood) and clay, and their heritage, which
before was a bit too sensitive, with
redundancies, etc. You can see the
legacy of the demise of the
industry wherever you go.
“I’m not about me making my
thing. For me, it’s been about
handing over the making side of it
to someone else. I ‘activate’ people
– not in an overtly political way
– although I think it is a bit
MEET THE POTTER
political. Getting people to come
and use this space has had an
impact; as it’s been developed, just
the fact that people come in, I
believe, has had an impact on how
the community and the council
think of the space.
“We’ve been given National
Portfolio Organisation status from
the Arts Council, which stabilises
our funding for the next three
years,” explains Jo. “Hopefully,
that will mean I can get a studio
assistant. We didn’t need one
before – it was me! – but now my
role has developed into something
quite different; I need an
assistant.”
The BCB’s engagement
programmes run year-round, and
as part of this, Jo is working on
the ‘Clay School’ network, with
the aim of getting every child in
Stoke working with clay. Schools
can opt to become a Clay School,
and for a small fee – that’s match-
Issue 7 ClayCraft 19
12/09/2017 17:00
 MEET THE POTTER
funded – they get an artist who
goes into the school to work with
them, and some professional
development for teachers too.
Jo is also interested in research.
She was recently given a residency
at the Potteries Museum and
AirSpace Gallery, to research the
place of women in the pottery
industry. Over the past year, she
has been talking to, and
interviewing, various women
involved in the industry, and
working alongside them. The
result is an installation, inspired
by Burleigh and other local firms,
and incorporating the text from
the interviews, which will be hung
at the Potteries Museum.
Another project Jo has been
working on is HeartBeat; a
collaborative work between artists
 A community raku-firing attracted the attention of local nursery
school pupils. Clay really is fascinating! (Photo: Glen Stoker)
20 ClayCraft Issue 7
016-20 Meet the Potter.indd 20
from the UK and India, inspired
by Warli painters in a rural area of
Maharashtra in India. A
reconstructed and re-figured
installation, including some new
work, will be presented at two
venues, the Potteries Museum and
Art Gallery and the Bethesda
Chapel, during the BCB.
Jo’s story isn’t typical of the
previous potters we’ve featured.
She says, “My journey is about
‘making’; it’s the actual making of
work, that’s the artwork;
celebrating and showing what
happens when you get lots of
people to put their energies
together.
“The days I go home the most
satisfied – which happens
regularly – are the days when
people have said to me ‘I really
 The classes needed that’ or ‘that was really
have grown to good for me’. I think I’m doing the
a point now right thing!”
where around Talking to Jo was fascinating
100 people a
week attend
and inspiring. Her drive and
the studio. enthusiasm for engaging people
with clay are contagious, and
effective. The results of some of
her community projects can be
seen throughout the festival, and
you can find out more by visiting:
britishceramicsbiennial.com 
SHARED SPACE TALK
During the festival, Jo Ayre will be hosting
‘Opening up, Moving in, Moving on’, a half-
day event exploring the role of shared studio
space within professional practice. There
will be two speakers; Oliver Marlow from
Studio Tilt, which works on creative spaces
and co-working to create them. Also taking
part will be a designer from Denmark, Signe
Bailey, who is part of a factory set up with
16 ceramicists, Den Danske Keramikfabrik,
which is very much about artists being able to
create batch runs of things without having to
outsource.
Jo comments: “It will be a lively and
interesting day, with plenty of discussions.
There are now so many maker spaces, but
it doesn’t seem like anyone’s got together
to have a good conversation about it, so I’m
hoping that this event will be it. People will
come and share their experiences about
what works, what doesn’t, and what’s been
interesting.”
The event will be on 27 October, and you
can book your place at: bit.ly/2f2MTMI.
12/09/2017 17:00
 • WIN! • WIN! • WIN! • WIN! • WIN! • WIN!
A VIP TOUR OF BCB AND
AFTERNOON TEA AT WORLD
OF WEDGWOOD, FOR TWO
T he British Ceramics Biennial
(BCB) returns to Stoke-on-
Trent this month, presenting
the best of the UK’s contemporary
competition to win a VIP tour of the
festival at Spode, followed by a
quintessentially English afternoon tea
for two at World of Wedgwood’s Tea
ceramics. Exhibitions and installations, Room and a chance to visit the
with new work from international Wedgwood Museum.
artists, will grace the vast and inspiring The British Ceramics Biennial is in
China Hall at the original Spode factory Stoke-on-Trent from 23 September to 5
site, as well as further exhibitions across November 2017. See our feature on page
the city in eight further venues. 58 for more detail.
To celebrate the launch of BCB, britishceramicsbiennial.com
ClayCraft readers can enter a very special

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win ftern
Malene The njoy a rld of a
Hartmann e Wo Te
Rasmussen: also ea at ood’s ss to
t e
Albino Beast.
dgw acc d
(Photo: We and gwoo
Sylvain Deleu) m d
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TO ENTER, SIMPLY ANSWER THIS QUESTION:

BEFORE 2017, HOW MANY TIMES HAS THE BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL TAKEN PLACE?
Answer: Are you (please tick box)
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Entries must be received by midnight on 20 October 2017
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Issue 7 ClayCraft 21

021 Competition.indd 21 12/09/2017 17:01

 PROJECT
TWO
SKILL SCHOOL

PINCH MICE
Animals of any type are fun to make, but there’s something
particularly pleasing about mice and people are very drawn
to the ceramic version – unlike the real things!
We’re going to make the mice in two versions – one simple,
the other slightly more complicated

 Three little mice in different styles and poses.

MOUSE 1

1 2 3

Make the second half

of the pot in the same
way as the first, then
score and slip the rims
of each pot and join
the two together.
Hold the two halves
together for a few moments
to make sure the seal is good.

 These little animals aren’t difficult
to make, except that you will be
pinching very small quantities of clay
so they can be a little fiddly.
Begin by weighing two equal
amounts of clay – if you want to
make the mouse roughly life-sized
you will need no more than 25g for
each half of the body.
 Open out the first ball of clay
using your little finger or a modelling
tool – you will find it too small to
open with your thumb, or even
forefinger, until the shape is pinched
out a little.
Pinch the shape between your
finger and thumb until the wall is
relatively thin and even.

22 ClayCraft Issue 7

022-25 Project 2 Pinch Mice.indd 22 12/09/2017 17:02

 7 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★
4

10

 To form a socket for the mouse’s

 Reinforce the join with a coil of
soft clay, blending the coil in with
a wooden tool.
Smooth over the coil with a
kidney to remove excess clay,
lumps and bumps.
eyes, make a stamp from a thin piece
of dowelling. Simply draw a pencil
line through the centre of the end of
the dowel then shave the wood with
a craft knife until the correct shape is
 Roll a thin coil of clay, tapering
achieved. to a point at one end, to form the
Use the stamp to impress the tail.
sockets for the eyes, as shown. Score a position for the tail on
the body, then score and slip the
tail and fix in place, smoothing
8 the clay at the bottom end of the
tail carefully to secure it.

 Roll two really tiny balls of clay

5 for the eyes, then score, slip and fix
them into the sockets so that they
remain slightly bulbous.

9 11

 Make a hole in one end of the

pinch ball with a pin, then gently
roll the ball at one end to make the
shape conical or egg-shaped.

 Pinch another two

6 small balls of clay
 Pinch the tapered end of the cone
into a nose shape. You’ll have to
tease the clay into shape, constantly
smoothing over the surface to refine
the shape. You can use a spatula to
enhance the shape of the head if
you’re having trouble getting it right
– a few taps will usually encourage
the clay into shape. When you’re
happy with the shape, plug the hole
in the bottom to prevent it from
deflating further.
022-25 Project 2 Pinch Mice.indd 23
into flat discs between
your finger and thumb,
to form the ears. Pinch them at
one end slightly, to make them
look more ear-like. Score and slip
the ear position on the mouse and
the back tip of the ear itself, then
carefully fix in place just behind
the eye using a modelling tool
to blend the clay onto the body.
Repeat for the second ear.
 Your mouse is essentially made
at this stage, but if you want to add
another detail you can make holes
for whiskers in the nose with a pin.
After firing, you can glue fishing
wire or broom bristles into the
holes, but to check that the holes
will be large enough, test the wire
in place as shown. YOU MUST make
allowance for clay shrinkage in
firing so make the holes larger than
required at this stage.
Finally, make a hole in the base of
the mouse to allow for the escape of
air – failure to do this could cause the
mouse to explode during firing.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 23 .
12/09/2017 17:03
 SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
MOUSE 2
TWO

1 3
 Follow steps 1 - 4 as for the first mouse, to make the
body.
Pinch a third tiny ball of clay to make the head. Open
out the ball with a pointed tool, then carefully pinch into
a pointed shape using the little finger and thumb.
 Roll a small coil of clay into a conical shape then
pinch the coil at the thicker end, as shown, to form
the back leg.
Mark the position for the legs, allowing the feet to
touch the work surface. Score and slip the areas to be
joined and fix the leg in place.
Blend the leg to the body with your finger or
thumb, then smooth over with a kidney.
Attach the second back leg in the same way.

2
 Find a position on the body that
you like for the head and mark it
with a pin. Score the marked area
and the rim of the head, then slip
the surfaces and fit the head into
place.
4
Blend the head onto the body
with a modelling tool, then smooth
 Carefully score the end of each leg with a knife to
make the toes. You can cut through or simply score the
over the clay with a kidney.
toes, but if you cut through you will have to handle the
mouse gently to avoid knocking the toes off.

24 ClayCraft Issue 7

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 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

PAINTING YOUR MOUSE

5
 Bisque fire, then paint the mouse with underglaze
colours, putting in detail as preferred. You don’t have
 Make the front legs in the same way, joining them on to colour the mouse realistically – it can be as abstract
in the position shown.
as you like, because the shape means there can be no
mistaking the fact that it’s a mouse.
Velvet underglazes were used in this example, and only
the eyes glazed to make them look realistic, but you can
completely glaze the mouse if preferred – paint in the
whiskers with a fine brush if you don’t want to add them
later.
If you do glaze all over and have made holes for
whiskers, make sure they aren’t clogged with glaze
before firing.
After firing, cut and glue the whiskers in place if you
want to add this feature.

6
 Make and
attach the eyes,
ears and tail
as for the first
mouse. Make the
whisker holes if
you want to add
them after firing.

Issue 7 ClayCraft 25

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ALL ABOUT CLAY
Casting and decorating
slips and their use…
I
n the past few issues, we
have discussed the
plastic form of clay and
its uses, but along with this,
there’s another type of clay with a
use that’s popular within the
ceramic world, known as slip
casting. This type of ceramics is
generally used for mass-
production purposes, especially for
26 ClayCraft Issue 7
026-28 Clay.indd 26
Newly-cast
pieces at
the Emma
Bridgewater
factory.
shapes that aren’t easily produced
on a wheel.
The slip casting process
In slip casting, a liquid clay body
– known as casting slip – which has
been mixed in a blunger, is poured
into plaster moulds. As the moulds
are very absorbent, the water is
drawn into the moulds allowing a
layer to form, known as the cast, on
the inside walls of the mould. The
thickness of the cast can differ
depending on the producer and
their requirements. For example,
Emma Bridgewater usually allows
40-50 minutes for a thickness of
4-5mm to be achieved. After this
time, the slip is emptied out of the
mould and, in some cases, can be
recycled. The mould is generally  Amy Cooper: Illustrated porcelain lamps.
12/09/2017 17:04

left to dry overnight so that the
clay can harden before the mould is
opened the following day.
During industrial production,
the next process would be
sponging and fettling, where the
seams of the cast are removed
with a blade (fettling) and a
sponge is used to smooth out the
piece (sponging) before being
bisque-fired and decorated, etc.
Industrial companies such as
Emma Bridgwater can produce
over 25,000 slip-cast pieces per
week.
What are casting slips?
As explained above, casting slips
are used during the slip casting
process to create shapes that
aren’t easy to throw, and for
larger production purposes.
While there are many types
of casting slips available, such
as porcelain, fine bone china,
and even stoneware, the most
common form of casting slip,
especially when discussing
industrial use, is earthenware.
Typical earthenware
casting slip recipe
Almost all earthenware casting
slips used in the production of
traditional ceramic ‘whitewares’
consist of ball clay, china clay,
filler and flux in various
proportions depending upon the
application. The ball clay is the
most difficult to disperse and is,
therefore, normally processed and
026-28 Clay.indd 27
 Amy allowed to age before final casting
Cooper slip preparation.
‘Original The ball clay can be supplied in
Collection’
various forms, including:
porcelain
lamps. ● Shredded blends – require
deflocculating, and the most
processing and ageing prior to
use
● Noodled – pre-processed,
partially deflocculated, easily
dispersible with low residue
● Slurried – deflocculated,
fully processed and aged
ready for use
The other materials are
then added to the aged ball clay
slurry to form the casting slip
 An example with the required properties.
of mould- For smaller or more specialised
making at producers, prepared bodies are
Dunoon readily available. These prepared
Ceramics. bodies contain the majority of raw
materials necessary for the
successful production of most
forms of whiteware. The only
other raw material requirements
‚ Amy may be water and, in factories
Cooper
decorating her
cast pieces.
ALL ABOUT CLAY
using the casting process,
deflocculants.
The form in which these bodies
are supplied varies according to
need, and may be:
● Deflocculated casting slips
with predictable, defined
characteristics
● Vacuum extrusions at working
moisture contents c. 19-21%
● ‘Crumble’ – aggregated body
at about 10-12% moisture
● Dry mixed powders
● Noodles
The manufacturer’s choice of
form will depend on the
manufacturing process, the
availability of equipment, and the
location of the factory.
Consistent behaviour of the ball
clay and casting slips is vitally
important in minimising day-to-
day production problems. Such
consistency is essential for the
setting of factory production rates
that achieve the most efficient and
cost-effective manufacture of the
finished ware. .
An example
of cast mugs
at Dunoon
Ceramics.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 27
12/09/2017 18:43
 ALL ABOUT CLAY
Why it is important to
measure the slip you
are using
The most common method of
casting slip control widely used by
industrial ceramic producers is
the Gallenkamp Torsion
Viscometer (GTV or TTV),
which is used to measure the
fluidity and thixotropy.
Measuring the slip density is
also important, and this can be
done simply with scales. It’s
important to ensure all of these
factors are correct, otherwise, it
may result in the rapid saturation
of plaster moulds, and subsequent
difficulties with second casts and
mould drying, casting, and
28 ClayCraft Issue 7
026-28 Clay.indd 28
„ Casting
slip as it’s
being mixed
in a blunger.
pouring difficulties. be able to calculate by how much
Casting slip. the piece has shrunk. For
How to measure example, if the 10cm line is now
casting slip depth 5cm, it has shrunk by 100%.
Some casting slips work better
than others, and the main factor The difference
is particle size; the finer the between casting and
particles, the more difficult it is decorating slips
to achieve a higher pint weight Casting slips are made by
and density. For example, mixing clay, water and
ƒ An earthenwares are very good, deflocculent (sodium silicate,
example of whereas porcelains are not. The soda ash). A pint weight
slip-casting
thickness of the cast is measurement is taken, and
at Dunoon
Ceramics. dependent on the density and a fluidity measurement is
measured time. made using an instrument
called a viscometer. This
How to measure enables the same casting
„A
shrinkage rate for time to be applied to
Gallenkamp casting slips achieve a constant
torsion A good method to use thickness.
viscometer. when looking at Decorating slips are
measuring the generally made from
shrinkage rate for clay mixed with
your piece is to first water, and controlled
take the piece out of the mould using a pint weight
and mark off 10cm or 100mm, measurement.
‚ Moorland and then put it through your Coloured oxides are added to
Pottery, an
example of normal process eg bisque and achieve a variety of colours, and
an industrial glost firings. Following this, are brushed or trailed onto mainly
producer. measure the line, and then you’ll greenware (clay state). 
12/09/2017 17:05
 Shop online at http://www.claymansupplies.co.uk

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Clays • Decorating Slips • Casting Slips • Powdered Glazes • Brush-on Glazes • Colours
Onglaze Colours • Media • Raw Materials • Grogs • Raw Clays • Opacifiers
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*
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Phone 01243 265845 • Fax 01243 267582 • Email info@claymansupplies.co.uk
 Hannah McAndrew reports on
UPLAND: MODERN MAKERS
‘The best way to become a skilled maker is to learn from one’

A round 18 months ago, Doug

Fitch and I were approached by
Upland, the art and craft
development organisation here in
Dumfries and Galloway, which runs a
project called Modern Makers, a short
apprenticeship scheme for young people.
The funding for the project allows four
Eunice Locher.
interns, between the ages of 16 and 25, to

(All photos: Colin Tennant)

work intensively with professional
craftspeople over a period of five months.
It’s designed to address some of the
issues that young people experience
living in rural areas, with fewer
employment opportunities and provides a
chance to explore a non-mainstream
career path and witness first-hand the
reality of working in a small, creative
business.
For 2017, Upland wanted the focus of
the programme to be on pottery.
For both of us, passing on the skills
that we love, and with which we make
our living, is very important, so of course
we were delighted to be invited to take
 Doug Fitch teaching throwing.
up the challenge of passing on our
knowledge to a future generation of
makers.
Doug and I have given demonstrations
at a whole variety of events in the past,
and taught intensive weekend courses to
people who already have some knowledge
of clay and its eccentricities, but to be
starting from scratch was an exciting
and, I have to say, slightly daunting
prospect.
Our students had to apply for a place
on the project and the successful
applicants were four young women, each
at a very different stage in their lives.
The two at the younger end of the age
group were in their final year at school,
preparing to go to university this
autumn, and with an interest in the arts.
Of the two older ones, one had a degree
in Fine Art and was keen to learn more
about ceramics, having experimented a
little at home. The fourth was in
employment, but looking to return to
college to study art.

Progressive learning
We split the time available into a number
of short projects, with the skills learnt in
each one being applicable to the next.
The plan was to allow the students to
gradually build up their skill level and
confidence with the clay. We didn’t want
 The Modern Makers working. to give the pressure of aiming to produce
30 ClayCraft Issue 7

030-32 Hannah.indd 30 12/09/2017 17:05


 A Modern Maker’s wax resist.
a body of work to exhibit at the end of the
project; rather, our aim was to give the
chance to try lots of techniques.
Firstly, each worked on a series of
press-moulded dishes. The process is
such that with the right tools and
instruction, they could quickly create a
batch of ‘blank canvases’ for decoration
and hopefully not have to feel too
precious about the pots, as they could be
produced quickly and in volume. This
meant that when it came to decorating
them, it would allow them to try a
variety of techniques, employed with a
certain freedom. The speedy nature of
making press-moulded dishes meant that
within the first week they could start to
experience the beauty, and often the
frustration, of working with slips.
So much of we do is about timing and
knowing exactly when the clay is ready
to be taken to the next stage. The
process is risky; the application of layers
of thick, heavy slips, to unfired, still
leather-hard pots can be precarious. Too
soon and the wet pot will collapse, too
late and a dry pot will crack. Years of
doing it every day means that we’re
confident with the processes, having
developed an instinctive understanding
of the properties of the materials, but
even now things still go wrong. So much
can only be learned through the
experience of having tried and failed
many times; the knowledge and
understanding that can’t be gleaned from
a book, but only through doing. It’s easy
to underestimate one’s intuitive
awareness, and making the judgement
about when a piece is ready for its coat of
030-32 Hannah.indd 31
 One of the Modern Makers
glazing.
slip is something you can only tell by feel
and sight, and that accumulation of years’
of learning. The students sometimes
learned lessons the hard way, as they
watched their pieces disintegrate or split.
 Andy Priestman explains Raku firing.
MODERN MAKERS
Distinctly different
Although Doug and I both work with
this same, limited palette of materials, we
each apply them in distinctly different
ways. We introduced the students to the
various methods of decoration that we
use in our own work. Rather than getting
the students to simply copy us, we
encouraged them to use these methods in
their own way. Pouring, dipping, or
brushing slips onto the surfaces gave
them the ground to work onto before
they began to use paper resists, slip-
trailing and both wet and dry sgraffito.
It was fascinating for us to watch how
they used our materials in ways that we
hadn’t explored.
They got to make their own slip
trailers and to discover the differences
between the commercially available bulb
trailers, my quite precise trailer made
from bicycle inner tubes and Doug’s free
pouring trailer made from a milk carton
and a goose quill. Similarly to
handwriting, and a personal choice of the
type of pen to use, each responded
differently to the types of slip trailers,
and their approach to mark-making was
unique and personal to each of them.
The excitement of unpacking a kiln to
see how the first efforts turned out was
satisfying to watch. Suddenly, each
student had a number of finished and
exciting pots and, of course, a
springboard for where to take these
.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 31
12/09/2017 17:06
 MODERN MAKERS

outcomes with the next batch of work.

The moulded dish project was followed
by the construction of lidded boxes,
candleholders and tile panels, which
taught the students about the method of
joining pieces of clay.
A visit from Laurence Eastwood, a
production thrower at The Leach Pottery
in St Ives, got them started with
throwing, as he shared his expertise with
the whole idea of hand, head and eye
co-ordination. Laurence has done quite a
lot of teaching, and was an excellent  The 2017 Modern Makers.
communicator who they readily learned „ Modern Makers unpacking the
from. wood kiln.
Alex McErlain, formerly head of ‚ The Modern Makers’ wood fired
pots.
ceramics at Manchester Metropolitan
University (and my old tutor), lead a
great project; hand-building sets of small
espresso mugs and dishes, demonstrating
the simplicity of constructing vessels
using sheets of clay.
The project also provided a day each in
the workshops of six other Dumfries and
Galloway potters.
Andy Priestman gave the students
clay from local seams that had been used
by the potters of pre-history, and taught about Clare’s experiences of making Thankfully, it was full of some real gems.
them how to make coil pots with this tableware in volume for a restaurant. That evening, our workshop was
groggy medium. Christine Smith showed Ruth Jones introduced them to coiling cleared and cleaned. The tables were
them how to extrude and construct clay with different clay bodies, with a view to piled high with delicious homemade food
sections to make vessels. raku firing, and with Peter Wareing they that we had all brought along, and was
On a visit to Clare Dawdry, they made learned how to tube line onto bisque tiles served in the dishes, plates and bowls
plates, extruded handles and were taught and how to paint with glaze. Archie that our Modern Makers had made. A
McColl demonstrated his work in joyful celebration of the project was had
stoneware and shared with them his with the young women, their parents, the
collection. other potters involved, the Upland staff
How fantastic that they saw so many and the funders who believed in the idea
possibilities within the diverse world of of the project enough to support it and
clay. A day-trip to Potfest in the Pens allow it to make it happen.
brought even more eye-openers. Modern Makers 2017 is supported by
As the Modern Makers project drew Creative Scotland, The Holywood Trust,
towards a close, we had a firing day using LEADER, and the William Grant
the wood-fired kiln, containing dozens of Foundation. 
their pots. On the same day, Andy
Priestman taught them raku firing, using
a small kiln built from a garden
incinerator lined with ceramic fibre,
fuelled by propane. In this kiln they
finished some of the hand-built pieces
that they’d made at Ruth and Andy’s
potteries during their visits.
The finale was the kiln-unpacking day.
 The Modern Makers got hands-on Wood-firing is risky and can very often
with Raku firing. result in a kiln full of disappointments.  The final banquet spread.
32 ClayCraft Issue 7

030-32 Hannah.indd 32 12/09/2017 17:06

 NORTHERN KILNS
S
KILN CLA
Y

ELS
WHE
info@northernkilns.com
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NTEN
ANC
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033 Ads page.indd 33 12/09/2017 18:37

 SPOONS
SKILL SCHOOL

PROJECT
THREE
Spoons are great things to make from scraps of clay left
over at the end of other projects. They are quick and easy to make using the
method shown, but they can also be made in a mould – a project we’ll cover
in a future issue, along with other types of spoon because, as you will find, the
potential to make many different shapes and styles is vast

Made by Charmain Poole.

SPOON 1 – LARGE SERVING/DRAINING SPOON

1 ƒ Cut the clay to

2 your required length
– you can use a knife
or scraping tool, as
shown here.
At this stage you can
flatten the handle
if you want to and
add some texture
or other surface
decoration. Either
flatten with a rolling
pin or the palm of
your hand, but stop
 Roll a thickish coil of clay, thinning it at one end but 6-8cm from the fat
leaving it fatter at the opposite end. 30cm is a good end of the coil.
length for a large spoon.
34 ClayCraft Issue 7

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 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

6
3  Turn the spoon over and
refine the surface with a kidney,
 Holding the fat end of the coil in the palm of one removing lumps and bumps in the
hand, press the thumb of the other hand into the clay, process, before finally smoothing
as shown, to form the well of the spoon. You will have to over the clay to neaten and
do this several times to form the shape correctly, but it compact it.
will develop naturally as you press out the clay into your
palm.

7
4  Turn the spoon the right way up and repeat the
surface-refining process in the well, this time using a
 Turn the spoon around in your palm very carefully, small, rounded kidney to fit the shape.
then work on it from a different angle in the same way as You can use a surform blade to correct the shape of
before, to fully develop the shape. the spoon if it has become misshapen in handling, but do
work over the surface afterwards to neaten it and round
off the edge.

5 TIP: Cut a kidney to a suitable size and shape from

an old bank card – this can very easily be done with a
pair of scissors. These make the best tools for fiddly
 Very carefully, sit the spoon on a batt or the work jobs like this because you can make them to suit your
surface, then gently pinch to refine the shape and thin
out the clay. specific requirements .
Issue 7 ClayCraft 35

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 SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
THREE

8
 If you want to make your
10
spoon suitable for drainage,
cut several holes with a hole-  These bisque-fired spoons show examples of different
cutter. You can cut any number, surface treatments for handles – the textured version
organising them simply, as was flattened by rolling a piece of lace into the surface.
shown here, or in a more ornate It was then cut to shape – to complement the pattern as
arrangement depending on the much as the spoon itself.
intended use for the spoon. Changing the shape of the spoon’s bowl, as opposed
Once the holes are cut, to the handle, also makes them very individual, but you
refine and soften the edges by can of course do both to make them your own.
inserting and gently rotating a Try drawing a design into the handle to suit your
wooden tool as shown. decorative style – using underglaze colours prior to
glazing will result in a simple but stylish finish.

9
 You can change the character of your spoon in simple
ways by twisting the handle into a sideways curve or
curving it upwards and over into a ladle shape, but you
will need to support it on something suitable, like foam,
as it dries.

SPOON 2 – SMALL DECORATIVE JAM SPOON

1
 Roll a thin coil of clay to about 15cm (approx 6 inches)
as you did for the first spoon – fatter at one end, thinner
at the other.
Made by Charmain Poole. Flatten the length of the handle with the tip of your
finger to within 3-4 cm of the fat end of the coil.

36 ClayCraft Issue 7

034-37 Project 3 Spoons.indd 36 12/09/2017 17:07

 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

2
 Carefully curl the end of the handle under and into
a loop.
4
Fix the end of the handle onto the stem on the
underside, first scoring and slipping the chosen  Once the spoon shape has opened enough, continue
to form the shape with a finger.
spot for attaching, then blending in the end with a
Refine the surface back and front as you did for the
modelling tool.
larger spoon, using suitably-sized kidneys.

5
 Allow the spoon to dry in its correct position,
supporting the curl of the handle on some foam or a coil
of clay to stop the shape collapsing – this is important if
it’s not initially firm enough to hold its shape.

3 ƒ Small blue pinch pot with

spoon: Charmain Poole.

 Place the fat end

of the spoon in the
palm of your hand,
with the loop on
the underside, then
begin to form the
spoon with a ball-
ended modelling
tool. (Your finger „ Small, square salt-
will probably be too glaze mustard or salt
big to open out the pot with spoon: Fleen
shape on a spoon of Doran.
this size at this stage
of making.)

Issue 7 ClayCraft 37

034-37 Project 3 Spoons.indd 37 12/09/2017 17:08

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42
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14
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44
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038 Ads.indd 38 12/09/2017 18:39

 Glaze tests:
Test tiles and line blends
Linda Bloomfield is a scientist
turned potter. More glaze recipes
can be found in her books, Colour
in Glazes (A&C Black 2012) and
The Handbook of Glaze Recipes
(Bloomsbury 2014). Her next
book is Science for Potters (The
American Ceramic Society 2017),
out later this year.
O
nce you have found a base
glaze you like, whether
glossy or matt, it is a
good idea to test it with
additions of various colouring oxides.
An easy way is to paint lines of
colouring oxide mixed with water onto
a bisque-fired tile and then dip into
your base glaze and fire in the kiln.
You will be able to see how the various
colouring oxides react with your glaze.
A more precise method is to weigh
small quantities of colouring oxide and
add them to 100g (dry weight) batches
of glaze (see glaze tests below).
Glossy transparent glaze base
1260°C
● Potash feldspar 34
● Calcium borate frit 14
● Whiting 11
● China clay 13
● Quartz 23
● Dolomite 5
039-41 Glazes.indd 39
Glaze
tests, Linda
Bloomfield.
Glaze colour tests
Mix up a 1kg batch of base glaze (any SUGGESTED
glossy or matt glaze without colouring QUANTITIES OF
oxide additions). You can do this by
multiplying the glaze recipe by 10 and
COLOURING OXIDES
weighing out each of the ingredients in ARE:
● 0.5g cobalt oxide
grams. Then add the dry powder to ● 1g copper oxide
about 750ml water and stir thoroughly ● 0.2g chromium oxide
to evenly distribute all the ingredients. ● 2g iron oxide
Adjust the glaze thickness until it is ● 5g rutile
somewhere between milk and single ● 5g ilmenite
cream. If it is too thick, add more ● 1g nickel oxide
water. If it is too thin, leave to settle ● 2g manganese dioxide
● 5g tin oxide
for a few hours and pour off water
● 5g zirconium silicate
from the top. Divide all the glaze
mixture equally into 10 plastic cups
(there will be more than 100g in each
cup; 100g dry powder plus water). double thickness of glaze, and even dip
Then weigh out a small quantity of once again to get a triple thickness on
each colouring oxide and add a part of the tile. Make sure the glazes
different oxide to each cup. You will are stirred well each time before
need accurate scales, either digital or dipping. Wipe excess glaze off the
triple-beam balance. back of the tile and number on the
Stir and sieve each coloured glaze back using an underglaze pencil or a
separately and dip a small test tile. mixture of iron and manganese oxides
You can dip half the tile again to get a in water. .
Issue 7 ClayCraft 39
12/09/2017 17:16
 GLAZE SCIENCE
Test tiles should be made using
your usual clay and making method.
You can roll out a slab and cut
rectangles, or throw a wide cylinder
on the wheel and cut it into sections.
Tiles can be placed flat on the kiln
shelf, or you can make L-shaped,
vertically standing tiles which will
show the fluidity of the glaze when
fired. It is a good idea to add some
texture to the tile by impressing a
textured object or stamp. The tiles
should be bisque fired to your usual
bisque temperature, or around 990°C.
Line blends
After the test tiles are dipped into
each coloured glaze, fire them to your
usual glaze firing temperature. The
test tiles will show how the base
glaze reacts with each colouring
oxide. If there are particular results
you like, you can do a series of more
refined tests using the same oxides. A
line blend is a base glaze with
increasing amounts of colourant
added. For example, you could try
adding copper oxide 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0,
2.5%, mixing, sieving and dipping a
tile after each addition. I prefer to use
small amounts of oxides to get pale,
watery colours. If you use more than
5% copper oxide, the glaze will
become saturated and will be a
 Freestanding test tiles from students at Morley College, London.
40 ClayCraft Issue 7
039-41 Glazes.indd 40
metallic black when fired.
Cross blends
You can also try mixing two oxides
together, such as cobalt and
manganese, copper and rutile,
chromium and tin, cobalt and nickel,
copper and tin. An easy way to do this
is to mix together two of the cups of
coloured glaze made in the tests above.
You can also mix smaller volumes,
such as a tablespoon or 25ml measured
using a plastic syringe. Make sure the
glazes are stirred well before
measuring in this way.
A cross blend is a series of tests
using two colouring oxides, where one
oxide increases as the other decreases,
for example:
● Copper
oxide 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5%
● Rutile 10 8 6 4 2%
You can do this by weighing out the
colouring oxides individually or more
 Line blends of yellow ochre, cobalt
and nickel in a matt glaze.
simply by wet blending, adding
tablespoons of each of the copper and
rutile glaze tests made previously; see
glaze colour tests above. Mixing 1g
copper and 5g rutile in 200g base
glaze would result in a glaze with
0.5% copper and 2.5% rutile. You
would need to mix at least 500g dry
weight of glaze to have enough volume
to complete the cross blend above.
Colouring oxides are best for
12/09/2017 18:44
 GLAZE SCIENCE

making blues, greens and browns.

Grey and black can be made using
combinations of two or more oxides.
Cobalt and nickel oxides will combine
to make grey. You can also make
interesting greys, blues and blacks
using three colouring oxides: cobalt,
iron and manganese or cobalt, nickel
and manganese. Glazes made using
colouring oxides will be transparent
and will have more depth than those
made using commercial stains.
Line blends and cross blends are
also useful methods for testing
commercial stains such as yellow and
red. Rather than buying an orange
stain, you can create your own
varying shades of orange by mixing
yellow and red in different
proportions. Stains are generally
weaker colourants than oxides, and
5-10% stain is needed to colour a
glaze.

Results and records

Always make a note of the glaze
recipe, test tile number and fired
result. It is important to record your
research, as you may want to come
back to a particular glaze some time
later. Keep your glaze tests and
notebooks in a safe place in the studio.
Some potters make holes in their test
tiles and hang them on a board. You
can also make test tiles to attach to
the glaze bucket. 

Next month: Glaze application:

brushing, pouring, dipping

Cross blend by a student at West Dean College. Matt glazes at either

end were mixed 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0.

Issue 7 ClayCraft 41

039-41 Glazes.indd 41 12/09/2017 18:44

 SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FIVE
FOUR
LIDDED SUGAR
BOWL
We only have a couple of items left to
make now in our tea set project, and
in this issue, we add a quirky soft-slab
sugar bowl to the set, which would also
be perfect for jam if you prefer. The
technique for making this bowl can
easily be scaled up to make larger lidded
pots for storage in the kitchen, and they
look lovely when displayed in sets.

1
 Cut your templates out in card rather than paper.
You can use the templates given or scale these up or
down to make a pot to your own size requirements.
By lightly scoring the edges that need to fold, you
can make a maquette of the pot by simply folding the
shapes and securing the edges with masking tape to
check that you like the proportions and balance of
the bowl. You can then make any adjustments before
actually committing to clay.

2
 Roll a slab of clay about 5mm thick and large enough
to accommodate both the body and lid template.
Position the templates on the slab and cut out the
shapes carefully.
Reserve any spare slab for later.

42 ClayCraft Issue 7

042-46 Project 4 Sugar bowl.indd 42 12/09/2017 17:17

 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

5
3  When all the edges have been securely joined
together, neaten the joins on the outside of the pot using
 Mitre the edges of the bowl that will join together, a kidney to smooth out the seam.
but not the top edge. Score the mitres, using the tip Reinforce the seams on the inside of the pot with soft
of a serrated kidney if you have one. coils of clay, blending with a modelling tool until there is
no longer an obvious join.

4 6
 Slip the first two edges to be joined then very  Using a small, round kidney and supporting the form
carefully lift them together, using both hands, and secure on the outside with one hand, gently belly out each side
the first join. wall by drawing the kidney upwards from the interior
Join the remaining edges in the same way. base several times, until the shape pleases you. .
Issue 7 ClayCraft 43

042-46 Project 4 Sugar bowl.indd 43 12/09/2017 17:18

 PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
FOUR
9

7
 Mitre and score the edges to be joined on the lid –
but again, not the rim edges. Apply a little slip to each
edge and join them together. Reinforce each join with
a coil of soft clay as you have before. Smooth over the
joins on the outside of the lid until they look seamless.

8
 To make a flange for
the lid, cut a long strip of
clay 20mm wide from the
remaining slab then cut four
sections – each 10mm shorter
than one side of the rim of
the lid.
Mitre and score each
section on three sides then
slip and join the sections  Score the mitred edge of the flange then place it
inside the lid and mark its position with a pin.
together, making sure the
Score the marked position, then apply a little slip
mitred edges are uppermost
and fix the flange in place, making sure the two
and facing outward.
surfaces seal together well.
Reinforce the inner seams
Reinforce the flange on the outside with another
with coils of soft clay.
coil of soft clay, then smooth over the join.
44 ClayCraft Issue 7

042-46 Project 4 Sugar bowl.indd 44 12/09/2017 17:19


10
 Cut a small semicircle at the rim of the bowl to
accommodate a spoon. You can position this anywhere,
but it looks good placed centrally on one side. Smooth
over the cut-away area to neaten it.
11
 Pinch a small ball of clay between your fingers to
form a knob for the lid.
Score and slip the underside of the knob and the
corresponding position on the lid, then join the two
together. Neaten the join with a modelling tool, taking
care to remove excess slip.
 Allow the bowl to dry slowly before bisque firing, then
decorate to match the rest of your set.
042-46 Project 4 Sugar bowl.indd 45
DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★
12
 Holding the whole pot in one hand, mark the
corresponding position for the spoon on the flange
with a pin, then carefully cut away the marked
section and neaten up the cut edges with a kidney or
modelling tool.
Check that the fit of the lid to the bowl is correct
and that the spoon holes correspond accurately. Make
any small adjustments as necessary.
13
To make a matching spoon, see our project on page 34.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 45
12/09/2017 17:19
 PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
FOUR

Lid

Sugar Bowl
template

46 ClayCraft Issue 7

042-46 Project 4 Sugar bowl.indd 46 12/09/2017 17:21

 Doug’s
(Photo: Layton Thompson)
Doug Fitch
T his month’s diary begins with
me once again sitting in front
of the firebox of the wood kiln.
It’s a beautiful morning; the sky is blue,
and the sun is shining through the trees
that are topped by rooks, cawing with
disapproval at my presence. The Saltire
on the flagpole of the neighbouring
farmhouse is hanging limply in the still
air. A little more breeze would be helpful,
but otherwise, it’s a fine day to be firing
a kiln.
I lit up just after seven; ahead of us will
be 14 or so hours of stoking, as the fire
gradually increases in size and
temperature.
For two days a week since February,
Hannah and I have been teaching four
young women under an initiative called
Modern Makers, funded by Upland, our
regional Arts organisation. (See
Hannah’s article on page 30).
This firing is the culmination of their
six months of work. They will be joining
us here later this morning, to help to fire
the kiln and to do some raku firing with
local potter friend, Andy Priestman. It’s
going to be an exciting day of fire and
smoke, tinged with sadness, as the
project draws to a close.
We are going to miss working with
these women. What a rewarding and
047 Doug Fitch Diary.indd 47
DIARY
pleasurable experience it has been. They
are just beginning to hone their skills on
the wheel, and to develop an understanding
of slipware processes and materials. While
they may not leave us as master potters,
they will take with them a basic grounding
in techniques and an insight into how a
small pottery business is run. I hope the
involvement in the project will be of lasting
value to them, and will inspire them to
make ceramics of some form in the future.
Full-bellied beauties!
(Photo: Doug Fitch)
It was of great benefit to us too, as we
plan to run some courses in the future
and we learned a lot about teaching.
Furthermore, the funding from the
teaching enabled us to buy two old
Portacabins, which we had craned into
our garden a few months ago. We’ve
been gradually converting them into a
home workshop. As a quick way to get a
ready-wired and insulated workshop
space, I can recommend them, although
at present the garden does look a bit like
a recycling centre. We’ll deal with that
ƒPortacabin potting. (Photo: Luke Fitch)
Three Baluster Jugs. Showing at
The Stratford Gallery October 7 to
November 2. 30.5cm high.
(Photo: Shannon Tofts)
in the fullness of time.
I am still regularly working into the
early hours, with Hannah doing the day
shift, so being able to just step out of the
back door to get to work, without the
need for a long, tired drive home, makes
the night shift much more manageable.
Of course, Hannah needs to get as
many pots made as she can, while she’s
still able. Thankfully, she’s in really good
health now, but her bump is increasing at
quite a pace. The picture here is an old
one, from last time she was pregnant, but
I love the image and thought I would
share it with you.
There are a number of gallery shows
to send pots to in the next few weeks.
The three baluster jugs pictured are
destined for a show at The Stratford
Gallery, October 7 – November 2.
At the end of October, we are planning
our second online exhibition. We did the
first one at the same time last year, and it
was a great success. We have already
held back some really good pots, and we
are going to make some very special
pieces for the event. I will write in more
detail about it next month.
Well, I should really concentrate on
firing this kiln, so I’ll sign off now.
Goodbye, until next time! 
Issue 7 ClayCraft 47
12/09/2017 17:23
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 POTS FROM
Thomas Hayman THE PAST
THE LEEDS POTTERY
T his pottery is probably one of

that I have covered, and has

produced more pieces than anywhere I
searched old OS maps and overlaid them
the more prolific manufacturers onto modern Google maps. This didn’t
provide much room to work, but we
realised there was a patch of land we could
have dug before. The works have a long dig under the old rail lines into the site. As
history, being founded in 1770 and these were laid later in the site’s history, we
running well up to 1881, built on what was were confident something would be under
formerly a pasture on the (then) outskirts there.
of the city along Jack Lane, Hunslet. If you An area 1m2 was marked out, and down
can find a copy, I strongly we went. Masses of pottery started
recommend John Griffin’s to come out immediately, of all
Leeds Pottery in two volumes. kinds. The difference on this
It has helped me to gain a site compared to country
very detailed insight into potteries is that work is
where we were digging, biscuit-fired first. Many of
but also the period from the pieces we found were
which the shards found plain biscuit-fired and
came. rejected at that stage for
Over the course of several small faults. These were mixed
weeks, I visited a site near to in with finished and The ground was very hard in
places, being a mixture of coal waste
the old works with my fellow The scene is unknown, half-finished pieces. and clay heavily compacted over the
but a gentleman of
pot-digging friend, Andrew around the 1840s has The majority of shards past 100 years. (Photo: Andrew Naylor)
Naylor. I’m lucky to have a hand-tinted red coat were transfer-printed
Andy with me, as he has a on a plain black transfer designs from the mid-19
th
is, considered one of the better producers
wealth of knowledge on the print. (Photo: Andrew Naylor) century. These usually outside Staffordshire. Notable for its fine
potteries around Leeds, and consist of cobalt blue designs lines and milky-white appearance, we
fills in lots of details I don’t know. printed onto a wafer-thin sheet of paper, found remnants of tea bowls and acanthus
Unfortunately, all but one or two small and hand-applied to the biscuit-fired pots. leaf handles from vases. Considering the
buildings have been demolished and a Usually, pastoral scenes or mock Chinese output in the earlier years, we found only a
number of gasometers built over the designs, to imitate the more expensive small handful of this. The conclusion we
works. This has led to a lot of disturbance oriental imports like the famous willow have come to is that, while there are a lot
and, in most cases, complete obliteration of pattern! of pieces to be found, they are from a later
parts of the site, with some areas dug We also turned up the other famed production period, likely no earlier than
down to 20ft and covered in concrete at product of the pottery; creamware. Many around 1810. It is a site that is likely to be
the base of the towers. manufacturers in the 18th and early 19thC redeveloped in coming years, so could yet
To find a suitable place to excavate we produced creamware. Leeds was, and still provide more information. 

 Andy caught me off-guard,

carefully inspecting our finds. Behind
me, you can see the reject pile!  A very fine creamware tea bowl (3” dia) alongside a selection of transfer-
(Photo: Andy Naylor) printed shards. (Photo: Natasha Reyner)
Issue 7 ClayCraft 49

049 Pots from the Past.indd 49 12/09/2017 17:24

 GLOSSARY
Here’s a convenient listing of the technical terms used in ClayCraft. Over the coming months, we will add
to this as more terms and phrases are included in the articles we publish. This will build into a valuable
and useful reference source covering the complete range of common pottery-related terminology
■ Agateware a combination of
coloured clays, mixed in such a way
that the striated result looks like agate.
■ Alumina Aluminium oxide, a
constituent of clay, giving plasticity.
Used in glazes, it acts as a stabiliser
and also affects the stiffness of the
glaze’s flow.
■ Ball clay A highly plastic, light
coloured clay usually used with the
addition of grog or sand, or combined
with other clays. Firing range: 1100°C
to 1200°C.
■ Bat(t) A flat surface, made of plaster,
wood or ceramic. Used in kilns, on
wheelheads, and for drying.
■ Bentonite A highly-plastic clay.
■ Bisque (biscuit) Pottery that has
been fired but is not glazed.
■ Blunger Equipment used for
mixing clay and water into a slurry
prior to workable clay preparation.
■ Casting slip A loose slip that is
poured into a porous mould, left to
form a layer, then tipped out, leaving
a cast.
■ Centering The precise positioning
of a ball of clay in the centre of the
wheel head.
■ Chamotte Another name for Grog
■ China clay The purest natural
clay, used to add whiteness. Essential
ingredient in porcelain.
■ CMC Carboxymethyl cellulose.
An additive that prevents glaze from
drying too fast.
■ Combing A decorative technique
using a tool with teeth or serrations to
make parallel lines.
■ Cone eg cone 6. Firing temperature
at which a particular pyrometric
cone will distort inside the kiln,
evidencing that a particular heat has
been reached. Available in a range of
numbers, each relating to a certain
temperature.
■ Coning up The repeated raising
and lowering of a ball of clay on the
wheel head, to remove air bubbles.
■ Cottle A retaining wall put up
around a model to contain the plaster
when making a mould.
■ Earthenware Used to describe
work that is fired and glazed below
1100°C. Also a general term for pottery
that is waterproofed by being almost
entirely glazed.
■ Engobe A slip with a lower
percentage of clay, and higher
percentages of silica.
■ Etching The making of surface
patterns by removing some areas of
50 ClayCraft Issue 7
050 Glossary.indd 50
clay, leaving others to form the design.
■ Etruria A type of clay found in and
around Stoke-on-Trent.
■ Eutectic Two or more combined
substances, the melting of point of
which is lower than that of any one
individual component.
■ Feathering A pattern produced
by drawing a tool through lines of
slip applied to a ground colour, in
alternate directions.
■ Feldspar A group of alkali minerals
used as flux in clay bodies and in glazes.
■ Fireclay Clay used for its high-
temperature applications, eg pizza
ovens, firebricks. Also used to improve
other clay bodies.
■ Flocculant An additive used to
cause very fine particles to clump
together, improving settling, or to
hold larger particles in suspension.
■ Flux A substance that improves the
fusion of ceramic particles in glazes.
■ Glost Another name for glaze firing.
■ Greenware Work which has not yet
been bisque fired.
■ Grog Finely ground fired clay,
added to clay bodies to improve
texture and drying, which affect firing.
■ Gum Arabic Hardened sap from
Acacia trees, used (in this case) as an
adhesive.
■ Inlaying Decorative patterns
which are incised into the work, then
covered with slip which is pared
away to reveal the coloured pattern.
Similarly, glaze can be applied to
bisque-fired pieces with patterns on
them The glaze will settle in different
thicknesses, highlighting the pattern
on firing.
■ Kidney A kidney-shaped tool with
many uses, which vary according to
the flexibility of the material it’s made
from.
■ Leather hard Fresh clay that has
dried to the point where it feels like
leather. It will be dry enough to handle
without distorting and is the point at
which it should be turned.
■ Majolica Late 19th century pottery
using highly-colourful, shiny glazes.
■ Maquette A small-scale model.
■ Marl A friable clay containing
chalk and iron oxide, used for
low-fired earthenware and bricks.
Other types of friable clay are also
called marls, eg Etruria Marl, and so
it is also a term used for general red
earthenware clays.
■ Mesh Used for describing the
gauge of sieves. The higher the
number, the finer the mesh.
■ Mocha diffusion A decorative
technique that uses a coloured acidic
solution over a layer of wet slip, which
‘breaks’, pulling the solution into
organic, fern-like patterns.
■ Natch Locating-points used in
mould-making. One protrudes, filling
the other.
■ Opening up A technique used in
throwing to form the base and wall
of the pot.
■ Paddle A flat tool used to shape
and firm-up clay. Paddling is also
called ‘settling’.
■ Pint weight A method of
working out the thickness of a glaze.
Comparing various weights allows the
dry weight of the glaze powder to be
calculated and adjusted.
■ Porcelain A type of clay used for
fine work, firing to a translucent finish.
Very plastic to work with, making it
tricky to throw when pure.
■ Potash Potassium carbonate.
Found in wood ash, used in glazing,
as a flux.
■ Pugging The blending,
compressing and de-airing of clay to
give a workable product.
■ Raku A firing method of rapid
heating and cooling a piece of glazed
work, coupled with various post-firing
treatments, usually contact with
organic materials, which affect the
glaze. The results are an attractive,
unpredictable combination of colours
and patterns.
■ Resist/wax resist Using a physical
barrier to prevent one thing from
colouring another. Usually wax or
paper.
■ Roller guides Thin wooden
battens of varying dimensions used
to achieve a uniform thickness when
rolling slabs.
■ Saggar A container used to protect
pots from direct contact with flames
and sudden changes in heat during
firing.
■ Score and slip The roughing up
of two clay surfaces, which are then
dampened with slip, to allow them to
form a bond.
■ Settle See Paddle.
■ Sgraffito Applying layers of
colour to the surface, then scratching
patterns through the top layer(s) to
reveal the colours below.
■ Silica Silicon dioxide. The material
that makes glazes ‘glassy’ and
transparent when fired.
■ Size A priming liquid that forms a
barrier.
■ Slaking Rehydrating dried, unfired
clay, for reclamation.
■ Slip trailing Using slip to apply
patterns in thin trails, usually with the
use of a bulb or other finely-nozzled
applicator.
■ Sprig A moulded clay decoration
applied to the surface of a pot.
■ Stall A meshed finger-covering that
allows you to dip into glazes without
leaving marks on the glaze surface.
■ Stoneware A type of clay body
fired above 1200°C, at which point
the clay and glaze fuse, forming an
integrated layer.
■ Surform A rasping tool used to
remove excess clay.
■ T Material A coarse, heavily-
grogged clay with low thermal
expansion.
■ Terra sigillata A very fine slip
coating, which gives a smooth, glossy
finish.
■ Thermal shock The stress created
in a piece of clay as it’s fired, caused by
the temperature change.
■ Thixotropy The property of
certain substances that are thick
(viscous) under normal conditions,
but flow (become thin, less viscous)
when shaken, agitated, or otherwise
stressed.
■ Turning The removal of excess clay,
from a leather-hard piece of work to
refine the shape, create foot rings, etc.
■ Undercut Area on a model which
undercuts and traps plaster then
prevents removal or withdrawal of the
mould after casting.
■ Underglaze A colour applied to
the clay surface before being covered
with a transparent glaze (optional)
and fired. Available in a wide range of
colours, it can be applied with brushes
for freehand work.
■ Wax resist See Resist.
■ Wheel head The spinning disc on a
potter’s wheel. Detachable heads can
be fitted to the main head, allowing
for easy removal of fresh work.
■ Whirler Technically, a manual
wheel used for press-moulding,
but here used as another name for
a banding wheel, for decorating or
turning.
12/09/2017 17:24
 
 UDIO T
ST LIGH
STONEHOUSE STUDIOS
OT 
Karen Bird, a sculptor and art teacher with over 30 years’
P
S  experience, has now opened a new arts workshop – Stonehouse
 Studios – in the idyllic country surroundings of Drayton Bassett,
Staffordshire. Isabel Dally reports

G rowing up at Stonehouse
Farm, Karen woke at 5am
each morning to help her
father feed pigs. She remembers her
earliest childhood clay project: a group
of pigs, immortalised from a painting
she made on the family’s South
Staffordshire smallholding. Now no
longer a working farm, Karen has
overseen the conversion of one of its
traditional 19th-century barns into The
Garden Studio, a lofty new ceramics
and sculpture workshop.
The new Garden Studio’s large,
bright and airy open space has timber
roof trusses and beams, and wide
French doors opening out onto the
orchard and mature flower gardens,
with inspiring views across fields and  Karen Bird taking a sculpture class in the Garden Studio.
open countryside. The studio is set up
with hand-building benches; sculpture which keeps the studio warm in the painting and drawing media and other
stands; large and small drawing easels; winter months. source materials collected over Karen’s
a wedging and clay preparation area; The kiln room holds two electric years of professional teaching.
Shimpo T-Whisper potter’s wheels; pug kilns and a drying rack, brimming with At 18, Karen had to choose to study
mill; and a large, wood-burning stove, students’ pots and sculptural creations. either Business and Marketing, or
A large store room alongside the studio Ceramic Design at Wolverhampton
contains a vast range of materials, University. It was her father who
including clays, stock glazes, paint, encouraged her to use the practical
moulds, armatures, charcoals, pencils, painting and drawing skills that she

The Garden Studio, Stonehouse

Farm, Drayton Bassett,
Staffordshire.

 Karen at work in the Garden

Studio. .
Issue 7 ClayCraft 51

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 had refined throughout her schooling.
On the Ceramic Design BA course,
Karen experimented extensively with
copper red glazes in reduction firings,
and became interested in mould-
making. “I learned how to read and
understand negative space through
mould-making; it allows me to see what
needs to be put right in a sculpture.”
Following her first-class honours
degree, a year’s work placement at the
Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery
combined Karen’s artistic training with
her interest in natural history, garnered
from her rural upbringing. There, she
worked on the museum’s Robert
William Chase Collection of stuffed
British birds, which included
identifying eggs, nestlings and birds; as
well as learning basic taxidermy skills.
Her time at the Natural History
Museum influenced her to make a
delicate selection of bird’s eggs in
porcelain as part of her final BA project
at Wolverhampton. These can still be
seen dotted around the studio,
“although a few seemed to have
hatched!”, she laughed.
This influential year offered further
inspiration to the budding sculptor.
“Every day, walking through the
museum’s Rotunda, I was faced with
Jacob Epstein’s Lucifer. That’s where
my interest in figurative sculpture  Students’ thrown and hand-built pots and sculptures await glazing.
started. I researched 20th-century
sculpture, reading extensively, but I
wanted to delve further into the area.
My only chance to convince my father
to help finance me through university
was to go into industrial design. The
Ceramic Design MA at North
Staffordshire Polytechnic was a broad
course, and I learnt a great deal.”
Throughout her Master’s at Stoke-
on-Trent, Karen began to refine her
own style of work, focusing on clay
sculpture, including figurative
modelling and portraiture. The
Ceramic Design course included a
six-month work placement in an
industrial setting. Karen took a position
at Boehm Design Studio in Malvern,
 The French doors open out onto gardens and orchard, which are used as where she modelled figurative originals
an outdoor teaching space. for production in porcelain. On
52 ClayCraft Issue 7

051-53 Stonehouse.indd 52 12/09/2017 17:26


graduation, she was offered a position
at Royal Doulton as a designer. Karen
instead chose to pursue her figurative
modelling and portraiture, becoming a
self-employed artist in Herefordshire.
Karen worked to private commission
for 12 years. In 1993, she gained
part-time art teaching and studio
technician posts at South Staffordshire
College, specialising in ceramics and
sculpture. “I also worked in the dialysis
unit at the Samuel Johnson Hospital in
Lichfield, teaching drawing and
painting to those receiving kidney
dialysis – turning this into creative
productivity time for the patients.”
Karen also worked for one day a
week at the Birmingham
Industrial Therapy
Association – a mental
health therapy
association that aims
to provide care for
patients through
vocational training.
There, she worked in
the Craft Centre, as
well as setting up pottery
and sculpture, and drawing
 Karen working on her latest
portrait sculpture.
051-53 Stonehouse.indd 53
 Setting up for the
day’s throwing class.
ƒ Karen delivering
throwing tuition on
one of the Shimpo
Whisper wheels.
and painting projects.
Eventually, after 23 years
of teaching ceramics and
sculpture at Lichfield College, budget
cuts hit the arts sector, and Karen
chose to take redundancy from her
teaching job at Lichfield. It was at this
stage that Karen took the brave
decision to invest in launching her own
ceramics and sculpture school; the new
venture, Stonehouse Studios.
Work began in November 2016 to
convert one of the outbuildings at
Stonehouse Farm. The main Garden
Studio opened its doors at the end of
February 2017, and has since become a
wonderful success. “The classes are
immense fun; there’s always lots of
laughter.” Stonehouse Studios offers a
variety of courses, including abstract,
figurative, portrait and life clay
sculpture, hand-built ceramics, wheel
pottery, pottery for children and
families, and History of Art classes,
which are a new addition to the school,
with discussions hosted by lecturer
John Hayward.
Currently, renovation work is
underway converting two additional
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT
outbuildings in the courtyard into
further studio space, plus workshop
space for artist practitioners. In the
near future, Stonehouse’s refurbishment
will be complete, and the house will be
ready to accommodate residential art
courses.
While teaching and running the
studio, Karen continues to produce her
own work and exhibit; regularly taking
commissions, recently completing a
new range of contemporary abstract
sculpture. She has impressively
showcased at the Society of Portrait
Sculptors in London for three
consecutive years.
The studio is within easy reach of
Tamworth and Kingsbury, and students
are travelling from as far as Derby and
Market Bosworth to enjoy classes on
offer in its peaceful countryside setting,
with outstanding teaching. One of her
students comments: “Karen is the
essence of calm and encouragement to
us”; a true portrayal of her expertise. 
Further information about
Karen Bird can be found at:
karenbirdsculptor.co.uk, and
more details on the courses and
classes at Stonehouse Studios is
available at: stonehousestudios.
co.uk
Email: art@stonehousestudios.
co.uk or call: 01827 247147
Issue 7 ClayCraft 53
12/09/2017 17:26
 SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT COILED WINE
FIVE COOLER
A terracotta wine cooler is ancient
technology – it works by drenching the
unglazed clay vessel in water before
inserting the wine bottle, and placing
the cooler in a shady place for a while;
evaporative cooling will keep the wine
chilled

1
 Begin by rolling a thick slab of clay, 8-10mm thick.
Cut a 15cm circle from an existing template or make one
from card or sheet foam.
If you want to make a larger cooler for champagne or
larger bottles, scale up the base size accordingly. The finished cooler – unglazed, to allow for evaporation.
Position the disc on a wooden batt.
TIP: It helps the cooler to sustain the chill over a
long period if you use a pre-chilled bottle, and it’s
important for most of the surface to be unglazed for
the cooler to work really well

2
 Roll a thick coil of clay long enough to fit the
circumference of your base section.
On a sheet of plastic, flatten the coil with the palm of
your hand from one end – you’ll find the job easier if you
hold the other end in a slightly elevated position as you
press along the length. 3
When you’ve worked along the entire length of coil, lift it
carefully, turn it over then flatten it again in the same way.  With the coil still in place on the plastic, score along the
Repeat this until you’re happy with the thickness. length of one edge using a serrated kidney, as shown.

54 ClayCraft Issue 7

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 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

4
 Score and slip the top, outer edge of the base slab then
fit the coil in place, 2mm in from the edge.
Where the ends of the coil meet, overlap the clay then
cut through both sections on a diagonal.
Score and slip the cut edges, then join them together –
this makes a much better join than a simple butted-edge.
Smooth over the joins with a modelling tool to make sure
the seal is good, and that it’s neat. Be sure to support the
wall with your other hand as you work.
7
 Roll and flatten a second coil, but make life easier for
yourself by cutting the edges straight along the length of
your roller guide. This will make a good clean edge for the
coil to butt neatly onto the first one.
Score the length of one edge as you did for the first coil.

5
 Reinforce the join on the inside with a coil of soft clay.
Blend the coil in, first with your finger then a rounded
kidney, to remove excess clay and refine the surface.
TIP
A simple method of measuring the correct
length of coil for each addition is to cut a
length of string to fit the circumference of
the cooler, with about 2cm extra to allow
for the overlap of clay for the join. Then
each subsequent length can be quickly measured and
cut to size with minimum effort.

6
 Blend the clay from the
base slab, up and over the
coil on the outside of the
cooler. Use a wooden tool
for this job and be sure to
support the wall with your
other hand as you work.
Use a rectangular
scraping tool to work on
the outside surface, to remove excess clay and check that
the wall is vertical. Simply sit the scraper on the batt at the
edge of the cooler and draw it around the edge. Issue 7 ClayCraft 55 .
054-57 Project 5 Wine Cooler.indd 55 12/09/2017 17:27
 SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
FIVE

8 10
 Score and slip the rim of the first coil then fix the  Again, use the rectangular scraper on the outside to
second coil in place, overlapping the ends and cutting remove excess clay, smooth the surface and check that the
them on the diagonal as you did before. Score and slip the wall is vertical.
cut ends and join them together – blend over the join with
a wooden tool.

11
 Continue to build the wall in this way until the correct
height is achieved. Use a wine bottle to check periodically,
as you build up.

9
Reinforce the joins on both the inside and outside of
the cooler with coils of soft clay.
Blend the coils in well with a modelling tool then
scrape away the excess with a kidney.

12
 Check the rim is level
when you have built up to
the desired height. Correct
it by shaving the clay with
a surform blade if it’s
uneven.
Now roll a coil of clay
10-15mm thick and place
it around the rim of the
cooler to measure the length. Cut to the correct length,
again on a diagonal for a strong join.
Remove the coil and join the ends to form a ring.

56 ClayCraft Issue 7

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 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

13
 Score and slip the rim of the cooler and the underside
of the ring, then fix it in place applying a little pressure to
ensure the join is good.
Remove excess slip from around the ring with a suitably-
shaped scraping tool.
16
 Score and slip the position for the handle just below the
rim of the cooler and the underside of the handle.
Fix the handle in place, pressing down gently with your
thumb or finger until it holds in place.
Neaten the clay around the join to remove excess slip, then
stamp a design or your mark just underneath the curl.
Fix the second handle on the opposite side in the same way.

14
17
 Roll a second coil for the underside of the base and
fix it in place in the same way as the rim. When it’s
secure, blend the inside of the coil onto the base with  You can decorate the surface in your own style,
remembering that it will be unglazed. Try drawing a design
your finger then neaten up the surface with a small
sgraffito-style, impressing with texture stamps, combing
kidney until it’s smooth and the ring looks seamless.
the surface or, as shown here, impressing letter stamps to
Turn the cooler the right way
read ‘wine’ several times around the circumference.
up on the batt and neaten
around the foot ring with a
scraping tool, as you did TIP:
at the rim. If the clay is soft an
d
you’re having diffi
culty
maintaining the cu
rl
and handling the co
il,
firm the clay up wi
th a
hairdryer until it ho
lds
its shape

18
 The larger wine cooler shown here has
been made without a footring to show an
alternative finish.
15 The pot doesn’t need anything more doing to it after
bisque firing for it to function properly but you can
 Flatten a short coil of clay to form the feature handles highlight the words by painting them with underglaze as
for the side of the cooler. shown here if you want to.
Cut the coil into two 10cm lengths. Simply allow the underglaze to dry then wipe it back
Carefully roll the coil around a short length of doweling with a damp cloth and the words will show really clearly.
to form a curl. Simply bisque fire again to finish.

Issue 7 ClayCraft 57

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T
he British Ceramics
Biennial (BCB)
launched in 2009, as a
new initiative of
residencies, fellowships,
commissions, education and
enterprise projects running
year-round, with a major festival
every two years. This six-week
festival brings the city to life, with
exhibitions, installations, new
commissions and hands-on
activities, showcasing the creative
potential of clay, and reflecting
and stimulating the resurgence of
contemporary ceramics. The BCB
initiative is intended to be a
catalyst for regeneration in
the region, and to create a
platform for innovation
and excellence
celebrating the best in
current ceramic practice,
both nationally and
internationally.
The former Spode
Factory site in the heart of
Stoke Town forms the main
hub of the festival, with the
cultural quarter of Hanley forming
a second hub, across venues
including the Potteries Museum
and Art Gallery, AirSpace Gallery,
58 ClayCraft Issue 7
058-61 BCB.indd 58
British Ceramics
Biennial 2017
From 23 September to 5 November, the fifth
British Ceramics Biennial returns to Stoke-on-Trent
Removing a
Brown Betty
from a mould.
(Photo: Glen
Stoker)
BROWN BETTY
A re-imagining of the archetypal teapot – the Brown
Betty – by Ian McIntyre will be launched with an
exhibition of an exclusive limited edition, available for
sale through BCB. This iconic object was designed
and refined through a process of making which spans
300 years. Once made in its millions, it is still produced
in Stoke from the original Etruria Marl red clay - the bed
rock of the city – and glazed with the instantly recognisable
Rockingham dark treacle glaze. Although part of the
remarkable story of The Potteries, the Brown Betty teapot
‡ The iconic languishes in obscurity and struggles to be valued in a design-
Brown Betty conscious marketplace. Pioneering a model of artist-into-
teapot, re- industry, Ian McIntyre has collaborated with Cauldon Ceramics,
engineered producers of the Brown Betty, to re-engineer the design to
by Ian embody and progress the best of the DNA from the original,
McIntyre in and lift this overlooked icon into the 21st century.
collaboration
with Cauldon
Ceramics, Bethesda Chapel and Stoke-on- and events taking place across the
into this 2017 Trent Central Library. The festival city. It’s a particularly exciting and
incarnation. programme also links with some important time for the city, with
(Photo: Milo of the city’s key industry players: Stoke-on-Trent’s bid to become
Reid) Emma Bridgewater, Burleigh at UK City of Culture 2021.
Middleport Pottery, World of “The BCB has put a spotlight on
Wedgwood and Johnson Tiles. the city, not only during the
Artistic Director, Barney Hare festival itself, but year-round.
Duke commented: “Launching the Through the delivery of our
fifth iteration of BCB is something ongoing programmes, we are
ƒ Barney of a milestone. This year’s festival working with groups of people,
Hare Duke,
BCB’s Artistic is as ambitious as ever, with over and individuals, offering classes,
Director. 100 artists involved in exhibitions workshops and events. Our aim is
12/09/2017 18:23
 to make a difference, by
stimulating a resurgence in
interest in working with clay, and
keeping alive the sense of the
ceramics skills, traditions, and
heritage that permeate Stoke-on-
Trent.”
BCB’s flagship exhibition
AWARD will take centre-stage in
Spode’s China Hall, with a
presentation of new work by the
10 artists competing for the
£5,000 prize, which for the first
time is sponsored by Johnson
Tiles. From large-scale
installations to intimate displays,
the work will exemplify the
abiding interest in clay as a
medium for making and exploring
ideas.
BCB’s other signature
exhibition, FRESH, will bring
together work by 22 of the most
talented recent ceramics
graduates, as they embark on their
careers as creative artists.
Alongside these exhibitions will be
a series of commissions including
new work by 2015 AWARD
winner Sam Bakewell, and 2015
FRESH winner Hannah
Tounsend.
Darren Clanford, Creative
Director at Johnson Tiles,
sponsors of the British Ceramics
Biennial, commented: “The British
Ceramics Biennial is a true
Local schoolchildren have been making 2,000 replica clay
books, which will be fired at the festival before going on display.
058-61 BCB.indd 59
‡ HeartBeat: Warli painters, artists, craft workers, a musician, a filmmaker
and ceramic artists from India and the UK came together to create an
installation in the landscape of a remote village in rural Maharastra. For BCB,
a re-configured installation, complete with new commissions, will bring
together over 40 Warli paintings alongside film, sculpture, clay, objects,
sound and live performance. (Photo: Johnny Magee)
EXCHANGE PROJECTS
Highlighting the strong international focus of this year’s festival are two cross-
cultural exchange projects.
HeartBeat, set across the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery and Bethesda
Chapel, is part of an exchange project between the UK and India and is part
of the 70th anniversary of India’s Independence. Warli painters, artists, craft
workers, a musician, a filmmaker and ceramic artists from India and the UK
came together in a remote village in rural Maharastra to create an installation
in the landscape of the village. For BCB, a re-configured installation complete
with new commissions will bring together over 40 Warli paintings alongside film,
sculpture, clay, objects, sound and live performance.
These themes are further explored through an ongoing UK and Korea
exchange project, led by Stoke-on-Trent artist Neil Brownsword. Korean artist
Juree Kim has been working alongside Brownsword in the former Spode
Factory’s China Hall over the summer and together they will present the
outcomes of their exploration as a major installation within the festival.
The dialogue between the making cultures of the UK and Korea will also be
investigated through installations by architectural ceramicist and The Ceramic
House founder JK Aplin and artists Kyung Won Baek and Jin Kin. A geo-locative
app curated by sound artist Joseph Young, featuring the work of six UK and
Korean sound artists in response to ceramic manufacturing processes, will guide
BCB visitors on a trail around key locations in the city. Both works form part of
The Ceramic House’s 2017 ‘Made in Korea’ programme.
CLAY BOOKS
Leading UK ceramic artist Keith Harrison
has been commissioned by Stoke-on-Trent
Libraries and Archives in association with
BCB to create a major new work, ‘Knowledge
is Power’. Inspired by the special Six Towns
Collection of local history books, Harrison
has been working with over 200 local
schoolchildren and community groups to
make 2,000 replica clay books, which will
be fired in front of an audience using a huge
interactive kiln. The fired works will become
part of a public art piece in the refurbished
Stoke-on-Trent Central Library.
.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 59
12/09/2017 18:23
 celebration of the creativity, craft
and innovation found within the
ceramics industry. With Johnson
Tiles at the forefront of British tile
design and manufacture, and with
over 115 years of experience in
producing ceramic tiles in Stoke-
on-Trent, at the heart of The
Potteries, we’re extremely proud to
be headline sponsors for an event
that is so integral to the future of
ceramics.”
The British Ceramics Biennial is
funded by Stoke-on-Trent City
Council, Arts Council England,
Creative Europe and Paul Hamlyn
Foundation. Sponsors: Johnson
Tiles, Staffordshire University,
Emma Bridgewater. Media
partner: Ceramic Review. Materials
sponsor: Potclays.
For more information visit:
britishceramicsbiennial.com
OTHER FESTIVAL
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
● Ceramic City Wall; curated
in collaboration with Emma
Bridgewater, Johnson Tiles and
other industry partners, to reveal
little-known facts about ceramics in
Stoke-on-Trent.
● Division of Labour; a creative
journey through the Spode site
mapping factory functions and
processes, which will be represented
by a set of objects created by BCB
associate artist Peter Jones.
● Refugee Tales; a continuation
of Stephen Dixon’s WW1
project looking at the idea of
commemoration through clay,
working with community and
education groups in Stoke-on-Trent
and Staffordshire.
● An exhibition exploring
approaches to public realm work at
AirSpace Gallery.
● Ceramics and its Dimensions
European Conference on 5, 6 and 7
October 2017, will explore the theme
of Ceramic Values and how they
make a difference.
● Hands-on, interactive events
including: a mobile cooking and
eating event led by artist Jo Ayre
with Jubilee Club groups, which
60 ClayCraft Issue 7
058-61 BCB.indd 60
AWARD 2017 Pauliina Pöllänen: Sexdream,
The 10 artists shortlisted for AWARD are:
2016. Glazed porcelain, 59 x 41 x
● Alex Simpson ● Eva Masterman
46cm. (Photo: Louise O'Rourke)
● Katie Spragg
● Malene Hartmann Rasmussen
● Matthew Raw ● Matt Smith
● Nicholas Rena ● Pauliina Pöllänen
● Tana West ● Zoe Lloyd
‡ Matthew Raw: Create a Scene
(GOB).
The Clay Pit, an
interactive workshop
space within the China
Hall where visitors can
experience clay for
themselves. (Photo:
Darren Washington)
will take place at various times and
locations throughout the festival;
and The Clay Pit, an interactive
workshop space within the China
Hall where visitors can experience
clay for themselves.
● Opening up, Moving in, Moving on:
Jo Ayre, BCB’s resident artist and
studio manager resident will host
this half-day event exploring the
role of shared studio space within
professional practice.
Spode Works, Stoke-on-Trent,
Friday 27 October 2017, 10am - 3pm. 
Limited places available – reserve ‡ Clay Pit and Super Saturdays.
your ticket at: bit.ly/2f2MTMI. Free clay activities for all the
Simple lunch provided. family in the China Hall, Spode.
12/09/2017 18:24

‡ Katie Spragg: Wildness (detail),
2016. (Photo: Sylvain Deleu)
‡ Nicholas Rena: Psyche of a Culture.
(Photo: Philip Sayer)
FRESH EXHIBITION
Twenty-two talented recent
ceramics graduates from across the
UK and Ireland have been selected
for FRESH, one of the flagship
exhibitions of the BCB. FRESH
celebrates and gives a platform
for artists at the beginning of their
creative careers, and represents the
breadth of work created across the
ceramic spectrum – from abstract
sculpture and installation to
functional, domestic tableware.
This year, 110 graduates from
30 universities applied, and the
22 successful artists were chosen
by a selection panel chaired by
Helen Felcey, National Association
of Ceramics in Higher Education
(NACHE). She said: “We thoroughly
enjoyed looking through the FRESH
applications. It was a privilege and
a real pleasure to see all the work –
to see the level of achievement, to
sense the commitment and passion
that lie behind it. Very challenging
to select of course! We’re excited
to bring the work together and
hope that the selection encourages
new reflections and conversations
on ceramics and education. It
was wonderful to see so many
applications from different
universities and colleges too – may
they grow!”
058-61 BCB.indd 61
‡ Eva Masterman: Crackpot, Installation 01, Found table, ceramic, inner
tube, plaster, kiln prop, thermal couples, 2016. (Photo: Eva Masterman)
The FRESH 2017 artists are:
● Amy Mackle, Ulster University
● Aneta Brudkowska, Staffordshire
University
● Annie Hardy, Royal College of Art
● Attila Olah, Liverpool Hope
University
● Caitlin Darby, Loughborough
University (BA), Staffordshire
University (current MA)
● Elena Gomez De Valcarcel, Central
Saint Martins University of the Arts
● Eusebio Sanchez, Royal College
of Art
● Holly Johns, University of Brighton
● Irina Razumvoskaya, Royal College
of Art
● Jenny McNamara, University of
Sunderland
● Jessica Dent, Cardiff Metropolitan
University
● Julia Schuster, Royal College of Art
● Kate Bergin, Limerick School of Art
and Design
● Lanty Ball, University of Central
Lancashire
● Lena Peters, Central Saint Martins
● Manos Kalamenios, Royal College
of Art
● Mark McLeish, Manchester School
of Art
● Nathan Mullis, Cardiff School of Art
and Design
BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL
● Patricia Mato-Mora, Royal College
of Art
● Rachel Hoyle, Staffordshire
University
● Sabrina Vasulka and Nahuel
Hernando, Staffordshire University
● Youngeun Shin, Cardiff School of
Art and Design
Awards will be given to two
selected FRESH exhibitors during the
BCB: a one-month funded residency
at Guldagergaard International
Ceramics Research Centre in Denmark
in 2018 and a BCB artist into industry
residency, also in 2018.
FRESH 2015 winner Hannah
Tounsend, who won the
Guldagergaard residency for her
series of printed vessels, ‘Traversing
the Line’, will present a new
commission at this year’s festival.
‡ Elena Gomez De Valcarcel:
Familia, 2017.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 61
12/09/2017 18:24
 PROJECT
SKILL SCHOOL
MAKING
SIX TILES
TIPdo: use
■ If you
, tape over
plasterboard e to
with duct tap
the cut ends ding
of plaster fin
prevent bits
your clay.
their way into
to weight the
■ Something ed
– old-fashion
boards with l.
are usefu
scale weights
ay (grog
■ Grogged cl
age)
reduces w p ar

METHOD 1 – BASIC CLAY TILE

Y
ou never see a warped commercial tile because
they are usually made from a clay body with a
high talc content and little moisture. This can
easily be rolled or pressed, will barely shrink,
and won’t warp in drying or firing. However, most studio
potters use standard clay bodies to make their tiles, and
usually develop their own methods over time to overcome
the problems inherent in tile-making.
In this, the first installment of a series on the many ways
to make tiles, we focus on two very basic methods to get you
started, with lots of tips to ensure you get super-flat tiles
every time. 

You w ill n ee d :

1
✔ Cardboard templates for
your  Roll a large slab of clay, minimum 5mm thick using your
sha pe of tile roller guides to ensure an even thickness.
chosen size and
5mm TIP: You can roll the clay directly onto the fireboard – it
✔ Roller guides – minimum
is great for reducing the moisture content of the clay.
thick
Position your template on the surface to allow for the
✔ Rolling pin maximum number of tiles. Line the roller guide up along
),
✔ Board; fireboard (Superluxe the edge of the template and cut the whole length of the
are s, or pap er-coat ed
two 1m squ slab using a potter’s knife. When you have cut all vertical
be cut
plasterboard, which can easily lines, cut the horizontals in the same way.
s’ mercha nt
to size (ask your builder Discard the spare bits of slab.
ken boa rds – you
if they have any bro TIP: If you cut the tiles individually, cut the edges from
can often get them for free) side to centre to avoid dragging the clay and distorting
the shape
62 ClayCraft Issue 7

062-65 Project 6 Making Tiles.indd 62 12/09/2017 18:25

 SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
SIX
PROJECT
SIX

5
 Mix a small amount of plaster. The amount will depend
on the size of your tile and frame, but begin with one pint,
which ought to be enough for one frame. However, it’s
3 better to make too much rather than too little, so have
another tile prepared and framed in case you have more
 Place the template over the tile again and cut the shape than you need for one.
back to size because rolling the texture will have distorted Fill the frame to the rim and remember to shiver the
the shape a little. surface with your hand to release any trapped air bubbles.

4
Carefully place the tile on a water-resistant board and
build a frame around it to contain the plaster. You
can make the frame from a slab of clay or make some
board frames likes those shown here, which have a
section cut from each end to allow them to locate
over one another.
This frame is suitable for a 15cm square tile, and
each section measures 390mm length, 20mm depth
and 35mm width.
6
 Remove the frame boards or clay cottle and surform
the edges of the plaster to remove any sharpness. Turn it
over and repeat on the upper surface.
Now turn the clay out of the mould and discard it,
because it may have plaster contamination.
Put the mould somewhere warm to dry out thoroughly
before using.
MAKING A PRESS MOULDED
TILE IN THE MOULD

1
 Roll a slightly thicker slab of clay than you used to make
the tile model from, and smooth over the surface with a rib
to compact the clay. This is the surface that will go into the
mould.

64 ClayCraft Issue 7

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 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

2
 Use your template to cut a square of slab to fit the
mould, but cut the shape slightly larger than required to
give you room for pressing the tile thoroughly.
5
 If the tiles are intended for use in a domestic setting
(kitchen/bathroom, for example), it will help to texture the
back to give a key for the adhesive when wall-mounting.
A fork or similar tool is all that is required for this job –
simply draw it across the surface.

TIP: If the clay

doesn’t release
easily from the
mould, simply press
a ball of soft clay
into one corner, and
it should lift away
easily, releasing the
3 rest of the tile, which
should then turn out
 Position the slab in the mould then press it into place onto a board
with a barely damp sponge. You will have to press quite without trouble.
firmly for the clay to pick up the texture in the mould.
Repeat in all corners
Try running a rolling pin over the surface to press the
clay in firmly, but be careful because this can lift the clay if it’s still difficult
and the texture impression will be spoiled if this happens.

ƒThe finished mould is a

work of art in its own right.

6
„A selection of moulds
made in a similar way, and
with methods we will cover in
4 future issues.

 Remove excess clay with Next month:

a length of roller guide or
wooden batten. Draw the Making tile
batten over the clay from moulds from lino
the centre to the outer edge,
working around the tile
cut blocks
carefully until it’s flat and even.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 65

062-65 Project 6 Making Tiles.indd 65 12/09/2017 18:26

 

FOR ALL YOUR SUPPLIES

INCLUDING KILNS, WHEELS,
WH
H RA
RAW
A MATERIALS, CLAYS, GLAZES, COLOURS
WE ARE DUSTRIBUTORS FOR RHODE GMBH & POTTERYCRARAFTS
A LTD KILNS, OFFERING ADVICE AND
QUALITY AFTER SALES SERVICE
WE ALSO OFFER A COMPREHENSIVE SAMPLES COLLECTION ON OUR WEBSITE

TEL: 01323 896444 EMAIL: CHRIS_HESKE

KETH@HESKE
E KETHPS.CO.UK
E WW
WWW
WW.HESKE
W KETHPS.CO.UK
E

SWANSPOOL CERAMICS
Pottery is our passion!

Pottery Courses
Clay Experiences
Gift Vouchers

E: info@swanspoolceramics.co.uk
T: 01604 968533
Castle Ashby, Northampton
NN7 1LA
www.swanspoolceramics.co.uk

We offer a range of daytime, evening and full-weekend

wheel-throwing courses for all levels, as well as memberships
for those who just need studio space and firing services.

Also available: 2-hr tasters, private groups/parties,

corporate team-building, 1-to-1 tuition.
  T:
TLIGH N-
World of Wedgwood
O O
SP OKE-
Stoke-on-Trent was built on a history of industrial greatness and

ST RENT
creative artistic flair, and it’s enjoying a resurgence of all things that
made the city great. From pottery to performing arts, and everything
T  in between, it is home to world-class attractions, incredible talents
 and creative businesses

T
he city has been shaped by
its production of pottery for
centuries, building a city
with a globally-renowned
reputation and history of innovation,
science, art, culture, and
entrepreneurialism, and today the city
remains a must-visit destination for
lovers of pottery!
Located within Stoke-on-Trent,
World of Wedgwood is the ultimate
destination to experience the
Wedgwood brand. Its aim is to bring
the history and heritage of Wedgwood
to visitors in a genuinely inspiring,
sophisticated and elegant way. Visitors
will discover new perspectives, broaden
their horizons, and gain a deeper
understanding of the world and its
heritage and culture. Featuring a V&A
museum collection, an award-winning
factory tour, contemporary tea room,
restaurant, RHS Gold medal-winning
garden, master craft studio, decorating
studio, and the Wedgwood Flagship
 The World of Wedgwood has a
museum, factory tours, hands-on
experiences and plenty more!
retail store, the World of Wedgwood is
an opportunity to ‘learn by doing’, to
shop, eat and explore…
The Wedgwood story began in 1759,
when Josiah Wedgwood, aged just 29,
started as an independent potter in
Burslem, Staffordshire. He began to
experiment avidly with clay, exploring
its huge potential. During his lifetime
he invented and produced three of
Wedgwood's most famous ceramic
bodies – Queen's Ware (1762), Black
Basalt (1768) and Jasper (1774), which
are still famous.
Creative, energetic, an astute
businessman, and patron of the arts,
Wedgwood quickly became Britain's  One of the highlights of
the permanent collection: an
most inspired and successful ceramics earthenware Emile Lessore vase.
pioneer. His genius led English pottery
from a cottage craft to an art form, and immerse themselves in the history and
international industry. heritage of this truly iconic English
Today, he’s remembered as the brand.
‘Father of English Potters’. His pioneer Following a £34-million
spirit, vigorous design policy, and refurbishment, World of Wedgwood
commitment to exacting standards of reopened its doors to visitors in July
quality, coupled with his efforts to 2015, and has welcomed thousands of
create affordable luxury products, ceramics enthusiasts and followers of
remain the values at the heart of the the Wedgwood brand from the UK and
brand today. Visitors can totally around the world. .
Issue 7 ClayCraft 67

067-69 Stoke.indd 67 12/09/2017 18:27

 STUDIO VISIT
Explore – the factory,
museum, shopping and
more…
The first stop for many visitors is the
award-winning Wedgwood Museum,
where they can discover more about the
Wedgwood family and see the
V&A collection. Here, they
can view one of the ce
finest collections of chan tour n
a P o
ceramics in the world, For n a VI fterno
i a f
and trace over 250 to wB and orld o two
years’ of ground- C W or
breaking design and of B tea at ood, f
R  With three shops
production, as they e dgw E OU ION on-site, visitors are
W SE ETIT 21 spoilt for choice!
follow the story of Josiah M P E products and the launch of brand-new
Wedgwood and his CO N PAG
O
lasting influence on the 1952 at Barlaston. The new
industry and society, in an museum opened in 2008
interactive and inspirational winning the Art Fund Museum of
learning environment. On display is a the Year Prize in 2009.
unique archive of British politics, society, Visitors can see iconic pieces from
science and art, containing over 80,000 across the centuries, including the
works of art, ceramics, manuscripts and Apotheosis of Homer Vase – made from
letters, pattern books and photographs. the famous, distinctive, blue Jasper clay
Both the collection and paper archives – the Portland Vase, considered to be one
chart the factory history, designs and of Wedgwood’s greatest technical
production. The Wedgwood Collection achievements, right through to the recent
was started in the 18th century and a exclusive collections by world-famous
museum has existed since 1906, first at designers Vera Wang and Jasper Conran.
the Etruria Factory site and then from After absorbing the history of
Wedgwood, visitors can take a tour of
the redesigned Wedgwood Factory; over
half of Wedgwood’s global ceramic
production takes place at the Barlaston
factory, retaining the distinctly British
design and exceptional quality. Visitors
are invited to watch artisan craftsmen as
they create the iconic ceramics for which
Wedgwood is world-renowned, using a
combination of both modern and
traditional techniques – honed over the
brand’s 250-years heritage in the
ceramics industry. You can meet the
craftsmen as you take the tour, either
with one of the World of Wedgwood
guides or taking yourself through the
factory with the visitor guide and
interpretation boards, which explain each
step of the manufacturing and design
process.
If you want to indulge in some retail
therapy, you’ll be spoilt for choice with
 The museum holds an enormous three stores on-site. The Wedgwood
archive of over 80,000 items. Flagship Store is the largest Wedgwood
68 ClayCraft Issue 7
067-69 Stoke.indd 68
retail space in the UK, featuring
inspiring product displays, iconic
collections before they’re widely available
elsewhere in the world. Shoppers can
browse collections that they may have
seen being made on the Factory Tour
– which aren’t available anywhere else in
Europe – for the perfect memento of their
visit, to add to a collection, or as gifts.
Since 2015, Wedgwood has been
owned by Fiskars, a leading consumer
goods company. Its brands include
Waterford, Royal Doulton and Royal
Albert, and visitors can now shop the
latest collections, including design
collaborations with Miranda Kerr; US
TV celebrity Ellen DeGeneres; Gordon
Ramsey; Hemingway Design and Barber
& Osgerby, in the Brand Junction store.
Along with Wedgwood, the Royal
Doulton and Royal Albert collections are
also developed on site in the Barlaston
design studios, which guests will see on
the factory tour.
The Wedgwood Factory Outlet is a
firm favourite with visitors, and offers a
wide range of end-of-line and exclusive
pieces created at the Wedgwood Factory,
which are not available to buy anywhere
else.
Taste – dining options for
every palette!
Wedgwood has a longstanding
association with tea, dating back to the
18th century when Josiah Wedgwood
began creating bespoke tea ware
collections for royalty and aristocracy,
including the Duchess of Bedford, who is
now celebrated as the founder of the
British afternoon tea tradition. The
12/09/2017 18:27

 The Wedgwood Tea Room and
Tea Emporium has over 50 types
of tea, and a sommelier to help you
choose the perfect blend.
Wedgwood Tea Room and Tea
Emporium continue this tradition,
offering a contemporary afternoon tea
experience, with a delicious selection of
sweet and savoury dishes to choose from.
Relax in elegant surroundings as you
take afternoon tea, with over 50 of
Wedgwood’s finest teas to choose from,
including the new innovative blends of
Wonderlust teas, inspired by the wonders
of travelling from Europe through Asia;
all served in the finest Wedgwood china
of course! Dedicated tea sommeliers are
on hand for those who want to take a
taste of Wedgwood home, to offer
tea-tastings and help you select a perfect
blend from the wide choice available.
For a less formal dining experience,
The Dining Hall restaurant caters for the
whole family, with tempting brunch and
lunch menus, as well as a children’s menu,
 During the factory tour, visitors
can see the production process from
start to finish.
067-69 Stoke.indd 69
Sunday lunches, seasonal specials, cakes
and desserts. Inspired by the original
Barlaston worker’s canteen, The Dining
Hall is a comfortable and contemporary
twist on an industrial setting, which
celebrates locally-sourced, seasonal
Staffordshire produce.
Create – throw a pot,
design your own piece of
Wedgwood
For those who are more ‘hands on’, you
can also choose to immerse yourself in
the wide range of creative experiences on
offer in the Master Craft Studio, the
Decorating Studio, and at special events.
Under the guidance of skilled workers,
visitors can roll up their sleeves and try
their hand at throwing a pot on the
potter’s wheel, using traditional and
modern methods that are still in use by
Wedgwood’s master craftsmen. The
finished work can be taken away, or fired
and collected, or posted out once it’s
come out of the kiln. The Master Craft
Studio offers a fun introduction for
children and adults who want to try a
new hobby, as well as experienced potters
who have always wanted to throw a pot
at Wedgwood! As Christmas approaches,
you can also have a go at the art of
‘ornamenting’, which can be seen in the
Jasper section of the factory tour, to
decorate your own unique Christmas tree
decoration.
In the Decorating Studio you can
create your own work of art, using
inspiration from Wedgwood designs, or
your own original ideas, to make a
unique piece of Wedgwood using
state-of-the-art digital printing
techniques, for transfer onto a piece of
fired Wedgwood ware to take home (or
be fired, and posted to you). Younger
visitors will enjoy having a go at pottery
painting, with a selection of pot shapes
and seasonal ceramic pieces to choose
from, like pottery pumpkins, Easter
bunnies and Christmas decorations,
which make treasured keepsakes or
unique gifts.
World of Wedgwood also offers a
programme of special events throughout
the year, from children’s workshops and
floral demonstrations, to interactive
STUDIO VISIT
 There’s a chance to get your
hands dirty in the two on-site
studios, too.
performances and the hugely popular
Fine Food and Artisan Craft Fayre, held
on the second Sunday of every month.
Visitors can also enjoy beautiful
outdoor spaces, including the Courtyard
Garden fountains and Gold medal-
winning show garden from the RHS
Chatsworth Flower Show, designed by
Sam Ovens. The Wedgwood-themed play
area, which offers a fun and immersive
experience for younger visitors, with
willow sculptures designed by artist Tom
Hare, and woodland walks and nature
trails in Hem Heath woods, where you
can spot native wildlife and delicate
woodland flowers throughout the year.
To find out more about World of
Wedgwood visit: worldofwedgwood.
com
For information about great places to
visit, things to see and do, fantastic
events and accommodation in the area,
go to: visitstoke.co.uk 
Discovery Experience ticket
prices | Factory Tour and Museum
● Adults £15.00
● Children 5 – 16 years old, £7.50
● Concession students with valid
Student ID and over 60’s, £10.50
● Family ticket, 2 adults and
3 children £30.00
● Under 5’s free with an
accompanying adult
Save 10% when you book online.
Master Craft and Decorating
Studio Activities
● Throw a pot £10.00
● Decorate a plate £12.50
Pots and plates can be fired
and collected or posted for an
additional charge.
Issue 7 ClayCraft 69
12/09/2017 18:27
 SKILL SCHOOL

PROJECT
SEVEN
In this project, we put the tiles made
in project six to good use as glaze
tests, using resist techniques

T
he flat tile surface is perfect for
practicing these techniques, and
you can achieve some exciting

GLAZE-ON-GLAZE
glaze results, but bear in mind that these
won’t be a true test of a glaze finish unless
it’s specifically for tiles or other flat
surfaces, because they can behave very
differently on a vertical surface, where
gravity will cause them to run and blend
together in a different way.
TECHNIQUES
WITH RESISTS
The two methods demonstrated here will
form the first of a series of glaze decorating
techniques to follow in future issues.

METHOD 1 – GLAZE-ON-GLAZE WITH LATEX RESIST

You w ill n ee d : BE EXPERIMENTAL

Try using earthenware and stoneware glazes in
combination; matt and shiny glazes together;
Bisque-fired tiles reactive glazes over conventional glazes, etc. The
for the firing
A minimum of 3 glazes suitable possibilities are endless.
’t worry about
temperature of your clay. Don
e – the exciting part
compatibility at this stag
ndin g a com bina tion that
of this project is fi
xpe cte d way s. So whi le you may be
works in une
com es, you may
very disappointed with the out
ove r som eth ing that
equally be amazed and disc
can become your sign atu re

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Liquid latex is most usually found as Copydex, but
is widely available from art suppliers and ceramic
suppliers otherwise.
Thin the latex down with water to make it easier
to brush – two-thirds latex to one-third water,
approximately.
Latex tends to spoil brushes, but you can extend 1
their life by dipping the brush in washing up liquid
prior to use and then washing in hot soapy water  Draw your design onto the tile with a pencil. The
after use. Buy cheap children’s brushes for this job graphite in the pencil will easily burn away in firing so don’t
– readily available from Pound shops, you won’t be worry about spoiling the surface.
too worried about spoiling them if the washing up Choose a simple design to begin your experiments –
liquid doesn’t work. they can become more elaborate later, as you get more
proficient in the techniques.

70 ClayCraft Issue 7

070-72 Project 7 Resist Tech.indd 70 12/09/2017 18:28

 DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★ ★

2
 Using the latex, selectively mask off chosen areas of
your design. If you didn’t draw a design, the latex can be
dripped or splashed over the surface for a random effect,
5
but it will be removed later, so you need to be able to see
where it is.  Sponge or brush a second glaze type over the entire
Allow the latex to dry completely. surface to fill in the newly-exposed resist design, but also
cover the existing resist areas.

3
 Apply the first coat of glaze by either pouring, dipping,
brushing or sponging over the surface of the tile.
Try to avoid allowing it to spill onto the underside, to
save having to clean it up later but, if it does, make sure
you wipe it away thoroughly before firing.
6
 Carefully remove the remaining latex resist. You may
find it difficult to see where it is, but the glaze will stay
damp longer over the resist, giving you a rough idea of the
actual position.

4
 Using a pin to lift a corner, 7
carefully remove the latex
from selected areas of the tile  Now sponge a light final
– approximately half – either covering of glaze over the
randomly, or in segmented areas. tile, making sure to fill in the
exposed resisted areas of
the design. You can apply
TIP: Write down all your stages in a notebook; this final coat in selective
include glaze type, method of application, etc, and areas only, or all over – be
you can even include a drawing to show the as creative as you like, but
position of your design if required. This way, you remember to record what
will know exactly how you did things, and will be you’ve done. .
able to repeat them if you like the results
Issue 7 ClayCraft 71

070-72 Project 7 Resist Tech.indd 71 12/09/2017 18:28

 SKILL SCHOOL
PROJECT
SEVEN

8
 Finally, scrape away the glaze that has dribbled over the 3
edges of the tile, then sponge them clean.
Remember to check the underside for glaze at the same  When the wax has completely dried, paint or sponge a
time, and thoroughly remove it before firing. second glaze colour over the surface.
Don’t worry about the little beads of glaze that form on
the wax; these add a lovely feature to the fired glaze.
METHOD 2 – GLAZE-ON-GLAZE WITH
WAX RESIST
The difference between this method and latex is that the
wax resist will remain in place, and only burn away in firing.
This means that you must have a clear idea of where you
want to place it, and that any mistakes or drips will have
to be incorporated into the design. However, don’t despair
if you make a mistake because waxy accidents often turn
out to be great design features.

YOU WILL NEED:

■ Tiles
■ Wax emulsion – available from your pottery
supplier. Thin the emulsion down with water for
easier application
■ A minimum of three glazes but more if you want
to do extensive tests
4
 You can continue to decorate the surface with
additional glazes as required – try dotting or dribbling a
third glaze between the waxed areas.

1 2
 1: Begin by glazing the entire surface of your tile with
your first glaze. You can pour, dip brush or sponge the
glaze, the choice is yours. Remember to record what you
have done in your notebook. Now draw your design on the
glaze. Again, you can do this with a pencil; it won’t affect
the finished tile. 2: Selectively mask off your chosen areas
within your design with the wax emulsion.
When finished, soak the brush in boiling water to clean it.
4
 Complete the tile by carefully sponging small amounts
of glaze in selective areas.
Remember to clean the edges of the tile by scraping
away excess glaze then sponging them clean. Again, check
the underside for dribbles of clay before firing.

A B C D E

A: Cath Ball: stoneware, glaze-on-glaze, fired in reduction. B: Philip Ollerenshaw: stoneware, glaze-on-glaze, poured
and splashed design, fired in oxidation. C: Glaze-on-glaze with wax resist. Stoneware, fired in oxidation. D: Glaze-on-
72glaze with latex
ClayCraft Issue resist
7 and reactive glazes. Stoneware, fired in oxidation. E: Glaze-on-glaze with wax resist and reactive
glazes. Stoneware, fired in oxidation.

070-72 Project 7 Resist Tech.indd 72 12/09/2017 18:29

NEXT
MONTH Don’t
miss it!
ISSUE 8
ON SALE
OCT 20TH

 Masterclass
Kevin Millward demonstrates how to throw a teapot

 Meet the potter

Amberlea McNaught is causing quite „ Spotlight
a stir with her intricately carved work. on: Potclays
We visit her studio to find out more… This year
Potclays is
celebrating
its 85th
anniversary
this year. We
go behind-
the-scenes
with James
and Becky
Otter to
 More tea? discover the
We complete our series on creating story of this
your own tea set with a slab-built tray major supplier
PLUS: • Slip-casting • Making a scoop • Shellac resist • Glaze application • Coiled basket
* These are just some of the features planned for the next issue but circumstances outside our control may force last-minute changes. If this happens, we will substitute items of equal or greater interest.

Issue 7 ClayCraft 73

073 Next Month.indd 73 12/09/2017 18:46

 Charik Saragouda.
Central Saint Martins Ceramics
& Design Degree Show 2017
Paul Bailey reports
T
he degree shows are over for
another year, and a new
wave of talented ceramicists
are starting to find their
way in the art world. It is always good
to look at the range of work and see the
 Crowds waiting to enter the
degree show at CSM.
74 ClayCraft Issue 7
074-75 Emerging Potters Issue 7.indd 74
talent that does not always win the
awards, but is still inspiring and should
be recognised for hard work and
individuality.
This year, one of the must-see shows
was at Central Saint Martins (CSM) in
London. Even the sweltering heat
couldn’t keep the crowds away from
this eagerly anticipated show on the
evening of the private view, such is the
interest and demand for the high
quality of work emanating from this
flagship institution. Students come  Zhen Lu.
from all over the world to experience
the quality of teaching in the UK and mean.
the superb facilities. The standard of work was very high,
It is hard to pin-down what it is that from all the students, but here are some
makes the show exciting. One word of my personal favourites.
often used is ‘conceptual’. But visitors Charik Saragouda drew inspiration
are presented with many from buildings and urban architecture
interpretations as to what that can that show asymmetry. Her work is both
12/09/2017 18:30

 Elena Gomez De Valcarcel.
functional and decorative while looking
to achieve a simplicity of form. Elena
Gomez De Valcarcel produced work
specifically aimed at children, which
will provide them with items that they
can learn from, play with, and take care
of.
Aware of the increasing demand for
creative tableware for restaurants, Eva
Tiannan Guo produced designs that
have been made in the Jingdezhen area
in China to meet the demand for her
range of work, which is computer-
controlled and uses mould-making. In
contrast, Zhen Lu produced an
installation inspired by the stories of
Lang Bridge, a type of ancient Chinese
bridge which is famous for its
appearance and structure. After a
storm, and the destruction of three
 Merve Kasrat.
074-75 Emerging Potters Issue 7.indd 75
EMERGING POTTERS
bridges, she decided to rebuild her own
version of a bridge.
One of the winners at New Designers
this year was Lena Peters. Her
upbringing gave her a passion for
history and nature. Combining an
interest in folklore and mythology
means that the work dances between
the real and the unreal. Her work refers
to the discovery in 2015 of ancient
artefacts in the woods of the
Northumberland National Park, which
can be traced to the time just before the
building of Hadrian’s Wall.
Merve Kasrat took the theme of
ceiling rose, which was originally
placed above a meeting table and meant  Lena Peters.
that all who participated in a discussion
beneath it had total freedom of speech and could talk without repercussions.
These graduates are only a selection
from the show, but they do demonstrate
the diversity of approaches to ceramics
and explore the subject beyond the
traditional boundaries. The subject has
been taught at CSM for over 100 years,
and we can only wish for another
century of ground-breaking work. 
 Eva Tiannan Guo.
 Lena Peters.
Paul Bailey produces Emerging Potters
magazine, a quarterly online title that aims to
give a platform to makers just starting their
careers and those who are making ceramics
for their own enjoyment. It is produced in
association with Aylesford Pottery in Kent.
If you would like to join the free mailing
list to receive copies of the magazine, email:
paulbailey123@googlemail.com
Issue 7 ClayCraft 75
12/09/2017 18:30
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 EVENTS
SEPTEMBER
UNTIL 24 SEPT
Narratives in Making
Ruthin Craft Centre
Gallery 1
An exhibition of new and
innovative works from the Design
& Crafts Council of Ireland’s
PORTFOLIO: Critical Selection
2017–18. The 28 designer makers
represented were selected
by an international panel, for
demonstrating excellence in
craftsmanship, design quality
and technical skill. Roger Bennett,
Úna Burke, Anne Butler, Edmond
Byrne, Mike Byrne, Stuart Cairns,
Julie Connellan, Jack Doherty,
Liam Flynn, Sara Flynn, Karl Harron,
Pierce Healy, Jennifer Hickey, Joe
Hogan, John Lee, Alison Lowry,
Michael Mccrory, Cecilia Moore,
Cara Murphy, Stephen O’Briain,
Susan O’Byrne, Eily O’Connell, Coílín
Ó Dubhghaill, Angela O’Kelly, Sasha
Sykes, Joseph Walsh, Gráinne Watts,
Zelouf + Bell
ruthincraftcentre.org.uk
UNTIL 24 SEPT
Anne Gibbs
The Language of Clay: Still
Ruthin Art Centre
Gallery 2
Anne models and casts work in
bone china, using a bright palette
of colours. The sculptural ceramics
she presents, sometimes in pairs
and sometimes in large groups, are
punctuated with objects she has
collected. Still is a chance for us to
share and celebrate a wonderful
78 ClayCraft Issue 7
078-79 Events Issue 7.indd 78
Do you have an event you’d like listed?
Email us at claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk for free inclusion
new body of work by Anne as it
tours to venues across Wales. The
exhibition is accompanied by a
variety of engagement activities.
ruthincraftcentre.org.uk
29 SEPT
Ian Wells
Bucks Potters masterclass
Ian is making a welcome return visit
to Bucks Potters, demonstrating
some of his techniques for his
brilliantly made moulds. Ian
graduated from West Surrey
College of Art and Design in
1990 in Fine Art Sculpture. He
spent five years working in stone
conservation and restoration.
8pm at Little Kingshill Village Hall
buckspotters.com
UNTIL 30 SEPT
Midland Potters
Association Exhibition
Lichfield, Staffs
A dynamic and eclectic exhibition
by 17 studio potters and members
of the Midland Potters Association.
Exhibiting potters: Stephen Adams,
Chris Bell, Joe Finch, Annabel
Goodwin, Elaine Hind, Usha Khosla,
Barry Lockwood, Nick McKenzie,
Mollie McPherson, Katie Robbins,
Vivienne Saunders, Stephen Sparke,
David Taylor, Hazel Thomson, 30 SEPT all things fired in a kiln; ceramics,
Wendy Tournay, Peter Wareing, Lee Kang-hyo glass and enamelling. There
Helen Willis Goldmark, Oakham, Rutland will be a wide range of makers,
emporium-gallery.co.uk Goldmark’s second exhibition demonstrations and trade stands.
of pots by Lee Kang-hyo, who For more information and a
30 SEPT has been setting aside the very booking form contact:
Moseley Craft Market best of his work for three years in emily@enterprise-centre.
Birmingham preparation for this show, and the org
moseleycdt.com results are breathtaking.
Lee is recognised to be one of the OCTOBER
finest potters presently working
in Korea and has an international THROUGHOUT
reputation to match. We are OCTOBER
delighted to announce that Lee ‘Boxes’
Kang-hyo will be flying over from The Oxford Ceramics Gallery
Korea for the opening of the oxfordceramics.com
exhibition.
goldmarkart.com THROUGHOUT
OCTOBER FOCUS 2017
30 SEPT  1 OCT Bevere Gallery
KILN Featured potters: Sara Moorhouse,
Eastbourne, Sussex Masazumi Yamazaki, Barry
The first ever ‘Kiln’ festival to Stedman. Supported by over 40
held in the Enterprise Centre in Studio Potters, Original Paintings,
Eastbourne. Two days celebrating Fine Art Hand Crafted Prints,
12/09/2017 18:31
 Jewellery & more.
beveregallery.com
UNTIL 28TH OCT
Anna Lambert
Summer Ceramic Showcase
The Craft Centre & Design Gallery,
Leeds
Anna has been creating her
distinctive earthenware since
1980. Using a range of techniques
including altered clay slabs,
modelling, slip and underglaze
painting and various simple
printmaking methods, Anna
Lambert has developed her hand
built forms to reflect a connection
with her locality.
craftcentreleeds.co.uk
UNTIL 30 NOV
Autumn Returns
The Nail Factory
Dalbeattie, Scotland
Artists include Doug Fitch/
Hannah McAndrew and Jason
Shackleton
nailfactory.org.uk
1 OCT
Paul Taylor demonstration
For South Wales Potters
Llantarnam Grange, Cwmbran,
NP44 1PD
southwalespotters.org.uk
528 OCT
Jack Doherty
New work, on show at the
Contemporary Ceramics Centre
‘The ceramic pieces that I love are
the most fundamental of forms,
and most of my recent work is
based on just two. Vessels to drink
from are surely among the most
intimate objects that we use. They
can add pleasure to routine daily
moments or they can be part of a
celebration. Bowls are elemental,
forms for sharing, which at their
best are open and generous. They
can be tiny and fragile or rugged
and monumental in scale. I use
one clay, one colouring material,
and a single firing, believing that
focusing on a simple process can
produce work of complexity and
depth.’
cpaceramics.com
078-79 Events Issue 7.indd 79
7 OCT
Demonstration by Shozo
Michikawa
For PACS Potters
Petersfield, Hants
A talk and demonstration by world-
renowned potter Shozo Michikawa.
Fee £25, PACS members £22. Bring
a plate of food for shared lunch and
your own plate, cutlery & mug
southernceramicgroup.
org.uk
921 OCT
Exhibition and sale of
ceramics
Dacorum and Chiltern Potters Guild
268 High St, Berkhamsted, HP4 1AQ
thedcpg.org.uk
1922 OCT
MADE London
One Marylebone, London
An annual contemporary craft and
design fair where the very best of
national and international designer-
makers present and sell their work
to the public. Over 120 exhibitors
across all media (ceramics, wood,
silver, gold, glass, textiles and more)
showcase their original, unique and
exceptional work to the capital.
madelondon-marylebone.
co.uk
11 OCT
Jacob Bodilly
Twyford, Berks
West Forest Potters
Jaco studied for a ceramics
degree at Cardiff University and
has worked for the Leach Pottery
and the Boscean Pottery. He now
has his own business based in
Devon. Jacob is familiar with the
pottery techniques of European
slipware, salt glaze and reduction
stoneware. He personally produces
functional pottery for the kitchen
table, ovenware and tea and coffee
drinking. He also produces more
personal works, such as vases, and
one-off pieces
westforestpotters.org.uk
17 OCT
Mayco Product Discovery
Workshop (low temperature)
Potclays
Todd Hickerson of Mayco
Colors will be hosting a Product
Discovery day as an introduction
to Mayco’s extensive range of
low-temperature colours including
Stroke & Coat, Foundations, Crystal
glazes, Elements, plus a variety
of accessory products such as
silkscreens and stencils. Learn the
basics of using Mayco products
for best results and discover
how accessory products such as
silkscreens can be used with colour
products. Book online today.
£45.00* per person including
refreshments. Please bring a
packed lunch and an apron.
*heavily subsidised fee.
potclays.co.uk
18 OCT
Mayco Stoneware
Workshop
Potclays
Join stoneware glaze specialist
Todd Hickerson of Mayco Colors
for a day of technique exploration
with their versatile range of
products for stoneware firing.
Learn how to layer their stoneware
range for best effect. Plus, discover
the creative possibilities of using
their Stroke & Coat range in
conjunction with Mayco Flux for
beautiful, reactive results. Book
online today. £60.00* per person
including refreshments. Please
bring a packed lunch and an
apron. *heavily subsidised fee.
potclays.co.uk
UNTIL 14 JAN 2018
Rachel Kneebone
Porcelain sculptures
V&A Museum
vam.ac.uk
UNTIL 27 JAN 2018
Starlight
Craft Gallery, Birmingham
Blast off into a galaxy far away with
Starlight; an exhibition exploring
the spectacle and wonders of outer
space. From jewellery inspired
by meteorites and shooting stars
through to space-age ceramics and
ethereal glass, this exhibition offers
an opportunity for stargazing right
in the heart of Brum! With a wide
variety of products and prices, this
display is perfect for those looking
for alternative Christmas gifts, all
handmade with love!
rbsa.org.uk
UNTIL 10 JUNE 2018
Radical Clay: Teaching with
the great potters of the
1960s
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
Ground breaking pieces from
the leading potters of the time,
including Hans Coper, Lucy Rie,
Janet Leach, Ruth Duckworth,
Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew
and Gillian Lowndes. A piece by
Kate Malone, made when she was
a student at Henbury School in
Bristol, will also be on show.
bristolmuseums.org.uk
Issue 7 ClayCraft 79
12/09/2017 18:31
 COURSES
L’APIPOTERIE /E. PENSA
Courses: Handbuilding for utilitarian
use and animal sculpture. Bilingual
course French and English
Dates: 10-12 July and 25-27 August
Location: Beaufort sur Gervanne/
South East of France in the Vercors
regional park
epensa26@gmail.com
PAULA ARMSTRONG
Courses: Handbuilding, workshops
Dates: Monday and Thursday
mornings
Location: Willingham, Cambs
parmstrongceramics.co.uk
ART SHOP AND POTTERY
Courses: 1-to -1 throwing tuition. One-
off taster sessions & longer courses
available. Slabbing, tile making and
Kids Clay Club.
Dates: Monday to Saturday 10.00am
- 6.00pm
Location: Brighton & Hove
artshopandpottery.com
ART HOUSE, SHEFFIELD
Courses: Wheel, handbuilding,
porcelain, raku, figurative, workshops,
summer intensive week (chimeneas)
Dates: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm
Location: Sheffield City centre
arthousesheffield.co.uk
PHIL ARTHUR
Courses: Pottery classes
Dates: Tuesday evening, Thursday
afternoon
Location: Cawston, Norfolk
Philarthur1951@btinternet.com
ARTISAN CRAFT CLASSES &
WORKSHOPS
Courses: Weekly pottery classes -
wheel and handbuilding
Dates: Mondays and Wednesdays,
one-offs by arrangement
Location: Winterborne Monkton,
Dorchester
mail@artisandt1.co.uk
ASHBROOK STUDIO
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding,
glazes
One-to-one or small group, daily
Dates: All year
Location: Waterrow, Somerset
ashbrook-ceramics.co.uk
AYLESFORD POTTERY
Courses: Raku days, 1-day, 10-week
Pottery classes, Mould Making, Glaze
Theory & Application
Dates: Various terms
Location: Aylesford, Kent
aylesfordschoolofceramics.co.uk
BALTIC CLAY
Courses: Evening and weekend clay
courses
Dates: Tue, Wed, Thurs (6.30pm -
8.30pm) & Sat
Location: Liverpool
balticclay.com
DEBORAH BAYNES
Courses: Residential and non-
residential
80 ClayCraft Issue 7
080-82 Directory and Suppliers Issue 7.indd 80
 Do you run a course that you’d like to see here?
Email claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk for free inclusion in our listing
Dates: Weekends (spring/autumn), full
weeks (July/Aug)
Location: Shotley, Suffolk
potterycourses.net
ROB BIBBY
Courses: Pottery classes
Dates: Tuesday morning and evening,
one-offs by arrangement
Location: Woodnewton, Oundle
robbibbyceramics.co.uk
MATTHEW BLAKELY
Courses: Weekend courses: Throwing,
Porcelain throwing
Dates: Monthly
Location: Lode, Cambs
matthewblakely.co.uk
BLUE BUTTERFLY CRAFTS
Courses: Handbuilding. Weekly 2-hr
sessions and day-courses
Dates: Various, see website
Location: Accrington, Lancs
bluebutterflycrafts.co.uk
KATIE BRAIDA
Courses: weekly class and day
workshops
Dates: Every Thursday evening and
various others
Location: Scarborough
katiebraida.com
BRITISH CERAMICS BIENNIAL
Courses: Beginners & Intermediate
Dates: Tuesday & Thursday
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
The BCB operates a clay school and a
variety of courses throughout the year.
britishceramicsbiennial.com
BURWASH POTTERY
Courses: Various handbuilding,
decoration. All levels. Classes,
workshops, parties, taster sessions
Dates: Terms of 6 weeks, various
Location: Burwash, East Sussex
burwashpotter.co.uk
CANDO POTTERY
Courses: Hand-building for beginners
Dates: Thursdays 10.30am-12.30pm
Location: Mellor, Stockport
candopottery.wixsite.com/group
CARANTOC ART
Courses: Intensive & regular classes
available in pottery & ceramic
sculpture
Dates: Year-round
Location: Weston-super-Mare, North
Somerset
carantoc-art.co.uk
CARDIFF POTTERY WORKSHOPS
Courses: Handbuilding; throwing;
one-off Saturday sessions; 1-2-1
throwing; masterclasses with Anne
Gibbs; parties (children, adults, team-
building); pottery membership tutored
& un-tutored
Dates: 6-wk day & eve sessions,
various
Location: Cardiff
cardiffpotteryworkshops.com
THE CERAMIC STUDIO
Courses: From beginner to
professional, plus taster sessions
Dates: Various
Location: Five Oak Green, Kent
theceramicstudio.me.uk
JOAN CHAN
Courses: Introduction to clay,
handbuilding, throwing, slip casting,
glaze workshop
Dates: Afternoons and evenings
Location: Greasby, Wirral
T: 07803 848212
E: joancchan@aol.com
FB: jccermaics
THE CLAY ROOM UK
Courses: Clay taster workshops;
introductory pottery; mould-making
& slip-casting; transfer; termly pottery
courses; Christmas workshops &
private lessons
Dates: Various
Location: Chelsfield, Orpington
theclayroomuk.com
THE CLAY STUDIO
Courses: All build techniques,
decorating, glazes. Also, rentable open
spaces
Dates: Mon-Thurs inc evenings
Location: Groombridge, Sussex/Kent
border
'CLAY SURGERY' WITH SUZANNE
& ABBY
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding,
glazing, raku, mould-making for
beginners and improvers
Dates: Weekends throughout the year
Location: Waterlooville, Hants
abbyducharme@hotmail.co.uk
CLAY WITH CAROLE
Courses: Handbuilding, throwing
Dates: Various
Location: Hitchin, Herts
claywithcarole.co.uk
THE CRAFTY POTTER
Courses: Throwing, hand-building &
modelling
Dates: Various
Location: Chorley, Lancashire
thecraftypotter.co.uk
THE CREATIVE CAVERN
Courses: Various, inc 1:1 throwing,
Dates: Various
Location: Winnersh, Berks
thepaintnightcompany.co.uk/
pages/the-creative-cavern
CREATIVE CLAY FOR ALL
Travelling clay workshops for those
who have no access to a kiln. Ideal for
community groups.
Based in Dorset
facebook.com/creativeclayforall
creativeclayforall@yahoo.co.uk
LAURA CROSLAND CERAMICS
Courses: Various, one-to-one or
group
Dates: Various
Location: Chatham, Kent
lauracroslandceramics.com
PETER CUTHBERTSON
Courses: Throwing and handbuilding,
beginners and more advanced
Dates: Weekly regular day and
evening classes plus one off weekends
by arrangement
Location: East Hoathly, East Sussex
peter.cuthbertson@phonecoop.
coop
DIGSWELL CERAMICS
COMMUNITY
Courses: Beginners' tuition, support
for experienced potters
Dates: Tuesdays, Thursdays
Location: Letchworth
EASTBOURNE STUDIO POTTERS
Courses: Throwing, hand building,
surface decoration and glazing for
beginners and experienced potters.
Plus, Personal Project Development
with specialist support.
Dates: Weekly courses throughout
the year. Personal Project on Weds
6-9pm.
Location: Eastbourne
eastbournestudiopottery@gmail.
com
eastbournestudiopottery.com
FIRED ART DESIGNS
Courses: 1:1 wheel work, brushwork,
surface decoration. Handbuilding, slab
work, coil work. Classes
Dates: Various
Location: Pontefract, Yorkshire
firedartdesigns.co.uk
PATRICK ESSON
Courses: Modelling, coiling, slab work,
pinching, throwing
Dates: Various
Location: Gloucester
p.esson@aliqua-art-gallery.com
KAREN FINCHAM CERAMICS
Courses: Hand building and
throwing. One to one and group
sessions
Dates : Weekdays, evenings and
Saturdays
Location: Redditch, Worcestershire
clayclass.co.uk
FOREST ROW SCHOOL OF
CERAMICS
Courses: Adult intensive
throwing and handbuilding weekly
classes
Weekend workshops: raku, soda/
smoke firing, animal sculpture, glaze
chemistry, slip decorating
Location: Forest Row, West Sussex
frschoolofceramics.co.uk
JILL FORD
Course: Workshop and Day Courses
Dates: Thursday evenings & day
courses throughout the year
Location: York
Tel: 01717 289008
JOY GIBBS PRICE CERAMICS 
GRAPEVINE STUDIOS
Courses: Handbuilding, throwing,
raku
Dates: Weekly sessions, Thurs 6-8pm,
Fri/Sat 10am-12pm
Location: Mattersley, Doncaster
joygibbsprice.co.uk
12/09/2017 18:31
 Do you want your entry to stand out?
For details, contact Gary on 01732 447008
GLOSTERS
Course: Throwing
Dates: April
Location: Porthmadog
glosters.co.uk
GO CREATE
Courses: Pottery, sculpture & craft
Dates: Various
Location: SW London
gocreate.co.uk
PAUL GOULD/MON CERAMICS
Courses: Beginners & intermediates
Dates: Tuesdays & Wednesdays 2-4pm
and 7-9pm
Saturdays and Sunday workshops:
various dates throughout the year
Location: The Wirral
monceramics.co.uk
GREEN MAN CERAMICS
Courses: Pottery Discovery weekends
Dates: Various
Location: Colne, Lancs
Tel: 01282 871129
GREENWOOD CRAFTS
Courses: Handbuilding; throwing
from beginners onwards
Dates: All year
Location: N Yorks
tryacourse.co.uk
CLAIRE GRIFFITHS
Dates: Starting September; Weds
10.00am -12.30pm & Thurs 7.00-
9.30pm
Location: Whitstable
jc.griffiths@btinternet.com
HANDMADE IN CHISWICK
Courses: Weekly classes and one-off
workshops inc 1:1 throwing. Studio
time for more experienced learners
Dates: Term time for weekly classes,
by arrangements for workshops and
studio time
Location: London, W4
HandmadeinChiswick.weebly.com
sylviejoly@blueyonder.co.uk
Twitter: @jolyopsimath
HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM
COLLEGE
Courses: Handbuilding, throwing,
plus summer school workshops
Dates: Various
Location: Cambridge
hillsroadadulteducation.co.uk
LEACH POTTERY
Courses: 3 & 5-day throwing, evening
classes handbuilding, throwing
Dates: Various, each month
Location: St Ives, Cornwall
leachpottery.com
LEAFY LANE POTTERY BY SUZIE
Courses: Hand building courses
for all abilities. Learning disabilities,
residential homes, schools and private
sessions, and sculptures for your home
and gardens
Dates: Throughout the year and area
Location: Hull and East Yorkshire
leafylanepottery@gmail.com
Tel: 07886 841936
JANE MALVISI
Courses: Raku: full day workshop 2nd
Saturdays Two-hour pottery classes
inc Raku
Dates: Mon/Tues/Weds days and
evenings
Location: Bridgend, S Wales
janemalvisi.co.uk
MAZE HILL POTTERY
Course: Weekly Evening Classes
Dates: Throughout the year
Location: Greenwich, London
mazehillpottery.co.uk
MIDLANDS ART CENTRE
Courses: Ceramics Open Studio
Dates: Various
Location: Birmingham
macbirmingham.co.uk
CHARLOTE MILLER CERAMICS
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding,
mould-making, surface decoration
Dates: Termly part-time, taster
workshops, pottery parties
Location: Bournemouth
charlottemillerceramics.com
MUDDY FINGERS POTTERY
Courses: Adult night classes
Dates: Tuesday and Thursday
evenings, every six weeks
Location: Jarrow, Tyne and Wear
muddyfingerspottery.com
NEW BREWERY ARTS
Courses: Variety of ceramic courses
Dates: Contact directly for further
details
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
newbreweryarts.org.uk
NORTH MARSTON POTTERY
Courses: Variety of pottery courses
Dates: Contact directly for further
details
Location: North Marston,
Buckinghamshire
northmarstonpottery.co.uk
OLD STABLES STUDIO
Courses: Throwing: bootcamp,
weekends, tasters and regular classes
Dates: Various
Location: Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire
ORIEL BODFARI GALLERY AND
POTTERY
Courses: Throwing, handbuilding,
raku etc;
Dates: Various
Location: Bodfari, North Wales
rjpceramic@gmail.com
orielbodfarigallery.co.uk
JAMES OUGHTIBRIDGE
Course: Large Scale Slab Building
Dates: Contact for details
Location: Holmfirth, West
Yorkshire
jamesoughtibridge.blogspot.co.uk
PADDOCK STUDIO POTTERY
Courses: 1-day individual or shared,
throwing, handbuilding
Dates: Various
Location: Lewes, East Sussex
thepaddockstudiopottery.co.uk
ANNIE PEAKER
Courses: Figurative Ceramic Courses
Dates: April - October (3 & 5 Days)
Location: Penrith, Cumbria
anniepeaker.co.uk
PLAY WITH CLAY
Courses: Throwing, toddler clay
Dates: Saturday mornings, Tuesday
afternoons, throwing weekly by appt.
Location: Loughborough
creationspottery.co.uk
POP UP POTTERY STUDIO (EARTH
& FIRE CERAMICS)
Courses: Beginner courses to learn
simple techniques
Dates: Tuesday evenings &
Friday afternoons
Location: Great Haywood (near
Stafford), Staffordshire
carolinefarnellsmith@gmail.com
POTCLAYS
Courses: Basic/Intermediate/
Advanced Throwing, Intro to glazes,
Pottery Basics, Moulding and
Slipcasting, Tilemaking
Dates: Various
Location: Stoke-on-Trent
potclays.co.uk
JIM ROBISON CERAMICS
Courses: Week-long Ceramics, and
Glaze and surface courses
Dates: Various
Location: Holmfirth, Huddersfield
boothhousegallery.co.uk
RUARDEAN GARDEN POTTERY
Courses: Weekends, week-long
courses: Throwing, Pot Making
Dates: Various
Location: Forest of Dean
ruardeanpottery.com
SEVEN LIMES POTTERY
Courses: Varied courses/classes
Dates: All
Location: Moss Side, Manchester
7Limes.co.uk
SULEYMAN SABA
Courses: Pottery classes
Dates: Tuesday and Wednesday
evenings (Clapham), Mondays and
Tuesdays (Kingsbury)
Location: London (Kingsbury and
Clapham)
suleymansaba.com
SCULPTURE LOUNGE STUDIOS
Courses: Throughout the year
Dates: Contact directly for further
information
Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
sculpturelounge.com
THE SCULPTURE PLACE
Courses: Figurative Sculpture Classes
Dates: Weekly sessions: Monday,
Wednesday & Thursday (running for
6 weeks)
Location: Wolverhampton,
Staffordshire
thesculptureplace.co.uk
SEYMOUR ROAD STUDIOS
Courses: Weekly/one-day weekend
classes
Dates: Various
Location: West Bridgeford, Notts
seymourroadstudios.co.uk
STAR POTTERY
Courses: Taster, Weekly classes
Dates: Various
Location: Lewes, East Sussex
hamid-pottery.co.uk
RUBY SHARP
Courses: Hand building, throwing,
decorating pots, sculpture for home
and garden
Dates: Throughout the year (weekend
& day sessions available)
Location: Amersham,
Buckinghamshire
rubysharppottery.co.uk
PAT SHORT CERAMICS
Courses: Beginners’ handbuilding
workshops
Dates: Various
Location: Edgbaston, Birmingham
patshortceramics.com
LINDA SOUTHWELL
Courses: Evening classes and one-to-
one experiences
Dates: Wednesday evenings and by
arrangement
Location: The Harley Ceramics Studio,
Welbeck, Worksop
lindasouthwell.co.uk
SASHA WARDELL
Course: Bone china & mould making
courses
Dates: May to September ( incl.) in SW
France / Feb & March in Wiltshire
Location: SW France/ Wiltshire
sashawardell.com
ANNAMERCEDES WEAR
Courses: Regular one-day
handbuilding courses, includes
making and decorating animals and
figures
Dates: Throughout the year
Location: Sheffield
anna-mercedeswear.com
THE WEE MUD HUT
Courses: Handbuilding, throwing for
all ages/abilities. Groups and individual
sessions
Dates: Various
Location: East Kilbride, Scotland
Lanarkshire
theweemudhut.co.uk
WOBAGE FARM CRAFT
WORKSHOPS
Courses: Various multiple-day
throwing workshops
Dates: Various
Location: South Herefordshire
workshops-at-wobage.co.uk
ZOO CERAMICS
Courses: Half and full day hand-
building workshops, 10-week pottery
classes Dates: Various
Location: Waddington,
Lincolnshire
zooceramics.co.uk

Issue 7 ClayCraft 81

080-82 Directory and Suppliers Issue 7.indd 81 12/09/2017 18:32

 SUPPLIERS  Email claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk for free inclusion in our listing

 Alisdair Kettles  Heraldic Pottery  Valentine Clays GLAZES/GLAZE

alisdairkettlespotterysupplies.com heraldicpottery.co.uk valentineclays.co.uk INGREDIENTS
 Anglia Clay Supplies  Warm Glass  Bath Potters’ Supplies
 Hesketh Potters’
angliaclaysupplies.co.uk warm-glass.co.uk bathpotters.co.uk
Supplies
 Bath Potters’ Supplies heskethps.co.uk  Celtic Kilnware
bathpotters.co.uk
 Hobby Ceramicraft
ACCESSORIES celtickilncare.co.uk
 bisque UK hobbyceramicraft.co.uk  bisque UK  Clayman
bisqueuk.com
 Industrial Mineral bisqueuk.com claymansupplies.co.uk

 Bluematchbox Potter’s
Services  Celtic Kilnware  CTM Potters Supplies
industrialmineralservices.com celtickilncare.co.uk
Supplies ctmpotterssupplies.co.uk
bluematchbox.co.uk  Isle of Axholme  Eazi-Stops
 Industrial Mineral
Pottery eazi-stops.com
 Brickhouse Ceramics axholmepottery.co.uk Services
 Maragon Arts industrialmineralservices.com
ckwarner.wixsite.com/  KilnLinings
brickhouseceramics and Crafts
kilnlinings.co.uk maragon.co.uk  Potclays
 Bryant Products  Kiln Services potclays.co.uk
 MHK Craft Supplies
atretainer.co.uk kiln-services.co.uk
clay-extruder-gun.co.uk  The Potters Connection
 Castree Kilns  MITSCO pottersconnection.co.uk
 SCH Web
castreekilns.co.uk mitsco.co.uk
shcweb.co.uk
 Potterycrafts
 Ceramatech  Moonbow Ceramics
 Specialist Lampfitting potterycrafts.co.uk
ceramatech.co.uk moonbowceramics.co.uk
Supplies  Scarva
 PaperClay Products specialistlampfittingsupplies.co.uk
 The Clay Cellar paperclay.co.uk scarva.com
claycellar.co.uk
KILNS/KILN ACCESSORIES  Sneyd Ceramics
 Potclays
sneydceramics.com
 Clayman potclays.co.uk  Castree Kilns
claymansupplies.co.uk castreekilns.co.uk
 The Potters Connection WHEELS/WHEEL
 Commercial Clay pottersconnection.co.uk  Celtic Kilnware ACCESSORIES
commercialclay.co.uk celtickilncare.co.uk  Bath Potters’ Supplies
 Potterycrafts  Corby Kilns Ltd bathpotters.co.uk
 Corby Kilns Ltd potterycrafts.co.uk corbykilns.co.uk
corbykilns.co.uk  Bryant Products
 Roderveld  Cromartie batretainer.co.uk
 Country Love Crafts roderveld.com cromartiehobbycraft.co.uk
countryloveceramics.com  Cromartie
 Rohde  Essex Kilns cromartiehobbycraft.co.uk
 Cromartie kilnsandequipment.co.uk essexkilns.co.uk
cromartiehobbycraft.co.uk  Discus
 Scarva  Kiln Care
potters-wheels.co.uk
scarva.com kilncare.co.uk
 CTM Potters Supplies
 Kiln Services  Giffin Grip
ctmpotterssupplies.co.uk  Scotclay
kiln-services.co.uk giffingrip.com
scotclay.co.uk
 Dawnmist Studio  Kilns and Furnaces  Hesketh Potters’
dawnmist.org  Sedgefield Pottery
Supplies
kilns.co.uk Supplies
 Discus sedgefieldpottery.co.uk  MITSCO heskethps.co.uk
potters-wheels.co.uk mitsco.co.uk
 Spencroft Ceramics  Potclays
 Essex Kilns spencroftceramics.co.uk  Northern Kilns potclays.co.uk
essexkilns.co.uk northernkilns.com
 Stanton Kilns  The Potters Connection
 Fired Art stanton-kilns.co.uk  Potclays pottersconnection.co.uk
firedartdesigns.co.uk potclays.co.uk
 Studio Bisque  Potterycrafts
 Giffin Grip studiobisque.com  Potterycrafts
potterycrafts.co.uk
giffingrip.com potterycrafts.co.uk
 Top Pot Supplies
 Roderveld
 Gladstone toppotsupplies.co.uk  Rohde
gladstoneengineering.com kilnsandequipment.co.uk roderveld.com
 Ulster Ceramics Pottery
 Held of Harrogate Supplies  Stanton Kilns  Scarva
held.co.uk ulsterceramicspotterysupplies.co.uk stanton-kilns.co.uk scarva.com

82
82 ClayCraft
ClayCraft Issue
Issue 77 Do you want your entry to stand out? For details, contact Gary on 01732 447008

080-82 Directory and Suppliers Issue 7.indd 82 12/09/2017 18:32

Explore the layering options at
www.scarva.com/amacolayering