Monday 21 May

Trying to get another bunch of mugs painted for an order today - always takes longer than I expect. Have some black and white earthenware glazes coming tomorrow with luck to test out.
Was speaking to a friend, Jeremy Peake last night on the phone, he also has a blog and is a potter. We agreed we need to prompt each other to post and get stuff done.

Start the week

Another rainy day here in Buckingham. Thanks to Mike Mason for taking a bunch of photos for me. I'll use a selection of these over time - here's the first one; me in the workshop throwing a large mug. Mike has a website over at

http://www.photo4me.com/MSsql/filter_photographer.asp?OwnerID=1895

Hmm - not sure how to make that an active link - just copy and paste it for now, sorry.

So today I've rewired my small kiln with some fresh elements from the nice chaps at Northern Kilns. I told them what I wanted and they custom made them for me. Seems to work OK so far!

Tomorrow I have Croperdy WI (Women's Institute) coming over for a visit - a demo and talk and cup of tea. Not done an event like that before, might be a bit cramped in my workshop, but I'm sure it'll be fine.

Off to the shed again

With the family out horse riding and playing football it's time for me to hit the workshop once more, with Jonathan Ross on the radio to keep me company.
I've a friend coming this afternoon to take some photos of me and my work for promotional use and hope to post some of those up here.
This week it's a push on large mugs. More enquiries about the teapots, which are tricky, and I need more stock in general.

It's a grey morning here in Buckingham, but most days seem to start out this way, then break to warm sunshine in the afternoon, around 20C. Warmest April on record apparently.

Moving forward

So things are progressing. Today I visited the Stonehouse Gallery just north of Towcester and we've come to an agreement to have my work on sale there. Primarily they sell Italian stone flooring, really nice stuff. They also have a local wrought iron worker displaying there and now some ceramics. It all complements each other well.
I've avoided taking my work around shops as I'm happy to cut out the middleman, but this is a nice place and gets a lot of people passing by as it's at a garden centre. I've high hopes of it!