Table of contents for #57 in ClayCraft

Welcome Serendipity is such a pretty word, and it sprang to mind this week. My teenage daughter saw something about glazing pottery on TikTok and came rushing to show me. She asked a lot of questions about what they were doing, which prompted a conversation about what can go wrong during the process. I then showed her some examples of pinholing, crazing and where an over-enthusiatic application of transparent glaze had resulted in a pool of slight opacity. I explained that even the most experienced potter, repeating something they do all the time, can have things go wrong. And so it came to pass in this month’s magazine! Jacqui glazed the spouted bottle with a commercial glaze that she’s used before, on the same clay and fired in exactly the…

COCKPIT MAKERS’ MARKET 26-28 November & 3-5 December Holborn & Deptford, London Cockpit Makers’ Market takes place in London over two long weekends this winter: Friday 26 to Sunday, November 28, and Friday 3 to Sunday, December 5. Cockpit Maker’s Market is the go-to shopping destination for gifts made by London’s top makers, artists and designers. The event caters to a wide range of budgets, from collectable artworks and fine jewellery to readily affordable stocking fillers, smashing any preconception that high-end craft is just for those with deep pockets. A number of ‘studio exclusives’ created specifically for the event will be available to buy on-site. Home to over 150 makers, Cockpit is a hotspot for discovering new creative talent. At Cockpit, you can find everything from contemporary ceramics to hand-printed…

PROJECT ONE SPOUTED BOTTLE FORM Bottle forms can be challenging to throw because of the shaping at the neck, but they look fabulous when you get them right, especially when displayed in groups of different sizes DIFFICULTY RATING You will need: ■ 900g (2lb) clay to make a form 24cm high Clay can be earthenware or stoneware – white or coloured, as preferred ■ Tools for throwing – water bowl; sponge, including a version on a stick; cutting wire; batt; ribs – wooden and metal ■ Surface decoration as preferred Before you begin: Prepare the clay by kneading it well to remove any trapped air, then form it into a rough cone shape. Throw a pad for a batt (unless you have a quick fix mechanism on your wheel), then…

PROJECT FOUR POLAR BEAR SCULPTURE PART 2 This project is the second part of the sculpture we began in issue 56 when we made the central figure – the polar bear. Based on Kay Nielson’s illustrations for the book of fairy stories ‘East of the Sun, West of the Moon’, the sculpture begins to tell the story with the inclusion of some of the text DIFFICULTY RATING You will need: ■ Stiff paper to make templates, ruler, pencil and craft knife ■ Paper clay as used to make the polar bear in issue 56 ■ Small stamp for decorative edging ■ Small letters for impressing words (look in cut-price stores – toys/crafts section) ■ Rolling pin, 5mm thick roller guides, plastic sheet Before you begin: The choice of including the…

ORDER OUR NEXT ISSUE TODAY AND GET FREE DELIVERY ISSUE 58 ON SALE 17TH DECEMBER DON'T MISS OUT! PAY THE NORMAL SHOP PRICE* AND GET THE NEXT ISSUE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR. ORDER TODAY! THROWN GRAVY BOATS PLUS: Order online at SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/CC58 Call now on 01959 543747** Quote ref: CC58 Terms and conditions apply. You should receive your copy on or around 17 December. *Delivery is included in the cover price for UK customers only. An additional £1 will be added to any overseas addresses. **Lines open Mon-Fri 8.30am – 5.30pm. Calls charged at your standard network rate. Front cover for illustration purposes and subject to change.…

ClayCraft BACK ISSUES £5.99 PER ISSUE INCLUDING P&P ISSUE 47 Thrown heart bowl & creamer Pinched cereal bowls Slab trinket dishes Slab wall pockets special ISSUE 48 Thrown lidded canister Pinched eggs Cylinder vase with tube lining Egg bowl Hare on a hill ISSUE 49 Thrown bird bath Garden oya Pinched dogs MKM Tools spotlight Eastcott Studio update Zinc oxide glazes SINGLE DIGITAL ISSUE ONLY £4.99 For digital issues go to pktmags.com/claycraft ISSUE 50 Thrown sgraffito vase Slab-built birds Planter/bird bath combo Throw Down winner Bisque texture rollers Clay in glazes ISSUE 51 Thrown faceted vase Coil garden planter Slab toad house Slab butterfly drinker Cheshire Clay Studio Feldspars in glazes ISSUE 52 Thrown bowl Pinch/slab olive dish Slab cracker dish Wide salad bowl Using slips Potfest – owner’s…

IN THE NEWS HANDBUILT ceramics by Jo Taylor If you have a news story, product launch or details of some other topical item you’d like our readers to know about, email claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk A good introduction to handbuilding, with comprehensive coverage of the materials, tools and techniques you’ll need to design, make and decorate your work. There is contributed work from a range of artists, which is followed through from build to finished items, while the author demonstrates the basic handbuilding techniques and offers suggestions for their application. If you’re after ideas for ceramics projects, then you’ll find plenty of inspiration, but beyond the suggestion of how to use certain forms once built, there’s not much for those wanting to make functional ware. Some of the photographs are very dark, particularly…

NEW STUDIO AND POTTERY SCHOOL A new studio and pottery school has opened in Builth Wells and is launching a Christmas exhibition of art, pottery and handmade ceramics. Alex Allpress and Blue MacAskill have relocated the Alex Allpress Ceramic Studio & Pottery School to Builth Wells, from Newbridge-on-Wye. ‘Shades of Clay’ will run from November 29 to December 5. The exhibition will be open by appointment, daily from 9am to 5pm, and visitors will be able to buy Christmas gifts from Mid Wales, including vouchers for pottery lessons. On-site parking is available. For more details, visit: alexallpress.co.uk…

LINDA BLOOMFIELD DRIPPY AND GLOOPY GLAZES Drippy and gloopy glazes are becoming popular in the ceramics world. There are several types, some that form transparent, glassy drips and others that are more opaque and viscous, like icing on a cake Linda Bloomfield is a scientist turned potter. More glaze recipes can be found in her books, Advanced Pottery (2011), Colour in Glazes (A&C Black 2012), The Handbook of Glaze Recipes (Bloomsbury 2014) and Science for Potters (The American Ceramic Society 2017). Her new book Special Effect Glazes, and the second edition of Colour in Glazes are both out now. Linda has recently launched her online glazing course, How Glazes Work, on her website: lindabloomfield.co.uk Drips Many glazes, if applied thickly, will run and form drips, particularly those high in fluxes, such…

SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFER Subscribe to ClayCraft PAY FROM JUST £59.99 FOR 12 MONTHS SAVING 13% ON THE SHOP PRICE 52 PAGES OF STEP-BY-STEP GUIDES RECEIVE A THROWING FOR BEGINNERS BOOKAZINE & A CLAYCRAFT APRON WORTH £39.99 DON’T MISS OUT - ORDER TODAY! Order online at SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/CRAXMAS21 CALL NOW ON 01959 543747 Quote ref: CRAXMAS21 Lines open Mon-Fri, 8am-5.30pm. Calls are charged at your standard network rate. *UK only CONTENT THEY WILL ENJOY EVERY MONTH THROWN PROJECTS PINCH/SLAB PROJECTS DECORATION…

MEET THE POTTER POTTERY IS A ZEN MASTER Małgorzata Szubartowska has just moved into a new studio in Warsaw, Poland. Here, she shares her story… Ceramics is for nerds. Ceramics is for adventurers. Ceramics is for nervous wrecks. And I'm so glad we found each other! If being a professional learner was an actual occupation, I'd sign up for it in a heartbeat. I have always been curious and loved learning new things; from literature and theatre history, acting and music, to medicine and psychology. To the point that I'd drop them for something else the moment they weren't new anymore. As a result of such intellectual angst, I've tried my hand at many a discipline. I studied French and German for a few years only to finish with a…

Confessions of a novice A CATCH-UP WITH THE GANG – PART 1 Doesn’t it seem an age since the Throw Down kept us grinning at our screens? To help us through the wait for the next series, I thought I’d reach out and see how the 2021 potters are getting on. Here’s what they told me… Peter What an experience being on The Great Pottery Throw Down was, at my tender age of 70 years young! Since being on the show, my life has changed in so many ways, in so many different directions, and I am loving every moment of it. The bond created between the group of potters has continued to grow, and I am so thankful to have met so many amazingly supportive friends. I learnt so…

JOBS FOR REFUGEES Wade Ceramics in Stoke-on-Trent has said it will offer jobs to any Afghans who have settled in the North Staffordshire area after escaping from the Taliban takeover. Twenty-five families are due to be homed in the area under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Police (ARAP). Many of the people worked for the British Forces and will be offered indefinite leave to stay and will have the right to work. Wade Ceramics has 10 roles to fill and is happy to train people. The company has a history of supporting the community and is a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, taking on ex-Forces personnel. For more details, visit: wade.co.uk…

OPEN STUDIOS & WINTER MARKET THIS WEEKEND Visit a selection of talented craftspeople from Craft Central’s wider community alongside The Forge’s creative residents, who will be opening up their private studios. You can learn about their practice, gain a creative appreciation and buy directly from makers. There will be over 40 makers to explore and buy from. Saturday, November 20 11am-6pm Sunday, November 21 11am-5pm Take part in workshops There will be affordable, family-friendly drop-in workshops on both days. The workshops are suitable for 8+, and anyone under 16 needs to be accompanied by an adult. Children £5, adults £8. You can find details at: craftcentral.org.uk/events/open-studios-winter-market…

PROJECT TWO A CHRISTMAS BOARD GAME: MANCALA DIFFICULTY RATING According to Wikipedia, Mancala is a generic name for a family of two-player, turn-based, strategy board games that are played with small stones in rows of holes (or pits) with a store at each end. Make yours in time for Christmas to play with family or friends, for hours of fun. If you don’t know how to play Mancala, you can download a set of simple instructions for a basic version of the game from our website at: claycraft.co.uk/how-to/mancala-rules You will need: ■ Stiff paper to make a template, ruler, pencil ■ Clay of choice – earthenware or stoneware ■ Rolling pin, roller guides (5mm), plastic sheet ■ General tools and ribs for construction ■ Small foam block ■ Pestle or…

PROJECT FIVE BOTTLE STOPPERS Make these quick and easy bottle stoppers in little sets to give as Christmas presents; they will be sure to impress DIFFICULTY RATING You will need: ■ A selection of small shape cutters – like stars, hearts, leaves, circles etc, but any shape will work; just think about how easy they’ll be to handle when you’re using them. ■ A selection of small stamps – you can use old pen tops, or MKM Tools has a wide variety of small wooden stamps that would be suitable – see your pottery suppliers catalogues for choice. Also: ■ Clay of choice – earthenware or stoneware. White earthenware paper clay is used here ■ Rolling pin, plastic sheet, 5mm and 10mm thick roller guides ■ Wooden tools ■ Pin…

Doug’s DIARY (Photo: Layton Thompson) It’s Halloween today, and Pippin and Fred are dressed up accordingly. They’re supposed to be going to a party later in the village where Pippin goes to school, but I don’t think we’re likely to be able to get there without a boat. The past few days have seen some incredible rainstorms, and there is more heavy rain forecast for today. Throughout the region is widespread flooding, and, in our house, we are hearing the drip, drip, drip of a leaky roof, which is very worrying. We have had our first frosts, and they have encouraged the flamboyant tones of autumn to adorn the countryside. Bright red maple leaves, deep burgundy of copper beech and the vibrant yellow leaflets of ash gradually detach, fall and…

COURSES Do you run a course that you’d like to see here? Email claycraft.ed@kelsey.co.uk for free inclusion in our listing SCOTLAND STEF BAXTER POTTERY Courses: Handbuilding & throwing day class drop-in. Night and weekend classes. 1-1 tuition & Raku classes. Suitable for all levels. Open access coming. Dates: see website Location; Govan, Glasgow stefbaxterpottery.com CLAY WORKS STUDIO Courses: All levels from beginners to intermediate. Taster courses, general pottery and throwing courses. Open access facility for more advanced makers coming soon Dates: See website Location: Dumfries & Galloway clayworksstudios.co.uk DUNDEE CERAMICS WORKSHOP Courses: Classes for all levels from beginner to intermediate, for individuals and groups. 1-1 tuition available. Open studio access and kiln hire for members Dates: Throughout the year (see website) Location: Dundee dundeeceramicsworkshop.com FORGAN ARTS CENTRE Courses: All levels…