I have been looking for some new inspiration lately and have decided to start by looking at things that have always interested me, like smooth pebbles found on beaches. I love these quiet shapes worn over time in to unique forms and how groups of them contain a mixture of textures and earthy colours.

Whilst I have re-visited making by hand building this year I have made up my mind to start new lines of work that bring out it's qualities.

December

Just started making some more burners, only this time I've swapped the mould for hand building them, and they're coming out pretty well.

The first batch of owl cups were fired and glazed, but some tweaking of the size might be needed before I can say that that line of work is completed.

August

I've been filling the kiln with owl cups amongst other things and I should have a finished one soon. My time in the studio since I started making them has been limited. On top of that I started to have casting problems, which I've now overcome but it slowed me down a lot.

I visited Kent last week and went to Grayson Perry's exhibition Provincial Punk at the Turner Contemporary in Margate. I enjoy his take on contemporary culture and the detail in his work, especially the map etchings.

Owl cups

Today I cast the first owl cup.
I wasn't sure that this would work at all, as it is a double walled cast with quite a deep middle, but it worked. Owl cups will now be added to the range.
This one needs a bit of tidying up.

More building

The finished hand built cup and bowl from the other day. I like the quiet energy hand built forms seem to have and the scope for individual expression. It is a process I would like to use more.

Turning

Turning/ finishing some bowls today for a private commission.

Also, trying out some new ideas with texture and revisiting hand building.

Owl Cup Mould

Making a mould for my new Owl Cup.

Doing the first half is always the most time consuming.

Pottery Marks book

The signature/ stamp I use on my work has been included in the 2015 3rd edition of "British Studio Potters' Marks" by Eric Yates-Owen and Robert Fournier, revised by James Hazlewood. My current mark as well as others I have used are all included in my entry.

Update

I am currently enjoying working in my new(ish) studio, especially now as the weather is getting warmer and the sun shines in for most of the day. My continuing commission for oil burners has been keeping me busy and I'm slowly creating new items soon to be unveiled. Expect more owls!