Finally some new work from the pottery. Back in the Spring Tonbridge Old Fire Station was being renovated and the doors were sanded back. I was on my way to the allotment when the resulting patterns and texture caught my eye. I’ve been working on how to get that effect on a pot ever since.
Developing a new style is a long process. I wouldn’t fire the kiln for one test piece so tests have to be co-ordinated in firings with other work. Each attempt provides a few more clues as to what to try next. This morning I opened the kiln to find something which suggests I may just about have cracked it.
Not the best photo as taken on my phone in poor light this evening and this isn’t quite the finished thing. The neck of the bottle may eventually be gold lustre. That requires another firing. I like the squared-off bottle form. I think there is a little more experimenting to be done with the balance of colours. I like the semi-matt glaze, but it would be nice if the edges of the colours blurred just a little bit more.
ArtSpring gallery is having an official opening in September, with a re-hang of the display. Hopefully I’ll have a small collection of this work to show by then.
In other news – I was on the radio this afternoon! It is apparently Patrick Swayze’s birthday so they were looking for things connected to him. Every time I do a pottery demonstration someone mentions the film “Ghost” in which he starred. (I’ve never actually seen the film!) BBC Kent were looking to speak to a real potter, so with absolutely no preparation I ended up chatting to Erika and Steve who were presenting the afternoon show. For 29 days the programme will be available here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p043g7ck#play at about the 1hr 27min mark
So anyway – I have now watched the iconic clip of Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore making out at the potter’s wheel. I’m not sure they fully thought through the practicalities of making love with hands covered in stoneware clay. I think I’d rather have Dirty Dancing any day.
Mike's Pad 
Now I can see what you meant in your earlier podt. Wow, you are really onto something from what I csn see. That is such a great feeling to see your ideas coming to fruition. Off to listen to the broadcast, if they let us (sometimes it’s not accessible to O/S listeners. Fingers crossed).
I heard you speak, you were good particularly about responding to their questions about Ghost (not on my all time best films list). Good to hear that you were able to plug the new artspace and your website. Hope you get some traffic out of this.
A radio star! You did really well, especially getting them to cruise your website for the conversation – rather than blather about the film. I’ll be very interested to see if you get a bump in sales / web traffic, etc as a result or not. And love your inspiration from the fire station. How cool is that.
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