In July 2011 I went with my son Tom to Bluematchbox in Tilehurst and bought a Shimpo Whisper wheel and a Rhode electric kiln. We had already put up shelves salvaged from my library, a sink also salvaged from a skip. I tiled the work area in the old kitchen with a gift of unused tiles, somewhat haphazardly using old business cards as spacers. A friendly plumber Mark Bullock installed the trap system for the drainage, an old carpet gave a warmth to the clean area and all was set.
In early August I went down to Bath potters to buy clay, glaze ingredients and of course got a bit overcome by their wonderful selection of equipment. But if you go there suggest you dont drive via Bath itself - the traffic system doesnt seem to have improved since I was last there in about 1968!!
So far I have made a shelf of pots, have bisqued fired those I had made at Mike Palmer, have made tiles for testers of slips and glazes and have glazed the last of the pots I made in his studio.
On the shelves are arrayed all the pots I made while on the woodfiring workshop with Marcus O'Mahony and Phil Rogers and some from one with Lisa Hammond. I think they look pretty good. In November and December I will be taking tables at Kings Craft fairs in Witney and Woodstock so hope to see you there.
Today 6th August the kiln is firing away again trying at a lower temperature of 1280 rather than the 1320 I did last time.
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