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NEWSLETTERSPRING 2011

www.anglianpotters.org.uk

IN THIS ISSUE:Christmas Show

Clay DeliveryChristine Hester Smith

IckworthEthiopian Coffee Pots

IN THIS ISSUE:Christmas Show

Clay DeliveryChristine Hester Smith

IckworthEthiopian Coffee Pots

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Cover: Ray Auker demonstrating toa rapt audience outside the AnglianPotters tent at the Ickworth WoodFair in October. Photo: CarolynPostgate

WINTER EXHIBITION CAMBRIDGE

The All Saints’ Exhibition went wellwith record sales turnover. The displaylooked good and was well received byvisitors. It was pleasing to have somenew exhibitors, but some regulars weremissed!I would like to thank all who helpedwith the setting up and organizing in anyway. We really do rely on this support.There are always some members whoare not happy with their position withinthe display, but I assure members thatwe do our best to be fair and to create abalanced and attractive exhibition.

EMAIL COMMUNICATION

We are increasing the use of email forAssociation business, to save on postagewhere possible. This means thatmembers need to ensure that theMembership Secretary, Mary Wyatt, hasyour correct and up-to-date emailaddress.I am aware that some of you havemissed submission dates and notices.Can I suggest that members contact theCommittee member involved if theyhave not received notice of an Event/Exhibition about three weeks beforeexpected event is due to take place? OurEvent dates are well publicised in theNewsletter. Post will, of course, be usedfor those without email.

DAY EVENTS

The Committee has received a proposalthat we have an exchange/sales/donations space at Day Events.Members can dispose of unwantedmaterials/books/equipment etc. If youwish to use this facility please phoneHeather Graham to book a space.Members will be expected to handlesales themselves and to take awayunsold stuff at the end of the day!!

SELECTED MEMBERS

The Selection meeting will be at Cotonon 16 April. May I remind you that amember, who is not a candidate, mayattend a meeting to observe how thecandidate’s submissions are considered

by the Selectors. If you are interested,apply to Anja Penger.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The AGM will be at Mundford onSunday 22 May. If you have items forthe Agenda, please send them to SusanCupitt.Heather Graham and Felicity Hoyle,our Day Events organizers, are standingdown, so we will need to cover thisposition. Nominations or volunteers arewelcome! We will also have a vacancyfor Webmaster, as Ian George is alsostanding down.Victor

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

EDITOR’S NOTESMEMBERS’ PHOTOS

Sally and Christine are keen to have highresolution images of members’ workand exhibitions/activities for future APPress Releases. Please contact them formore information:sallymach2@aol.comchristine@christinepike.com

EMAIL

As mentioned in Victor's article, usingemail represents a huge saving onpostage costs as well as CommitteeMembers’ time. It is really importantthat Mary has your current emailaddress: check out your entry in theMembership List for 2011 publishedwith this Newsletter, and let her know atonce if there are any mistakes. On theother hand, if you would always preferto receive notices by post, let Maryknow. 01394 671033mary@24wyatt.freeserve.co.ukRemember to look out for emails forDemonstration Days, AGM,Exhibitions etc.Carolyn

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Page 2 Chairman’s Report; Editor’s Notes; CommitteePage 3 Membership and Selection MeetingPage 4 Christine Hester Smith at MundfordPage 6 Anglian Potters at the Ickworth Wood FairPage 8 A Visit to some Cotswold Potteries (continued)Page 9 Ceramic HelplinePage 11 Ethiopian Coffee PotsPage 12 The Henry Rothschild CollectionPage 13 Thoughts from the Vice Chair; Art on the Prom; websitesPage 14 A Delivery of ClayPage 16 Christmas show at All Saints’ Church, CambridgePage 18 Ceramic Events Diary 2011Page 19 Book Review; Clay StoresPage 20 Equipment For Sale and Wanted

ANGLIAN POTTERS NEWSLETTER SPRING 2011

CLARIFICATION OF

MEMBERSHIP RULESSince I became Membership Secretary Ihave been puzzled by the ‘Institutions’membership category. Some businessesjoin the Association just to get ourinformation, so make little demand onour events, but there are also groups ofpotters who join under this category,sometimes with more than 10 members.The membership cost for this is £50 –little more than a joint membership. TheCommittee discussed how this affectsexhibitions and camp. The followingrules are now in place for groups whojoin under the Institutions category:

♦ The group can exhibit in our sellingexhibitions, but may only submit 25pieces as a group entry, with paymentfor sales going to the group as awhole.

♦ Only two members of the group orinstitution will be allowed to attendcamp.

♦ All members are entitled to claydiscounts, but there will only be onemembership card between the group.

♦ Demonstration events are open to allmembers of a group or institution.

Mary Wyatt

Members page and for the SelectedMembers folders which are presented atSelected Members exhibitions.Normally applicants for SelectedMembership should have shown theirwork before in our open exhibitions orshould have attended an informalfeedback session (see below) beforeapplying.The selection committee varies everyyear. It has not fewer than sevenSelected Members, three of whom aremembers of the Anglian Potterscommittee.

INFORMAL FEEDBACK SESSION

If you are not sure whether to apply forSelected Member status yet or you seekan opportunity to get advice on how toimprove your work you may like toconsider an informal feedback session.We would like to offer these for anymember who would like their workreviewed by three Selected Members.The informal feedback sessions usuallytake place in conjunction with theAnglian Potters demonstration days andby prior arrangement. Please book forthis session with Anja. The nextdemonstration day is 27 March 2011. Ifyou want informal feedback about yourwork on that day please book with Anjabefore 20 March.Anja Penger

Our annual selection meeting will takeplace on 16. April 2011.To apply, please contact Anja Penger(see details under Committee Members,inside front cover) as soon as possible.Anja will send you an application formand a letter pointing out yourcommitment to Anglian Potters as wellas the benefits of becoming a SelectedMember. Your application has to besend back to her by the 31 March 2011.Selections will be made in the followingseven categories:• Ceramic Sculpture;• Architectural Ceramics;• Domestic Production;• Ceramic Jewellery;• Semi-Industrial;• One-off (wheel & hand built) Pottery;• Others (not covered by the above).You will need six pieces of pottery. Theselected ceramic pieces should representthe best of your work, they shouldstand well together and they should allbe appropriate for the category youapply for.We need your Curriculum Vitae and anysupporting material that you have. Wealso need two good photographs ofyour work and six digital images, whichwe will retain if your application issuccessful. They will be used for thewebsite of Anglian Potters, Selected

Susan Van Valkenburg

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CONTENTS

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CHRISTINE HESTER SMITH AT MUNDFORD

Christine lives and works with her husband Roger at theBarnbarroch pottery which they set up in 1978 at Kippford, inDumfries and Galloway, a beautiful part of Scotland. She wasborn in the Scottish Borders and with students fromDartington Hall initially set up a pottery in Scorpello beforemoving to Scotland to establish her pottery and showroomthere. She sells her work from her showroom but also exhibitswidely in the UK and describes her work as a combination ofillustration, form and function, humour, slip and clay.The day started with a very interesting slide talk to a packedhall. She described her methods of working which includethrowing, slab building and extruding. Extrusion is often usedto form handles but Christine uses it to make rather largerforms and bends and twists them to get the shape she requires.She won a Scottish Arts Council grant which enabled her tohave special dies made from old road signs to her ownspecifications by a local blacksmith.She explained how the clay has to be just the right consistency(rather soft) to go through the die. She uses ValentinesEarthenware black and red, sometimes combining the two.The slides showed the variety and different scale of her work,

using slips and glazes to decorate.In her studio the extruder is wall mounted but of course thiswas not possible at Mundford, so it made things moredifficult and required willing helpers to hold the table steadyand to help operate the extruder when the demonstrationstarted. Amazingly large pieces of clay were forced throughthe die as Christine manoeuvred them onto a board, gentlyrearranging them to the position she required, and left them tostiffen up. Some of the extruded clay was draped over kilnprops to give a wavelike form. She described how in herpottery she drapes pieces over old oak barrels, with assistance.The funding grant enabled her to experiment and try new waysof doing things. She talked about how she responded to theenvironment using birds and fish and so on in her designs, butwas also inspired by African head rests and Ashanti stools.One of Jerry’s wheels was used to demonstrate how a birdcould be made by throwing a slender shape and, while wet,bend it to make the form of a gannet, or another bird. Afterthe usual lavish lunch, the afternoon was taken up withassembling the different extruded pieces of clay, adding moreclay and squeezing it to form shapes until a man in a boatappeared, I should add, in clay! Other pieces were made fromother extrusions and Christine talked about her differentmethods of surface decoration. She uses slips, sometimesspraying a background slip and other coloured slips with aresist between colours. She also uses wax and black iron oxideas a tube liner between colours. She generally uses matt glazesbut also adds shiny highlights.This method of working seemed to allow for spontaneity andinventiveness of form with often lively and humorousdecoration, which resulted in surprising and interesting work.To give a demonstration away from her studio was quite a taskand I am sure everybody appreciated the work involved andthe instructive talk and demonstration.Jackie Plaister

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ANGLIAN POTTERS AT THE ICKWORTH WOOD FAIR

Last summer I wrote in the APNewsletter that the Ickworth venturewould again use the ‘first come, firstserved’ criteria. But never in a month ofSundays did I expect so manyapplications to fall on my doormat inthe three days following publication. Weopened a waiting list and asked peopleto share tables if possible and eventuallystarted to match demand to availability.Rob volunteered to pitch outside themarquee if the weather was fine and wemanaged to squeeze another table in.When eventually we were open forbusiness I think we were all happy thatanother superb Anglian Potters displayhad materialized.For the first time the National Trustdecide to charge visitors for entry to theWood Fair and so relocated us to aenclosed field. Over the weekend morepeople visited than ever before butsome stallholders felt that sales weredown. However the weather was goodand we soon had kilns firing andsawdust (our main link to the ‘wood’theme) was smoking. We are privileged

to have an ever-growing squad of rakuspecialists and soon the display tablewas filling with intriguing results.Meanwhile our throwing, modelingdemonstrators and table holders were

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engaging with the public.I must say a big thank you to all whotook part for the hard work andenthusiasm that made our weekend sucha success. One comment to me from theorganisers said it all – ‘If I had a prizefor the best it would go to the AnglianPotters contribution; that was evenbetter than last year...’There are things that we could dobetter, but the stalls looked great andwe engaged more of the public with ouractivities than before. We might havemore people joining Anglian Potters asa consequence.As ever, Jerry did a splendid job inorganising the provision of the marquee– and in the welding of a disparatebody of willing helpers into a team totake it out of its box and put it backagain. Thanks to Frank Logan fortowing it for delivery and collection. Inreality we all need thanking for thespecial contributions that we all made.A stallholder from one of the othermarquees cannot get over how well weall work together. He thinks that ourAssociation is very special. So do I.Many felt that they want to do it again.So, if you have not taken part beforebut would like to, please respond earlywhen the application form comesaround in the summer.

Harvey Bradley

Above: raku in action. Below: erecting the marquee. Left: Dennis Coulden

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that they must be charging quite a highcommission because the prices were above thenorm. They also hold pottery weekends wherethere are demonstrations and firings – againquite pricey.

The next, and last, day of our tripstarted off with Wichford Pottery.Wichford specializes in garden pots andthey are beautifully displayed with lotsof the pots planted up and set withstatues and plaques in a charminggarden – although the prices of the potswere way beyond my purse. (One bigpot was £1300 – and well worth it – Icould have set up a couple of gardenchairs and a small table and had mymorning coffee inside it.) The studiowas open to the public and we saw atleast 4 people at work. Two men wereprocessing raw clay and stopped workto explain the process for us – this wasall being done on a large scale withenormous pug mills and machines ofthat ilk. They also told us that a lot oftheir pots go to Japan and their bigconcern at the moment was whetherthey should order a 40 foot or a 20 footcontainer. It all depended on the resultsof the firing in progress as to which sizecontainer they should order. This waspotting on a grand scale!Heather adds: I think that this was perhapsan example of a pottery diversifying to survivein the face of competition from the third world.There are so many amazing garden pots to bebought in our garden centres for a fraction ofwhat it would cost to produce them here. Theyhave opened a very good gallery stocking someof the best known potters as well as a numberof interesting other crafts. The downside was

A VISIT TO SOME COTSWOLD POTTERIES (CONTINUED)

The last pottery we visited was HookNorton pottery. This belongs to RussellCollins and I remembered seeing anarticle about him in Ceramic Review. Hemakes pots for pubs, chains and hotelsand used to have 12 potters working forhim. He has now retrenched into a oneman show and as well as doing lots ofthrowing he sends out some of his workto be jiggered and jolleyed (to hisdesign) by the big potteries in Stoke.(He makes soup bowls by thethousand!) He was very friendly andshowed us round his studio and kilnroom. He has two big gas kilns. Onewas particularly interesting. It was oneof the first ceramic fibre kilns made andconsisted of ceramic fibre with specialtiles bolted on to the interior. He saidhe had been firing it for 30 years andhad never had to replace a thing, whilethe industrial trolley kiln had had tohave its ceiling replaced twice. He alsohad an old kiln made by Ray Scottwhich was in a rather dilapidated state –but still in use. Russell had been to thesame teachers training college as me (aninteresting coincidence) and then hadgone on, after a stint of teaching inschools, to teaching at Harrow. He hadalso taught kiln building and he had acomfortable attitude towards his kilnswhich was rather refreshing.As we packed up for the trip home Ithought about the last few days. We hadcovered the full spectrum of smallpotteries. From the studio potters likeLiz Teall, who works alone and hadreturned to potting a few years ago afterbringing up her children and ToffMillway who, working alone has becomea well-known name in the pottery world.Next in the continuum is Ray Finch, atthe top of the tree for studio potters

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CERAMIC HELPLINEMembers to contact:Alan Foxley: handbuilding, reduction firing 01799 522631Colin Saunders: mould-making, slipware, transfers 01379 588278Victor Knibbs: oxidised stoneware, electric kilns, modifying claybodies 01480 214741Deborah Baynes: raku, stoneware, earthenware (reduction &oxidised), salt glaze 01473 788300Beryl Hines: general, earthenware, raku 01473 735437Usch Spettigue: raw glazing/single firing 01473 787587Margaret Gardiner: salt glaze 01279 654025Sonia Lewis: high-fired ware, porcelain 01353 688316Angela Mellor: bone china paperclay and slipcasting

01353 666675If you are willing to give advice, and be added to this list, pleasecontact the Editor.

with an MBE and people working for him, then there’s HookNorton Pottery where Russell is still hands-on but deals inthousand of pots per order and finally Winchcombe wherethere is a full family concern with several employees running abig business. The common theme throughout was, when wemet the potters, the friendliness and willingness to discuss withus the nature of pots and pottery. All of them showed greatinterest in where we were going and all knew of each otherand were full of other names of potters to visit in the region!So all in all, a visit to the Cotswolds is a very worthwhileholiday. Not too far for travelling and chock full of potters. Infact I am thinking of another trip in the spring to see some ofthe potters I missed! Although I think I’ll have to save upsome spending money first because it is so very hard not tobuy pots – as Toff said to us; “Admit it – you are just potteryaddicts!”Words and pictures: Felicity Hoyle and Heather Graham

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Kilns for ceramics

New and second-hand equipment

Kilns and furnaces serviced and repaired

Potters wheels – pugmills

Essex Kilns LtdTel 01621 869342

email contact@essexkilns.co.ukwww.essexkilns.co.uk

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The Coffee Ceremony is a social ritual practised throughout Ethiopia as away of meeting and chatting to friends for an hour or so. Participants sit ina circle on low benches and are served with up to three rounds of coffeepoured from a traditional coffee pot which is heated on a charcoal burner.These coffee pots are very elegant so one of the many things whichintrigued me on a recent visit to this fascinating country was the coffee potsand how they are made.Ethiopian society is very traditional and the making of pottery is regardedas a low status activity, the pots usually being made by women. One sectorof society dominates pot making – the Falasha. The Falasha emerged as agroup in the period 500-900 AD. Since the time of the Queen of Sheba andher son the country had practised a religion based on the Old Testament.However, under the direction of the Axumite king Ezana and his twinbrother Saizana, in the 4th century AD, Christianity was made the officialreligion. It still is the majority religion of the country. Small groups,however, resisted this conversion and were consequently denied many rightsincluding the right to hold land. Their status became similar to that of theJews in Europe. These people are the Falasha. Being denied the right tofarm, they developed craft skills such as potting and many of the coffeepots now produced in Ethiopia are made by women’s co-operatives withFalasha origins.The coffee pots are available throughout the land and I was fortunate tovisit a co-operative of 20 women who make the pots in Addis Ababa. Thepots are made by hand on a turntable and the photographs illustrate partsof the making process. Once formed, the pots are air dried and then fired in one of the two kilns shown. The kilns are wood-fired and the potters claim that firing takes about half an hour with half an hour to cool down. One of the most interestingaspects of the process is how the black ‘satin’ surface of the pots is produced. The potters said it is done by covering the pots asthey are loaded into the kiln with layers of dried acacia leaves. These leaves have the size and shape of large laurel leaves. If suchleaves are left out of the kiln, the pots fire with the usual terracotta colour.

The Co-operative sells coffee pots forabout 40p and I am exploring thepossibility of importing them to theUK for sale here. Any profits will besplit between the pot makers andcharities working in Ethiopia. ContactPeter Chamberlain, email:pjchamberlain@ntlworld.comWords and pictures: Peter Chamberlain

ETHIOPIAN COFFEE POTS

Forming and fixing the neck and spoutForming the pot body

The potter and her potThe making room The kilns

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Shipley Art Gallery, Prince ConsortRoad, Gateshead NE8 4JB0191 477 1495In 1946 Henry founded the shopPrimavera in London, on his returnfrom fighting in Italy in the war wherehe had been deeply impressed by seeingthe local craftwork. Nothing much likethat had any standing in England at thattime.The London shop began byconcentrating on baskets, ceramics andtextiles. In 1959 he moved it toCambridge, and ran it until 1980 afterwhich it was run by his assistant, RonaldPile.While selling pots he also collectedthem, and amassed a very largecollection which for years was stored ondark and dusty shelves in his Cambridgehouse. But now a special gallery hasbeen allocated to them in the ShipleyArt Gallery, which advertises itself asthe North-East’s leading gallery ofdesign and contemporary craft. Over200 of Henry’s pots are on display.There is also a study centre containingbooks, database information, and,naturally, a lot about Henry. This allsounds definitely worth a visit. As apotter, arrangements might be made tohandle some of the work. Contact SimPanesar on 0191 477 1495, or atsim.panesar@twmuseums.org.uk.The collection comprises the work ofpotters of Henry’s generation, includingBernard Leach and later family

THE HENRY ROTHSCHILD COLLECTION

members, Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Michael Cardew, Ruth Duckworth and manyothers. There is also some work of later potters such as Alan Caiger Smith, EwanHenderson and other sculptural ceramics. The Gallery’s own collection has somegood pieces too.Words: Susan Cupitt. Pictures: Courtesy The Shipley Gallery

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THOUGHTS FROM THE VICE CHAIR MEMBERS' WEBSITES:www.angelamellor.comwww.brendagreenart.co.ukwww.broadwayceramics.comwww.cathydarcy.comwww.ceramicsbuyanja.co.ukwww.corbykilns.co.ukwww.chrisrumsey.co.uk

www.davidwilliamsampson.com

www.heathergrahampotter.comwww.helenhpottery.co.ukwww.helenmartino.co.ukwww.iangeorgeceramics.co.ukwww.ingridhunter.comwww.janburridge.co.ukwww.janehollidge.co.ukwww.jjvincent.comwww.johnmasterton.co.ukwww.judsonsinfrance.comwww.katharina.klug-art.comwww.madeincley.co.ukwww.maggygardiner.comwww.mariamcullumceramics.co.ukwww.matthewblakely.co.ukwww.patsouthwood.co.ukwww.potterycourses.comwww.potterycourses.netwww.richardbaxter.co.ukwww.roceramics.co.ukwww.rockwellpottery.comwww.rowanhumberstone.co.ukwww.sculpturelounge.comwww.secretceramics.co.ukwww.susancupitt.co.ukwww.suffolkstoneware.co.ukwww.woodnewtonpottery.co.uk

Contact the Editor if you wantto add your site to this list.

www.anglianpotters.org.uk

enquiries are not all local, but comefrom across our region. I cannot alwayshelp without jeopardising my ownproduction, but would like to be able tosay “I know somebody who might”.I am aware of a few Anglian Potterswho do run classes in their own studios(or might be prepared to do so if theyhad a space). However I have no idea ofhow many in total. Perhaps this is therole I could take on – to gatherinformation on who runs classes, where,what and when and then to disseminatethis information via the new AP websitewhen it becomes available. Is this afunction that would be useful or maybeyou have other concerns you would likeaddressed?I can be contacted by email:ray@auker.co.uk or by post, address asin the members listing.Ray Auker

are art workshops in the gardens,entertainers and bands so it is a popularday out for all. You can buy 7 metres ofProm for £50 and this can be sharedwith another artist/potter. If you areinterested in taking part look at thewebsite www.artontheprom.org toapply. A group representing AnglianPotters could also apply for a stand.Mary Wyatt.

When Frank Logan ended histerm as Vice Chair of AnglianPotters he suggested that Imight like to put myselfforward for the role. I had notlong joined Anglian Potters andfelt that would be a bitpresumptuous. At the time Ihad also just retired from fulltime lecturing and was pleasedto be relieved of the endlessmeetings that the job demanded– and said as much to Frank.He assured me that as ViceChair he had nothing at all todo. Victor steered a tight shipand everybody agreed the ViceChair was surplus torequirements. Over the next fewyears this appeared to becomethe status quo, so I was caughtoff guard at the last AGM whenI found myself being proposedand accepted as Vice Chair.In September I attended myfirst committee meeting and,looking at the agenda, estimated anhour or so would cover it. I can reportthat your committee are very thoroughin their deliberations. After 3 hours wehad reached consensus on all theimportant issues, and on who was totake the necessary actions resulting fromthe decisions made.All taken care of, but Frank was right –I had put in my two pennies worth at themeeting, but I still had no actions totake, no particular role on this well-structured committee.To justify the vote of confidencemembers have given me I needed toidentify a role for myself. I hadpreviously noted that “education” waspart of our constitution, and obviouslyeducational aspects are incorporatedwithin many of our current activities,but it does not have any particular focuspoint on the committee. Alongsidepotting I have an interest in lifelonglearning. I teach adults in my ownworkshop and serve as Branch Secretaryfor our local WEA. I have a particularconcern about the cuts to local authorityadult education ceramic courses, whichhave provided the introduction topottery for many of our members (andcustomers). Probably as a result of thecuts, there have been an increasingnumber of request for my courses. The

ART ON THE PROM,FELIXSTOWEArt on the Prom is an outdoor sellingevent for artists and will take place on4th September this year along the Promat Felixstowe. This is the 8th year of thisevent and it is very well attended by thepublic. As well as 85 artists’ stalls there

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To keep things straight, I make sure notto stack same coloured bags next toeach other, but it’s still nice to have themarking to confirm I haven’t made amistake. In absence of the stickers, theonly way to resolve uncertainty withoutopening them is to write on them. So Ido.

V9G was another sleeper. I think I soldthe last of the original 10 bags I orderedto open this site three years in. Now Isell quite a bit more. Its popularity isreally growing. Marie informed mewhile she marked them that it’s anexcellent hand building body. I’vethrown with it and had nice results,particularly in reduction.Marie wrote on those bags whichneeded it. Armed with terry tea towels,she managed quite a few. Alas, the rainwas stronger than the Sharpies, and wetbags defy being written on. The teatowels got soaked, and the Sharpiesgave up. Not all the bags got markedthis time. I do, however, have Marie as awitness that I stacked the clay in theright spots, so just following the mapought to be assurance enough.All four kinds of porcelain came inblack bags this time. This is not alwaysthe case, but often is. I try to write thecontents on the P of the bag. These areAudrey Blackman.

Just clay to go to Deborah left on the

sensibly for where I knew each kind tobe going. Marie Thompson had aninjury which kept her from lifting andstacking, but her help was wonderfuland her presence much appreciated. Somany bags need to be written on. Also,sometimes the bags get torn in transit,usually by the twist tie of the bag nextto it, but sometimes by the nails in thepallets. I keep plastic parcel tape handyat delivery time to patch any holesfound. Marie took over this job for me.She didn’t do much lifting, and Iwouldn’t have wanted her to, but shefreed me from these other essentialtasks and kept me chatting away, whichleft me no time to feel sorry for myselfas my body got tired. It’s very cheeringto have the help.

For reference, 80 bags is a ton. So, howmuch should I order when any givenclay body might have either a demandof 2 bags a year or 100? The eternal claydump question. I need to get enough soI don’t need to tell many people we’reout of what they want, but not so muchthat it goes unworkable in the bagsbefore it’s even sold. There’s also thematter of Anglian Potters’ money. Thisis a lot of money tied up in clay waitingto be sold. I don’t know that it’spossible always to get it just right. Ithink I’m getting closer every time, butthere is no guarantee. I have no choicebut to wing it and hope people will beunderstanding if I don’t guess quiteright.V9G, Special Fleck, and B17Cg allcome in identical blue bags. Each baghas a sticker on its bottom saying what’sinside, but the snails come and eat thedelicious paper tags right off the bags.

I’ve been operating the Cambridge claydump for several years now, and one ofthe recurring questions I get is abouthow the clay is delivered and stacked. Ioffer you the January 2011 delivery forillustration purposes.Some time around 8am, I went outsideto lay out the ground tarpaulin. It’simportant that the clay bags not be puton the gravel in order to minimize newcuts and tears to the bags.The lorry arrived with David Stokes. Igave him a cup of tea, and we were off !He’s an owner-operator with one truck,so this is what we get. No tail lift, nofork lift. Every one of those bags ishanded down individually. I carry eachto its spot on the tarpaulin and stack itwith its kind, then go back for another.Repeat several hundred times. We checkand count each type of clay beforemoving on to the next. (My first fewdeliveries, I stacked the clay as weunloaded, but I realized it’s not reallyfair to make him wait around for me torotate stock and stack clay, so now I justpop it all on the tarp and do the restonce he’s gone. )

The large stack of red bags is 100 x ES5,Earthstone Original. A lot, you say?Why yes. But fortunately quite a fewpeople made me aware of theirimpending needs. All the people whotold me they’d definitely want 10, 20, or30 bags had their needs taken intoaccount, along with my best guess atwhat everyone else would need.Similarly, I have been asked for loads ofporcelain with promises to buy. In theearly days of my clay ordering, I soldjust a few bags of porcelain per year.Now I sell car loads of it.David posed with the clay for me. Hesays he used to be able to carry a 25kgbag on each shoulder with ease, but nowthat he’s 73, he appreciates the 12.5kgbags.Finally, all the clay was off the truck,phase one complete. I tried to stack it

A DELIVERY OF CLAY

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lorry, and the plastic containers forsome unknown plastic container user.Plastic container haulage is DavidStokes’ bread and butter. Clay is a sideline. Here, David uses the Suffolk clayas a writing desk to complete thepaperwork for me to sign.

I did ask him if he had consideredgetting a fork lift. He said they’re reallyheavy to carry around, and then that’spayload he can’t take on. Since most ofhis cargo is light, the actual need for afork lift is limited anyway. So we take itbag by bag, and will continue to do soas long as he’s the one to bring it to us.He figures he’s good for at least twomore years.When pushing the tarpaulins back so Icould stack the new clay, I stepped upon a pallet, and my foot went rightthrough it. That was a bit of a shock, it’snever happened before. Fortunately Ikept my balance and wasn’t hurt, and Idid have a spare pallet to replace itwith. Nothing lasts forever.

Speaking of things that don’t lastforever, I got these bricks off Freecyclea few years before I got the clay dump,but they turned out not to be suitablefor the original intended purpose.They’ve been good for holdingtarpaulins down in the occasionallyfierce winds we get out here. This oneseems to have just about finished beinguseful. I’m in the market for free bricksif anyone has any going.

Various people have suggested storingit all indoors somehow, but it goes harda lot faster that way. Clay seems to liketo be outside.So, right. Back to work. Unfortunately,the rain had continued pretty heavilywhile I rested, so each and everyremaining bag came with its own puddlein the folds. Soaked to the skin again.All done. Stacked, rotated, ready to go.No reds next to reds, no blacks next toblacks, no blues next to blues.

One of the tag-eating culprits posesnext to a mostly-eaten tag. It’s nature.

2pm. All wrapped up, safe and sound.Just like it never happened.

So I went indoors and got into my thirdset of dry clothes of the day. And had anap. I’d call this order slightly largerthan usual, but between stated andanticipated needs, I think a few types ofclay might well be out of stock by thenext order in 4 months.If you’re planning to come get clay,please do ring for an appointment. Ihave a lot of flexibility in my schedule,but no set open hours. We just have towork it out on a case-by-case basis.Keep in mind that I can only takecheques with a guarantee card aspayment, no credit cards or cash. I’llalso need to see your membership cardbecause I can only sell to paid-upmembers. We’re not a business open tothe public, this is group buying. Andlook! See all that gravel? You can pullyour car right up onto it, and the claywon’t need to be carried so far.Words and pictures: Susan Van Valkenburg

In general, I try not to take breaks whendoing this. If I allow my body to stop,my muscles will refuse to start up again.Around noon, I hit the wall and had togo have lunch. Really, really had to. Ibid Marie farewell, and went to takecare of myself. It had been raining, somy clothes were soaked through, and Igot cold as soon as I stopped working. Igot dressed in dry clothes for thesecond time that day.Break time over. Time to go back towork. See? Most of it was already done.Most of it got done all in that first biggo. And of course it’s not just installingthe clay, it has to be rotated. Old bagsare either pulled to the front and newones put behind, or old ones removed,new clay installed, then old ones put ontop. Each new bag gets handled at leasttwice, and many existing bags gethandled once or twice. That makes a lotof bags moved. I’d managed to rotateall the stock and stack several typesbefore lunch.

You may notice that all the clay is storedon pallets, off the cold, cold ground.Under the pallets is a layer of weed-excluding landscape fabric. I have tosay, that stuff is wonderful. My own claystores didn’t have this, and all manner ofweeds grew up through the pallet slats,broke into the bags, and set up complexroot systems in my clay. Anglian Pottersclay will not suffer this same fate.I also have multiple tarpaulins on top.As it happens, this started as a mistake.When the first set of tarpaulins woreout, I went to install the replacementsand found that I had caught the oldtarps under the pallets in back. With theweight of the clay, I found the prospectof removing them just a bit toounappealing, and decided to just leavethem. The result was a happy one in thatthe stacked tarps create air layers, whichhelp to protect the clay from the effectsof extreme temperatures. So now I putthe new tarps on top when needed andleave the old ones on purpose. I’ve beenvery pleased with the results.Of course the main thing is to keep thesun off the bags. The plastic degradesrather spectacularly in sunlight. Trustme on this. Again, my own clay wasused to learn this lesson.

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CHRISTMAS SHOW AT ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH, CAMBRIDGEIn spite of the cold weatherand the recession theexhibition at All Saints’went very well. Sales werebrisk and the total amounttaken was very satisfactory.Once again, many thanks toall Anglian Potters whohelped make this event asuccess.Jackie & Karrie

Clockwise from top left: Christmas treewith potters’ donated decorations, JohnMasterton, Private View refreshments,JJ Vincent, Susan Van Valkenburg’sjewellery, Lorraine Izon (bird), PeterDeans (casserole), Roger Phillippo (ark),Joyce Davison (crackle-glazed vase).

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Clockwise from top: Rob Bibby, MadelaineMurphy, Erika Dennison, Jackie Watson,Lorraine Swift, Michelle Daniels (vase), Pat Todd(bowl), Lydia Dench.

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CAMBRIDGE OPEN STUDIOSWeekends in Julywww.camopenstudios.co.uk

INTERNATIONAL CERAMICS

FESTIVALJuly 1-3Aberystwyth Arts Centre, University ofWales, Aberystwythwww.internationalceramicsfestival.org

ART IN ACTIONJuly 21-24Waterperry House, Wheatley, OxfordOX33 IJ2Open: 10am-5.30pm dailyTel: 020 7381 3192www.artinaction.org.uk

POTFEST IN THE PARKJuly 29-31Hutton-in-the-Forest, Penrith, CumbriaOpen: 10am-5pmTel: 01768 483820www.potfest.co.uk

ART IN CLAYAugust 6-8Hatfield House, Hatfield, HertfordshireOpen: Fri-Sat 10am-5.30pm;Sun 10am-5pmTel: 0115 9873966www.artinclay.co.uk

POTFEST IN THE PENSAugust 5-7Skirsgill Auction Mart, Penrith, CumbriaOpen: 10am-5pmTel: 01768 483820www.potfest.co.uk

ANGLIAN POTTERS

SELECTED MEMBERS EXHIBITIONMay 6-20Dolby Gallery, 30 West Street, Oundlewww.dolbygallery.com

NATIONAL CERAMICS WEEKMay 9-15www.craftanddesignmonth.net

NORFOLK OPEN STUDIOSMay 21-June 5www.nnfestival.org.uk/Norfolk-Open-Studios.ice

SUFFOLK OPEN STUDIOSWeekends in Junewww.suffolkopenstudios.co.uk

POTFEST SCOTLANDJune 10-12Scone Palace, PerthOpen: 10am-5pmTel: 01768 483820www.potfest.co.uk

EARTH & FIREJune 24-26Rufford Abbey Country Park, Ollerton,Newark, Nottinghamshire NG22 9DFOpen: 10.30am-5pm dailyTel: 01623 822944www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/leisure/arts/earthandfire.htm

HARLESTON AND WAVENEY

ART TRAILJune 25-26, July 2-3, 9-10Studios open 11am-6pmwww.hwat.org.uk

ANGLIAN POTTERS

SUMMER SHOWAugust 16-31Emmanuel College, Cambridge

ART ON THE PROMSeptember 4Felixstowe Promenadewww.artontheprom.org

ICKWORTH PARK WOOD SALEOctober 8-9Ickworth House, Bury St Edmunds,Suffolk IP29 5QEwww.nationaltrust.org.uk

ART, CRAFT AND DESIGN SHOWMillennium Grandstand, NewmarketNovember 4-6Open: 10am-5pm dailywww.artcraftdesignshow.co.uk

ANGLIAN POTTERS

CHRISTMAS SHOWNovember-December (dates TBA)All Saints’ Church, Jesus Lane,Cambridge

ART IN CLAY FESTIVALNovember 19-20Farnham Maltings, FarnhamOpen: Sat 10am-5pm;Sun 10am-4.30pmwww.farnham.artinclay.co.uk

For more information seewww.studiopottery.co.uk andwww.anglianpotters.org.uk

CERAMICS EVENTS DIARY 2011

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AP CLAY STORESClay from Valentines, Staffs:an inexpensive source of clayfor members.

Phone to confirm availability andto arrange pickup during officehours. Sold in 12.5 kg bags.Please note that paper clay is nolonger stocked.

STONEWARES:-Firing 1150°C -1300°CSpecial Fleck £3.85ES5 Original £8.20White B17C grogged £5.75ES40 Handbuilding £10.65ES50 Crank £7.75V9G Dark £4.00

EARTHENWARES:-Firing 1080°C – 1140°CRed £3.45ES130 White £6.90

PORCELAINS:-Firing 1220°C – 1250°CP2 £8.10Royale £11.15Royale Grogged £11.70Audrey Blackman £12.65

Brick House Crafts operate from 5,000sq ft premises in Essex. They are pleasedto confirm the continuation of their 10%discount scheme to members of AnglianPotters on raw materials, clays (up to 1/2t) and hand tools. Lessons available onan hourly basis together with City &Guilds Level 2 & 3 courses (100% passrate to date). Contact Mary or MaureenTel: 01376 585655

www.brickhouseceramics.co.uk

BOOK REVIEW:ADVANCED POTTERYBy Linda Bloomfield. £35 Published by Robert Hale,London 2011Linda Bloomfield has written a very attractive bookwhich serves as a useful handbook for all the mainpottery-making techniques. She has visited a numberof studio potters who demonstrate differenttechniques, and their expertise is enhanced by HenryBloomfield’s clear and informative photographswhich illustrate every stage of the making process.Excellent photographs of finished work by many studio potters provide ‘rolemodels’ for the aspiring student of ceramics. There are useful sections on glazes andfiring techniques. Some of our own Anglian Potters members feature: JeremyNichols and Margaret Gardiner, and it is good to come across potters and makingtechniques familiar to us from our Demonstration Days. The title ‘AdvancedPottery’ is a little misleading, in my opinion, as the book includes a great deal offairly basic information, but this makes it all the more useful as an excellent guide tostudio potting in general.Carolyn Postgate

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DIARY DATES 2011:Mark Griffiths:27 March, Mundfordwww.markgriffithspottery.co.ukGold/Lustre/Enamelling2/3 April, MildenhallSelected Members Exhibition6-20 May, Dolby Gallery, OundleAGM, Beryl Hines, MargaretGardiner22 May, MundfordPotters' Camp:27-31 July, ShotleySummer Show:16-31 AugustEmmanuel CollegeLisa Hammond:11 Septemberwww.lisahammond-pottery.co.ukOstinelli and Priest:23 Octoberwww.ostinellipriest.co.uk

MEMBERSHIP FEES:Ordinary £27 (half year £15)Joint £45 for two people at the sameaddress – half year £25Institution £50 for a college or workshop– half year £27(details on application to theMembership Secretary)Student £10 for full-time ceramicsstudents – proof of status is required

ADVERTISING RATESPrice per issue, 4 issues a yearFull page w 18cm x h 26.8cm £60.00Half page w 18cm x h 13.4cm £30.00Third page w 18cm x h 8.8cm £20.002 column w 11.8cm x h 17.6cm £26.002 column w 11.8cm x h 8.8cm £13.001 column w 5.7cm x h 17.6cm £13.001 column w 5.7cm x h 8.8cm £6.50Leaflet inserts (330) £30.00Copy dates:Spring Issue 1 FebruarySummer Issue 1 MayAutumn Issue 1 AugustWinter Issue 1 NovemberCopy to be supplied as .jpg, .tif, .pdfAdvertisements can be designed if textand pictures (minimum 300dpi) areprovided. Printed in full colour.Contact Carolyn Postgate, Editore: carolyn@clara.co.uk t: 01954 211033

DEADLINE FOR THE

SUMMER NEWSLETTER:1 MAY 2011

FOR PUBLICATION BY:1 JUNE 2011

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LARGE KILN

FOR SALEArterial Engineering front loaderType F3S 1300°C Serial no. H182

200-250 volts 60 amps 1 phase18" deep x 19.5" wide x 27" high

Includes pyrometer, kiln furnitureand stand.

Good condition £400e: martha.crouch@btinternet.com

t: 01223 891554 FREE TO A GOOD

HOMEElectric Wheel

The wheel has had about40 years regular use.

If anyone is interested pleasecontact Joan Green

t: 01440 785394

KILN FOR SALEKilns & Furnaces Ltd.,

Type TSF. 25Sure-Fire top loading electric kiln

1300°C, 13 ampFiring chamber 13" dia. x 12" high

with contactor, heat input regulatorsafety switch and Option Fireman

analogue ind. controller withdwell/cut-off switch,

thermocouple and cable.Kiln furniture includedGood condition £150

e: martha.crouch@btinternet.comt: 01223 891554

WHEEL FOR SALECowley Double Drive

Electric wheelSplash tray cracked, otherwise

excellent condition.£150

e: martha.crouch@btinternet.comt: 01223 891554

WANTEDHas anyone out there got a Shimpowheel in good condition they’d like

to sell? If so, please contact:Jackie Watson

e: jackie@wolvercott.co.ukt: 01603 261 951

As I have given a couple ofdemonstrations to Anglian Potters inthe past, I thought I would send youinformation about a five day ‘hands on’summer school that I am running thiscoming August. Perhaps some of yourpotters might be interested?This is the first time I have run such aschool in the UK, although I have doneit many times overseas. I have attachedmore information including a courseprogramme. The Solway CeramicsCentre is in a beautiful area and easilyaccessible from Carlisle which is on themain West Coast line.For more information contact me atjandvcalver@gmail.com or the venue atwww.solwayceramicscentre.org.ukMany thanks for your helpJohn Calver

LETTER FROM JOHN

CALVER

Altering and Decorating ThrownFormsA Five Day Course at the SolwayCeramics Centre15-19 AugustThis course is suitable for students whohave basic throwing skills and wouldlike to experience the challenge ofmaking more complex shapes and toexplore a variety of decoratingtechniques. John has based the course onthe forms and techniques typical of hiswork.