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Sunday 18 July 2010

Table, comets and a glimpse of Royalty

It was a long wet Sunday, so I was quite happy to stay in the cosy workshop (with two kilns cooling), working on some penguins and some tiles. By tea time I had gradually prised the door of the rather too hot big kiln open, and by supper time I had managed to unpack it and have look at my table. It must work as a table, because I lost the lens cap of the camera shortly after taking this photo - because I had put it down on the ...TABLE!

I'm pleased with the top surface, the glaze is really smooth and tempting, like one big tile. It is still a strange beast, more of a character than a beauty, but I have a certain fondness for its eccentricity.




There has been a lot of glazing this week, and still a lot left to do, but it is great to see some new work out tonight.


It seems ages ago that I started these long dishes. They are difficult to fit in the kiln, so kept missing out. Long dishes need long things on them, hence comets and thin mermaids.


I've just packed the big kiln up again with my pelican seat. It is the only thing in it. I'm not convinced that it is totally dry yet but as the bricks are still pretty hot it's been stewing all evening. I'll see what the steam test looks like before I go to bed, and depending on that may bisc fire it tonight.

I was enjoying drawing on these dishes at the beginning of the week. They're drying out now and hopefully may be ready to bisc as Pelican comes out. It is back to back at the moment to get things finished for Potfest in the Park. Rodger is busy making me some extra display boxes at the moment, doing a little each day - he's on to the sanding stage now and it was a treat to have his company in the workshop this morning. The finger joints are a work of art in themselves, he was enjoying using my scroll saw for them. Pity to paint them over.

As an interlude from pots this week I did have Wednesday afternoon off to go to Kirkcudbright and play samba for the Queen - at least that is what I was told. But of course it was playing samba for the crowds WAITING for the Queen, NOT for her at all.

Anyway we saw the lady, small and bent in her lovely turquoise outfit with matching pill box hat, (surrounded by some even bigger and shinier hats of local dignitaries ). She arrived in a huge maroon limousine, did a quick tour of the harbour - I was told that the brave lady was given champagne and pate to sample, followed by a freshly grilled scallop from the local fishing boat. Then off she flew in her helicopter, at which point the heavens opened with a loud clap of thunder, and everyone dived for cover.
So just a glimpse of royalty but lots of strange cameos which might well appear on a pot one day.

8 comments:

  1. Love that 'table' and those long dishes are wonderful. I enjoyed you recount of the Queens visit too .

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  2. ah the royal event hope you had fun...your work is looking amazing as ever, totally dig the table and the long dishes YEH!!

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  3. That table looks fabulous. Looking forward to seeing it at Potfest. Not long now and I still have work to bisque and glaze!

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  4. Do put the "lady" with the hat on a pot. I would find that hysterical! Fab table Mrs.

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  5. Hello Christine,
    I just wanted to post a quick note to tell you that the RSS feed for this blog has been added to the Potters and Ceramic Artists Blog Feed at Pottery Making Info. Thanks for all the hard work with your clay and your blog!

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  6. wadering around at 3 am and found your blog- love your work and your stories.
    thanks!

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  7. Absolutely wonderful work. Table is stunning, what a treasure it is! The mermaids and comets are splendid too. Congratulations! Whoopeeee!

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  8. You know I was a bit unsure about that table, so I had to say thanks to everyone for your kind comments. It's reassuring to get such positive feed back. It's useful though - I have been using it as a table while glazing some other work (including the pelican). It saves me looking up test tiles as it is just one big test tile!

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