Back from a wonderful weekend at Potfest, all unpacked and our own gallery put back to rights. (We are both off again tomorrow for a long weekend so don't try to visit until next Monday). It is a great show and so stimulating to be in the company of such creative and resilient fellow potters. The standard of work is truly fantastic.
Here are some shots of my stand before the hoards descended on Friday morning.
And then they arrived, dogs and all. Do you stand at the back or at the front, do you look eager or do you let them browse?
I watched this pair come along with their dog and screech to a halt when their eyes caught sight of the long thin whippet dish.
Will they buy it or not?
They did, good choice!
I was too busy or distracted to take many photos, and I should have done because some of the work was superb. This is Doug and Hannah looking radiant by their stand. But where is baby Pippin? She must have been having one of her rare sleeps after beaming at everyone who came by.
The beautiful display of Fitch and McAndrew slipware.
The Potfest band played on and on.
'Blackbird's Bathtime' - my contribution for the Potfest competition piece, the theme being 'Bird Bath / Flight of fancy'.
Paul Smith's Bird man diving won the potters' (and my) vote.
Katherine Winfrey's ingenious contraption. I know that she won the Welsh vote because I enjoyed some of the prize of cake and the beer.
Sue Dunne's competition piece didn't arrive until Saturday but was well worth the wait. The taps even turned!
And why was it late? A sad tale but with a happy ending.
The best thing for about Potfest is the mix of nationalities. Sadly if Brexit happens it will become so much more complicated for the European potters to come across to future Potfests.
There was an anxious unity of feeling over the 'Every country for itself' direction we all worryingly seem to be going in. So I particularly loved Belgium potter Toon's Thijs's political figures. The middle one has mushrooms growing out of his head and his brain is on his lap. The one on the left has the shape of Denmark on his placard with 'Keep out' written on it.
Thanks so much to Chris, Geoff and Matthew Cox for their boundless energy in organising this event. A ceramics festival run by potters who truly understand their needs
