Forgot to mention the exciting news that Kara has passed her driving test first time...well done sweetie....just drive safely please...
and here she goes in her Ka....past the gallery and out into the wide world..it only seems five minutes since I was bringing her home from the hospital - you may have heard me mention that before...

After all that lovely weather where I managed to lobster myself on Porthcurno beach we're back to the standard issue fog...which is just blowing away now as the wind has got up nicely.

It still doesn't feel like there are THAT many visitors around but the ones that are here seem to like what I'm doing in the gallery so that's good.

Margaret and I went up to Bovey Tracey Contemporary Craft Fair for a bit of a works outing and came back with some exellent new ceramic/mixed media work from Claire Baker and some clever little upcycled tins by Louise Dawn Wilson.  With some notable exceptions the show was very much the same as last year and badly needs a fresh hand on the tiller to liven it up.  They've got the catering and outside stalls right now but are not looking to innovate the makers enough - in my opinion and you know I'm never wrong (to quote my dear father).

Here's how Claire's work looks in the china cabinet in the gallery!





Dawn's work on the old pine table at the front

 

 

Kevin Warren has dropped off a fantastic new delivery of his orange bird ceramics which are exclusive to us here in St Just, and they look brilliant on the old dresser as you can see

!

 

 

 

Margaret and I have been inspired by our visit to Bovey to make something entirely new for the gallery and we've been really busy over the last few days working to get the pieces don - but you'll just have to wait to see what it's all about....

 

 

Just a final shot of the gallery which I'm going to use in the programme for the Cancer Research exhibition at Cape Cornwall School - which needs to be thought about as it's coming up fast.

 

 







Open Studios was brilliant!  Thank you to all the lovely visitors who made a specific journey to come and see the pottery again this year - it was great to see you and I hope you enjoy your purchases very much.
The weather was brilliant -  much better than last year and we were able to serve teas in the Tea Garden all week....(except the Bank Holiday Monday when it poured and poured with rain...).
The studio is now much emptier - homes have been found for 4 entire shelves full of mishapen and wonky cats, dogs, hares, sheep and chickens etc....that makes me so happy! Also I can now reinvest in another half ton of clay to start again.  I have laughed long at the kind lady who told me 'I should make seconds because they sell really well...' long ago when I first came to Cornwall and ran St Agnes Pottery - how right she was.
I am still having problems with the kiln - wrong elements? Elements fitted wrongly? Kilns need replacing with  new ones?  Who knows - and if the engineer doesn't then I certainly don't but I have to have working kilns so will persist.

On a sour note considerable damage was done to my car and Kara's last Friday night - got a pretty good idea by whom - but I can't even get the police to call me back and tell me what they've been doing about it!  It's hopeless and very upsetting - and we were only two among about twenty cars targeted that night - wing mirrors broken, bodywork jumped on and dented and number plates torn off and thrown goodness knows where.  Despite fingerprints and CCTV images showing the youths committing the crime no arrests have been made....and the damage comes to over £600 for us.

Half term is over now and it was brilliant hin the gallery whilst it lasted but nothing really happening now!  Time to get back to orders and commissions - and to lots of admin which was ignored for 10 days at least.

I'm going up to the Bovey Tracey Contemporarty Craft fair tomorrow - what a great day that'll be - so looking forward to seeing friends and other makers and to buying a little something perhaps....
I hope it's sunny - I bought a super big pink straw hat off Ebay especially for the day....

Kiln at 920 degress - fingers crossed!

Having survived the extreme two hour storm on Tuesday night I'm relieved the weather is a little more normal now!  The extreme depression with winds gusting up to 77 mph came from nowhere and struck just as I was delivering Kara to work at the Minack.  A woman let her car door dent my car in the wind so I was wound up anyway and had an anxious drive home dodging flying trampolines and waving flag poles and then had to wait for the safe delivery of my daughter courtesy of the lovely Minack staff.  The performance was cancelled which as we know is VERY rare for the theatre.  What a shame!

Margaret and I have been mucking out - err - cleaning up the pottery for upcoming Open Studios.  We are open this year Saturday 25th - Saturday June 1st - having decided to close both Sundays so we can look at some of the other artists in West Cornwall. 

Once again there will be masses of studio bargains and seconds and things that are just too plain weird to put in the gallery!  Hurry though because they sell out fast.....

 

Here are a few photos to show how busy we've been...if only it could stay as clean as this all year....says Margaret rather pointedly..

 

We're also serving teas and cakes and some snacks weather permitting - here's how is SHOULD look...hope to see everyone here...

 

 

 

Harrogate BCTF was a marvelous show this year - I had my usual sunny stand near the centre aisle and had the advantage of Kara coming to help me set up and carry stuff.  We treated ourselves to all our favourite things at Bettys afterwards.  The Kimberley Hotel was very comfortable with lots of TV stations and room service.
I took many more orders at the show than last year - hard to say exactly why and most unexpected given the general retail climate.  I was particularly pleased that my ceramic people were well received.
This year I concentrated on buying sustainable craft - buying Joanna Coupland's vegetarian taxidermy animal heads made from tissue and wire and incorporating vintage spectacles, fabric and scarves.  She won the 'WOW' factor award - richly deserved!

I also bought some of Richard Shaw's work again.  He uses recycled tin and wood to make Alfred Wallis inspired seascapes with whales and boats and rows of little wonky cornish cottages.

I needed a reasonably priced range of jewellery and look forward to getting Dee Barne's custom made map pieces shortly, featuring recycled maps of Cornwall around St Just.
I found an new maker called Clare Ashton whose range of printed felt books and lampshades which make a fantastic addition to the gallery.  Giving further fuel to  my obsession with felt we are now stocking Lindsey Tyson/s gorgeous felt pebbles printed with ammonites which can be used decoratively or as pin cushions.

Lesley Nason's understated and detailed ceramic wall pieces have also arrived depicting hares and sheep in the landscape with subtle oxides and glazes.

So although it was an exhausting few days the gallery is looking brilliant and we are truly ready for a busy summer season!

I just have to make and send all those orders before Open Studios at the end of May.....

I've been asked to make House Signs so many times I've added a small range to my website.
There are three sizes - a small round one that is suitable for a number only really at £29, a larger rectangular one for longer names at £42.00 and an Enginehouse shaped one for names or numbers.
All have a Cornish flag featured and are made from a sandy stoneware clay.
Any kind of personalisation is possible - just ask.
Can be ordered online or by phoning me on 01736 786695.  Please allow 14 days for delivery due to longer production processes,