It seems to be back to normal after a short summer interlude - which I took full advantage of by going to the beach and for walks around the Lizard and West Penwith.

Back to work now because The British Craft Trade Fair is happening next week.  I have been working on some new pieces and gathering my samples together.  A couple of the new pieces can been seen above.
Prices have been held steady this year as I know it will be a tough one - so I am trying to help as much as possible.  Again this year the minimum order will be low again to encourage new outlets and galleries to try my work.
The stand has had a revamp too - I have been painting up applecrates to provide a new way to dispaly the work.

I hope it will be eyecatching and interesting.

The visitors are here in force now thank goodness and sales seem to be starting again in the Gallery.  Everyone here in Cornwall is in a good mood today because it's the holidays and the sun is shining.

I am realy looking forward to seeing all my lovely gallery customers and all my friends amongst the artitsts.  I shall be in Harrogate from 14th April to 18th April with a stop over at Chesterfield on the way back to see family.  Big thanks to Margaret who will be in charge in Cornwall (of the gallery, cats and teenagers) whilst I'm away.

See you all soon xx

I'm very glad to be back from the Trade Shows - it's so exhausting but very rewarding and it's good to hear the positive feedback from buyers.  I received a good number of orders from existing customers and made some great new contacts - good to be getting work into Glastonbury, Lyme Regis, Tavistock, Cleveden, Sidmouth and Ross on Wye.  Lots of orders from Glasgow - lovely to see everyone again and thanks for the lovely comments.  I stayed at the Campanile Hotel near the SECC which was great as usual.
The roads were clear of snow and traffic too.

This is what my stand looked like . . .

and Baby was a great help with the boxes....
So the next job is to do a lovely Spring window for the gallery to usher in the new season and shake off the January gloom. . . and then to make and send off all those orders!

I've returned from Giving and Living Trade show at Westpoint. Exeter with a good number of orders from some lovely galleries and gift shops - including galleries in Glatonbury, Lyme Regis and Sidmouth so I think I'll need to deliver those in person ....
There was a real buzz the first day but sadly this didn't continue into all four days.
Home now for a day and night then on to Glasgow at the SECC for the Scottish International Trade Fair - miles and miles up the M6 and beyond into the snow and ice.

My Stand at Exeter

The most popular piece was this one above...Home to Roost.
I shared a stand with Mark Smith pictured here having had his second Pickled Partridge in the pub in Topsham where we stayed.

Thank you too to Kara and Margaret for taking care of the house and gallery - look at this expensive present I bought for you!
So thermals are packed and sandwiches and flask are ready - see you on Thursday.

Thank you to all the wonderful customers who came into the Gallery over Christmas to make this one of the busiest I have had since being in St Just! I am so grateful to all the people who bought my work too - I've never sold so many large pieces in December before - some of which were internet orders too!
I am still very preoccupied with producing new work for the January Trade Shows and the kitchen is full of pieces, as is the pottery, in various stages of completion.  All will be ready in time I'm sure and the website is being updated daily.


Just a sample of what's coming through is pictured below . . .

Snowdrop the Cow

Large Abstract Glazed Hare with Fern detail

Dog Bowl Planter

.



All these pieces will be on the website very soon.

A lot of my friends in Fore Street are dressing up as characters from The Wizard of Oz tonight - (I always stay in for New Year's Eve) and if you see Dorothy and her friends out and about don't be alarmed ....

I had a nightmare last night that people were queueing at the Gallery counter getting impatient to buy loads of things - then I woke up!  It was busy last week and I think it will be this week.  Today Cynthia from Spindrift Gallery at Portscatho is comming over (via the King Harry Ferry) to pick up a futher batch of hares - she is usually busy over the holidays.  We'll close for a short while and go for a coffee and a gossip.
Later on I've been invited up to Hilly Spencerley's house for mince pies and more gossip - all her family will be there (6 children and many grandchildren) - she's amazing!
It's the final pottery class of 2012 (we won't be having one next Monday night!) and we'll have to finish all the work in progress off and get it in the kiln for a good start on next year.  All my students are very talented.
We are having the 'Fore Street' Christmas Dinner on Wednesday night and you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get everyone to decide what they want to eat .... look out King's Arms - there will be 11 of us! (Last year was a riot thanks to Vicky from Bygones).
I am still working hard on new pieces for the shows - I love developing new ideas - much more glazing going on this year.

The gallery is looking good with all the new stock

I am so happy the weather seems to have calmed down - the pottery door was blowing off its hinges and the new roof repair held well.  The rain was worrying too.
On the work front I'm still developing some of my new ideas for the 2012 round of Trade Shows - focusing on hares and using onglaze decals to embellish the surfaces.
The last of the internet orders is despatching this morning (there is still time for smaller pieces to be made before the big day for any orders that come in over the weekend) - but bigger pieces can't be made in time.
I am working on a big commission of two lovely Bengal Cats for one of my favourite customers from 'up north' and I am pleased with the progress but still have to work out the glazes for the special sheen these cats have to their coats.
It's switch on for the St Just Christmas lights tonight at 7.15 pm so The Gallery will be open for mince pies and shopping. I look forward to seeing my lovely local customers.

I've had a lovely three days - my good friend Leyla who was in the year above me at Loughborough Uni on the Ceramics course has been staying with me and we've had a lot to talk about.  She is a Leo lady too and our lives have striking parallels!  We went over to St Ives dodging the hailstones and rain to look around.  She helped with my Monday night pottery class and claimed to have learned some tricks even she didn't know ont he technical side of things.
She is advising on the quest for the 'lost' cream glaze - apparently Titanium is the mystery element so I'll carry on testing.
Leyla is looking for inspiration as to what to make having been Technician at Brighton Uni for some years and now being fully self employed.  She likes terracotta with white slip and lives on a narrow boat on the Thames so perhaps canal boat art is the way to decorate her thrown ware!

A visit to Cornwall is always inspiring and she also got on very well with my cats too.

She gives pottery workshops/classes in and around London and can be seen at the larger Craft Fairs with her Throw a Pot stall!  We are talking about working together on similar things here as soon as I have my new cabin/workshop built in the upper garden to the rear of the gallery.  There will be room to set up the wheel so I can give throwing lessons and week long workshops combined with inspirational visits to St Ives and the surrounding landscape.
She is planning to be here for Cornwall Open Studios in June.

It's hailstoning today and looks like it's been snowing on Fore Street - only very intrepid shoppers will venture into the gallery today.