Looking ahead to spring: the Dacorum and Chiltern Potters Guild annual Open Day is on Saturday 13th March 2021 Guest speakers demonstrating with clay include Sasha Wardell - Working with Moulds and Thomas Bohle - demonstrating Double walled Throwing. The session "On being Centred'' is a conversation between

Vasu Reddy, Ester Beck and Vidya Thirunarayan and looks to be a really captivating and thought provoking talk.

The Guild event is always a highlight on my calendar and is popular with pottery guild members and ceramic enthusiasts. I encourage you to take a look /pass on the poster below. 

- Tickets are now available on Eventbrite. This year it will be an online event-

Details on www.dcpg.org.uk

 

The usual rhythm of life has changed so much in a short period of time. The first time for many years that's I haven't been travelling between Hertfordshire and the Isle of Wight on a regular basis, this Easter was not spent on the island catching up with family, friends and favourite walks to the beach, the holidays usually mark the joyful appearance of springtime with the anticipation of a long summer ahead. This year was spent following the very necessary Covid-19 restrictions here in Hertfordshire, signs of spring still a welcome respite from the news during exercise walks.To be honest the journeys to the island have been intense, a rollercoaster of emotion for many years, as my father progressed through a long illness with prostate cancer, he passed away in September 2018 at the Mountbatten Hospice on the I.O.W the experience left me so very grateful to the staff for the care my father received and the space it gave to us as a family at that difficult time.

 Last Christmas I put a few ceramic dove decorations in Yarmouth Gallery and we managed to make a small donation to the Hospice from sales, I started little late and didn't get as many made as I'd wished. News of Mountbatten's fundraising events being impacted by Covid-19 and their charity shops closing has prompted me to pledge getting organised and to make more doves this year. I am initially aiming to make 50 sets of three, this seems a good number to aim for as this year is my 50th birthday. The first few are available online from www.yarmouthgallery.com

In support of the Clay College at Stoke I've added one of my smaller boat sculptures, to the facebook auction @pottersforclaycollege Today Monday 10th April 2017 at 3.00pm is the deadline for all bids. It would be fantastic to see a pottery college in stoke situated alongside the bottle kilns. As a student from Harrow (university of Westminster) we got to visit Stoke and the potteries at Spode, Wedgwood and more on a memorable trip as part of our ceramics education, the place, the potteries and the skill of the workers was truly inspiring. With the prospect of only three BA ceramics courses currently on offer this endeavour is a positive focus for ensuring the future of craft education.

Winter Rose  a ceramic piece with no colour, unglazed black clay, set in a 10x10cm box gilded with silver leaf. This piece has been added to the Potters for Aleppo Auction which can be found on facebook @pottersforaleppo this is a wonderful initiative started by potter Mark Griffiths to show support for the people of Aleppo and raise money for charities doing incredible work in difficult circumstances. The last pots where added until midnight last night, (30.12.16) the bidding continues until midnight GMT 1st January2016 no bids are accepted after 00.01 2nd January 2017

To take part join the facebook group, read each potters comments carefully some request a specific charity, keep scrolling through there is an option to join a Raffle if you are unable to bid on your favourite, all donations to a suitable charity are welcome. 

A little bit of light, hope and humanity to end 2016. Wishing all a Happy and Peaceful new year. Amanda

Time now to assess the summers treasures, finds such as this image I collected from walking up to the Needles battery, following a long hot summer, inspiring views of Alum Bay sands with glimpses of subtle colour combinations blue sea, grasses and wild plants, it's not just all about the colours though it's the breath taking angles and the history of the place, more inspiration for my hand-built ceramics and one or two images to add to my photo cards.

I am supporting the brilliant Just a card campaign and have added a poster with more details on my website

http://www.justacard.org 

Mini plinths for small treasures, new work re-visiting favourite themes, inspired by boatyard props and weeds, hand-built ceramics painted with layers of under glaze colour. 2016

Making plans for the new year 2015. At the moment have a workshop at Missenden Abbey in March and an exhibition in July at Yarmouth Gallery.

Opening my studio in Herts this Sunday 14 Sept and 28 Sept from 11-4  or by appointment. Situated in an old stable building next to Cottage farm, Red Hall Lane Chandlers Cross WD3 4LT.