ClayCraft #49

Welcome As I write, the announcement that the Covid restrictions will start lifting in April is such a relief. During the lockdowns and tier regulations, the importance of online marketing and promotion for businesses – and small, creative businesses in particular – came to the fore. Unable to have physical contact with customers, the next best thing is to interact online. It may well have been something you were already doing as part of an ongoing marketing strategy, but to stay engaged with customers you hope will return once you reopen, you need to be speaking to them regularly. If we can help you get back up and running by promoting your events, sale, shows etc, on our news pages, in listings and on our social media, please do let…

As I write, the announcement that the Covid restrictions will start lifting in April is such a relief. During the lockdowns and tier regulations, the importance of online marketing and promotion for businesses – and small, creative businesses in particular – came to the fore. Unable to have physical contact with customers, the next best thing is to interact online. It may well have been something you were already doing as part of an ongoing marketing strategy, but to stay engaged with customers you hope will return once you reopen, you need to be speaking to them regularly. If we can help you get back up and running by promoting your events, sale, shows etc, on our news pages, in listings and on our social media, please do let us know.…

IN THE NEWS THROW DOWN ROUND-UP It’s been an exciting few weeks on the show, with a couple of surprise eliminations. In week 6, the potters were working with terracotta. The main build was a trio of cooking wares – a chicken brick, a tagine and a lidded casserole. The size and weight of these meant that the drying time was an issue, and the firings were mostly very disappointing, with multiple blowouts. The spot test was a tile frieze. Sal was Potter of the Week, and Shenyue left the show. Week 7 featured a lifelike animal water feature, 70-80cm tall, and a strawberry planter made with 10kg clay. The firing was an improvement on the previous week, but Henry had issues with his construction, and despite having won the…

It’s been an exciting few weeks on the show, with a couple of surprise eliminations. In week 6, the potters were working with terracotta. The main build was a trio of cooking wares – a chicken brick, a tagine and a lidded casserole. The size and weight of these meant that the drying time was an issue, and the firings were mostly very disappointing, with multiple blowouts. The spot test was a tile frieze. Sal was Potter of the Week, and Shenyue left the show. Week 7 featured a lifelike animal water feature, 70-80cm tall, and a strawberry planter made with 10kg clay. The firing was an improvement on the previous week, but Henry had issues with his construction, and despite having won the strawberry pot challenge, he was the next…

PROJECT ONE THROWN BIRD BATH This is a challenging project that will test your skills, but to make it a little easier and avoid having to throw large amounts of clay, we’ve designed the form in three parts. For this to work, you must pay very close attention to making accurate measurements DIFFICULTY RATING IMPORTANT – it may seem obvious, but the given proportions only work if your kiln can accommodate the size of the parts (the dish being the largest). You may have to scale the size down to fit your kiln if it won’t fit. Read all the instructions before you begin, to check for scale You will need: ■ Clay weight total – 7.7kg (17lb) plus 2.3kg (5lb) for batt pad ■ Finished height 40cm – bath…

SPOTLIGHT ON: MKM POTTERY TOOLS Creating beauty in clay! MKM Pottery Tools was established in 2003 by Rick McKinney. Rick’s initial set of tools was developed in his studio for his personal use and weren’t available for sale elsewhere. It was the development of the Decorating Disk, the innovative Throwing Tools, and the broad range of wood ribs that really launched the business. Rick thought the Decorating Disk, a universal pottery template, was a good idea, but didn’t have the ability to screenprint or work with acrylic sheets. So he had some made up for him, thinking he would sell what he didn’t need. Years later, Rick is still selling his Decorating Disk and many other tools, as well. From the beginning, MKM has specialised in bringing innovative tools to…