March - 2017

Welcome to my news page which I keep up-to-date with any significant information about me and my work, such as exhibitions for example. You can find more detailed and regular updates on how I work on social media. You can access them through my website or go directly via my Instagram or Facebook accounts.

This news page started its life in autumn 2016 when I was required to write a blog during my MA degree course in Ceramics at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, UK. Thus, going back you will find many blogs chronicling my artistic developments along with more personal observations made during those two years.

Ceramic Art London 2017: The Talks

Out of the five talks offered on the day, I chose to attend four leaving me a bit of time to look around the stands. They were all very different. The first talk was "Stephanie Buttle in conversation with Duncan Hooson". I wanted to see this initially just to see Duncan, who for about four years was my pottery teacher in the weekly evening class I attended at Morley College in London years ago. He hadn't changed that much except for his dress sense - I knew him pre-hat. Anywa

Ceramic Art London 2017: Makers & their stands

Well, what a ceramics filled day – brilliant! Katie and I met up at Preston train station and headed down to London to go the Ceramic Art London show held at Central Saint Martins close to King’s Cross. There we met some other people from the MA courses. But, before we entered the main area we were surprised by co-student Kate’s “Rant Pots” display. She offered anyone who felt like it to enter into her large inflatable pot and to scribble their rant onto a potty, which was di

Decorating Marquettes

Next big step on my making schedule would be to decorated my two larger figures. But, as I've spent such a long time shaping them, I'm proceeding rather cautiously. Thus, I'm now trying my hand at adding decorations to some of my little marquette. Instead of using the Mayco design liners, which are quite difficult to work with as the constant squeezing of the bottles can cause my right arm to ache, I'm trying out the Chrysanthos underglazes in the applicator bottles by Xiem.

Pottery gallery & Martin Creed exhibition at the Harris Museum

Met up with Pam to have a look around the Martin Creed exhibition currently at the Harris Museum in Preston. We had half an hour to spare before it opened and looked around their pottery gallery. It is not my first time looking at the display cases but this time I picked up on a few real gems hidden among this collection. For me outstanding were these: When we had a look around the Martin Creed exhibition. Well .... we had a real laugh. It really begs the question: What is ar

Feed-back from tutors

Today I've had my first tutorial session with all three: David, Anna and Wendy, having missed the last one because of illness. That was very, very encouraging. I'm definitely on the correct path of achieving what I set out to do - AND I'm enjoying it! It is encouraging that they seemed also excited by what I'm doing and the direction my work is taking. I've showed them my two larger figures, samples of my smaller decorated pots and test tiles along with my various sketch book

Sheffield day trip

Went off to Sheffield to meet up and interview an old friend, Saskia Palmer, to interview for my essay. I was also intending to question a local potter while I was there but, after initially agreeing to seeing me, she didn't seem to have the time after all. Anyway, I had a brilliant time looking around this vibrant northern city full of artists and opportunities. Puts Preston to shame! First, I had a look around Saskia's bijou studio, which is situated on the top floor of The

Trying Out Black Clay

As I like working with strong graphic contrasts of black and white it only makes sense the try out a black clay not just search for a perfect white clay. So, I've got myself a little sample bag from Valentine Clays. Firstly, black clay is really red when wet and very, very, VERY messy! But because of the extra grog it has quite a lot of internal stability and is nice to do pinch pots with. I think adding areas of white will give me a good opportunity to vary my decorative st

Day out in Liverpool: Bluecoat & Tate

For over two weeks have I been planning to go to Liverpool. However, first a wall came down on the train lines and then there was a train strike. But finally I made it! First on my agenda was a visit to the Bluecoat Display Centre to see the Stalwarts exhibition, look around the shop and have a chat to one of the gallery officers. I had phoned ahead to find out whether someone was willing to talk to me and luckily Frances Gill-Smith was actually there on the day and could ta

Eight decorated mugs finished

My first set of eight thrown and decorated mugs are finally finished - I think! They have taken me a long time and most have been in the kilns through four firings. They are not perfect but I have learnt a lot and have found a lot that I can build on. My favourite is the one in the front. It is just so nice and light and good to hold. What I'm taking forward from this is that I need to pay even more attention to the rims. I like them thin and slightly outward flared. However,

Day out visiting York: part 3 'Flesh' exhibition & Pyramid Gallery

5. After a lunch, where we nearly again forgot to pay, we went to see the other currently exhibition in the York Art Gallery called “Flesh”. I wasn’t much prepared for what it was going to be about and would have never guessed the first art bit of artwork we encountered: a woman wearing nothing but an A4 of paper she was holding, a pair of black knickers and a purple strap-on dildo. However, beside her unusual get up she was very normal and we had a good chat with her. The ex

Micaela Schoop

ceramic artist