Tag Archive for birmingham

The Sense in clay

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JDeaf-Blind Sense Group at Eastnor Pottery working with Clayon recently took part in a lovely project with Sense, a national charity supporting and campaigning for people who are deafblind and those with sensory impairments. He worked with participants at Eastnor Pottery and at The Garden Room in Sandwell.

Clay is such an accessible material, whatever the age or ability, participants can make their mark. Everybody who took part in the project reacted positively to the material, even those who were tactile defensive, ended up coated in thick glorious slip.

Here’s what Sense made of the experience.

 

Posted in adult groups, community workshops, special needs tagged with , , , ,

Calling all workshop participants

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Fantastic Plate made at Eastnor Pottery Fantastic Thrown Masterpiece by customer at Eastnor Pottery Careful hands on the potter's wheel at Eastnor Pottery

The BBC have commissioned a second series of the ever popular Great British Pottery Throwdown … Hurrah!

Group Shot of Great Pottery Throw Down Judges and Participants

As a result, they are currently scouring the country for new contestants. Do you think you have what it takes to make Keith cry? ;)

Over the past 20 years we’ve welcomed literally tens of thousands of clay enthusiasts and workshop participants through the door – surely one or two of you lovely potters fancy a bit of prime time TV coverage?! – Go on – what have you got to loose?

Applications can be downloaded here.

painted clay pots made on the potter's wheel by a beginner                 Beautifully Thrown and Decorated Pot made by Eastnor Pottery Customer

Posted in media, news, potter's wheel workshop tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Inspirational chicks

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Eastnor Pottery at Washwood Primary School making clay coil pot chicksLittle Chicks at Washwood Primary School with Eastnor Pottery

Nobody quite does clay like Washwood Heath Nursery School!

At this time of year, I’m always astounded by the children’s clay skills and the length of concentration exhibited around the clay table. Having the material available on a daily basis has a massive effect on skills, ability and language required to work with the material.

The five freshly hatched chicks in the incubator, (yesterday there were x5 eggs..) provided plenty of inspiration for my coil pot demo which soon started to resemble a fluffy chick.

“you can’t make a chick, you need an egg to make a chick like the others”

The children demonstrate their amazing coil rolling skills, some of them making the tiniest, most delicate beautifully thin coils. Others direct their clay exploration in a myriad of directions and creative avenues. Great stuff!

 

Posted in early years, schools tagged with , , , ,

Big Ceramics!

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Ceramic people shapes looking like Autumn leaves

Brilliant contemporary ceramics exhibition at Wolverhampton City Art Gallery by makers who choose to work on a large scale.

As part of the exhibition launch on Saturday 20th Feb, Jon took x4 potter’s wheels along for visitors to take turns on.

Phew, what a busy day! Punter’s were queuing up around the block and Jon and his intrepid team of undergraduates from Wolverhampton Uni potted on through lunch to ensure everybody who wanted to sample the delights of the potter’s wheel did so.

Posted in ceramic work, exhibitions, fired examples tagged with , , , ,

Brearley rainbow & pizza oven

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Fantastic Tile Panels made with Eastnor Pottery & Brearley Nursery School Pizza oven re-build project with Brearley Nusery School and Eastnor Pottery

One of the Early Years settings I visit on a regular basis is Brearley & Teviot Nursery and Children’s Centre in Birmingham.

At the beginning of each academic year and before the children start, I’m called upon to deliver a series of training and teambuilding sessions for staff. In 2014 we produced this amazing rainbow tile panel designed and executed by the team and each tile representing a member of staff.

More recently, I worked with the children to re-build this magnificent bread oven after it had taken a bit of a bashing over the Summer break. Each day, groups of pupils from all four classes visited me on site to help with the construction. A very messy and invaluable experience with lots of lovely language and communication emerging.

Here’s a selection of comments from the children:

“We’re building a mountain”

“I’m mixing”

“Scary snake”

“I cant roll it it’s too sticky”

“My hands are stuck”

“This clay is soft”

I’ve made a big rock”

“I have play dough in my home – I make waffles”

Posted in children, early years, fired examples, schools, staff training, teambuilding tagged with , , , , , , ,
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