... and anyway, it's 'us' now rather than 'me. Chris has joined me in being much more a part of the seatree life which is fabulous. Since I last blogged, we have been very busy. One of the things we are involved with for 2018 is an exhibition... very daunting and exciting. Here is the blog we are writing in the run-up to the exhibition, along with...
seatree:blog
Welcome to our musings on all things craft related.
A popular little pot that we make are the sea creature pots. They are fun to make, if a little fiddly. Making pinch pots is an ancient pottery technique and one that lives on. A ball of clay, once kneaded, is rolled into a ball and using thumb, forefingers and palm of hand is shaped into a wee pot. I make these nesting pots by measuring out the c...
One of the joys and challenges of running your own pottery business is learning how to work with galleries. Each gallery has a different way of working but there is one thing that is consistent and that is the need for communication - finding out who owns the gallery and how they would like to be approached, keeping in touch while working ...
Building a studioFor a change, instead of a pottery work in progress I thought I would show you the progress of the shed which has taken up so much of our time, energy and money for the last few months – all worth it, I hasten to add!DemolitionFirst things first – getting the old sheds out of the way. Despite the rotten floors, mice nests and smash...
Frequently asked questions - pottery Ever wondered how long it takes to make something in clay? It is the most popular question asked but such a hard question to answer. First thing is of course that you get quicker as you get more practiced. The first time you make a piece, you are experimenting and trying and fiddling and sitting staring into sp...
I am back after a spell away from writing this blog. I didn't mean for there to be a gap. Life took over. we sold the house and had four weeks to move, moving in just before Christmas. As soon as we were unpacked, house warmed and Christmas celebrated, we got stuck in to demolishing the old sheds in our new garden and putting up a new one - our ne...
Very often a little red boat sails by our house with fishing nets and seagulls in tow. It belongs along Loch Long in Ardentinny and has been a feature of our lives here for many years and so it has of course found its way into my pottery. First thing is to roll out the clay thin enough to fit into a frame once finished. The boat and the seagulls a...
You might have read in an earlier blog post about my challenge to myself to create a collection of pieces that I was happy with and how delighted I was to have the collection displayed at the lovely Tighnabruaich Gallery. Here is a photo of the pieces all gathered together in a display with my rockpool bowls. I am so pleased to see everything look...
It's been a lovely weekend here with Cowal Open Studios. You get to meet people both local and from a distance, some wanting to buy gifts, some curious about the pottery process or Chris's driftwood collection. There are all sorts of connections that happen and shared stories and also the interest of meeting artists of other disciplines. One person was a weaver, admiring a very old weaving we have on our wall, and we sent him along to Lorna Morrish-Davison, a local weaver who is also part of COS. It feels like being part of something much bigger than us, a part of the wider world.
On that note, I thought it would be nice to hear from you - what are your interests? what would you like to be reading about? what arts and crafts do you do? or like to see? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Fancy a go at making your own mug? I run workshops regularly in Hunters Quay for one or two people at a time. It is £20 for an hour and a half per person. Drop me a message on here to book in - and over on Facebook I have a wee competition running to win a free workshop place. If you don't do Facebook and would still like ...
One of my favourite of Chris's poems. I hope the pottery piece does it justice. Such hope.I know longer know where swallows go in winterOr where the wind blowsI look and seldom see the flicker of fading northern lightand now the sky is sleepingIn a nook of last year's leaves something soft is stirringWhat lies dark will find the lightThe earth it...
It's lovely when shops, galleries and individuals want to buy or stock our goods. Sometimes they are withing striking distance and I can deliver them - like today. heading out over a very blustery Clyde to the Seagull Gallery with some wave pictures.They were an order for one of her customers who wanted four along one wall in her house - I hope we might get a picture to see how they look in position.
Sometimes though I need to post things out - what a worry that can be and how relieved I am to hear that things have survived in tact. One piece recently didn't make it and their replacement piece is being fired and glazed today. Usually they do though - with copious amounts of bubble-wrap, sellotape and newspaper or straw being used and large red-lettered 'fragile' tape wound around the parcel.
Recently I was asked to make a very special picture for a wedding gift - you can see it in the picture below. I even put bubble-wrap inside the picture between the ceramics and the glass. I was so pleased the buyer liked it and it arrived unscathed.
Still, it is all part of the business and I have learned a lot over the years about every aspect of business - from ceramics to accounting to labelling and packaging - long may the exciting journey continue.
We are very relieved to see our new leaflet finally together and printed - all seventeen of the Collective members are featured and now it's time to get the word out there. Our 'pop-up' shop popped up last October and is still there and will still be there till the end of December so we are all gearing ourselves towards the Christmas shop shifts. ...
I might have mentioned Pauline before. I share my pottery space with Pauline. There is a story there...
Blairmore Gallery not far from us has recently been taken on by new owner Ciorsdan (pronounced kirsten) and we wish her all the very best. The Gallery has been a popular stopping off point over the years on the lovely road along Loch Long - local and Scottish art and crafts, lovely homemade soups and cakes and friendly folks. The Gal...
I have recently joined (and become hooked on) Instagram. Taking photographs of the details of my creating times, my family times and my inspirations helps me to feel connected and notice the joys of the small things, rather than whizzing by and moving on. I have to admit I do love photography anyway. It's not a big skill of mine, but it is definit...
I have been working on these pieces for some time, experimenting with shapes and colours. It has been in turn joyful, frustrating and freeing. The three shapes I am staying with is the wavy plate, the oval planter and the cylindrical vase as pictured. The lines reflect the shorelines here, especially as the tide goes out and leaves lines of seawee...
Well, it's taken me a while but I have finally worked out how to offer discount and do coupon codes. IT and me.... Well, if you are interested, you can enter summer2016 into our online shop for a ten percent discount - available until the end of August.
Every now and then on good old Facebook I do a giveaway. It serves a number of purposes. Partly I like the idea of posting a wee gift to someone who might not be able to buy a piece or have the cash to treat themselves. Partly it helps me to gauge what people are liking and what they go quiet about. And of course it helps to promote Seatree - more...
I have some more pottery workshops coming up this year along with my fellow potter Pauline. We will be doing a next steps course for the folks who were learning with us recently at the Burgh Hall in Dunoon and also a day's course up in Oban at the developing community project Rockfield Centre. We are also going to be runni...
Latest Posts
... and anyway, it's 'us' now rather than 'me. Chris has joined me in being much more a part of the seatree life which is fabulous. Since I last blog...
A popular little pot that we make are the sea creature pots. They are fun to make, if a little fiddly. Making pinch pots is an ancient pottery techn...
One of the joys and challenges of running your own pottery business is learning how to work with galleries. Each gallery has a different way of workin...
Building a studioFor a change, instead of a pottery work in progress I thought I would show you the progress of the shed which has taken up so much of...
Frequently asked questions - pottery Ever wondered how long it takes to make something in clay? It is the most popular question asked but such a hard...
I am back after a spell away from writing this blog. I didn't mean for there to be a gap. Life took over. we sold the house and had four weeks to mov...
Very often a little red boat sails by our house with fishing nets and seagulls in tow. It belongs along Loch Long in Ardentinny and has been a featur...
You might have read in an earlier blog post about my challenge to myself to create a collection of pieces that I was happy with and how delighted I w...
It's been a lovely weekend here with Cowal Open Studios. You get to meet people both local and from a distance, some wanting to buy gifts, some curio...
Fancy a go at making your own mug? I run workshops regularly in Hunters Quay for one or two people at a time. It is £20 for an hour and a half p...
One of my favourite of Chris's poems. I hope the pottery piece does it justice. Such hope.I know longer know where swallows go in winterOr where the...
It's lovely when shops, galleries and individuals want to buy or stock our goods. Sometimes they are withing striking distance and I can deliver them...
We are very relieved to see our new leaflet finally together and printed - all seventeen of the Collective members are featured and now it's time to ...
I might have mentioned Pauline before. I share my pottery space with Pauline. There is a story there......
Blairmore Gallery not far from us has recently been taken on by new owner Ciorsdan (pronounced kirsten) and we wish her all the very best. T...
I have recently joined (and become hooked on) Instagram. Taking photographs of the details of my creating times, my family times and my inspirations ...
I have been working on these pieces for some time, experimenting with shapes and colours. It has been in turn joyful, frustrating and freeing. The th...
Well, it's taken me a while but I have finally worked out how to offer discount and do coupon codes. IT and me.... Well, if you are interested, you c...
Every now and then on good old Facebook I do a giveaway. It serves a number of purposes. Partly I like the idea of posting a wee gift to someone who ...
I have some more pottery workshops coming up this year along with my fellow potter Pauline. We will be doing a next steps course for t...