two workshop participants learn how to make a pottery plate using clay at eastnor potteryThese two were most definitely on a mission when they booked in onto one of our drop-in pottery sessions. The pair are big fans of Kirstie’s televisual work and had been particularly inspired by a programme where the viewer was shown how to make a pottery plate.

The couple arrived with thier own tools, templates and coloured drawings and spent a couple of hours making x2 press moulded, decorative plates from scratch…with very professional results I’m sure you’d agree!

We’ll fire, glaze and post their amazing clay creations once they have emerged from the kiln.

kirstie allsop inspires couple to make pottery plates in the west midlands

four talented pottery workshop participants sample the delights of the p[otter's wheel at eastnor herefordshireThese guys braved icy hell and high water to participate in our January potter’s wheel weekend workshop. Black ice and flood warnings did little to dispel their determination to get here, travelling from as far a field as Dorset and London to get their hands on the mucky stuff.

All four conquered the technique and made some pretty damn fine pots. Where possible, I took photos to document the making process so please take a look here to see how they all got on.

Next potter’s wheel workshop takes place 24 Feb 2013.

jon the potter and concern universal visited riverside primary school in hereford amking clay fuel efficient stovesGreat to be working with Concern Universal again. The Charity helps communities around the world find practical, long term solutions to poverty.

Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be visiting all the primary schools in Hereford, sharing the many benefits of using fuel efficient, pottery stoves in contrast to cooking on an open fire – as the majority of the Malawian population currently do.

Each pupil gets to make a mini pottery stove using the exact same clay making method as the African potters. Want to see what a pottery stove looks like?

At the end of the session, the children are encouraged to conserve water by washing their hands under a perforated tin can suspended on a tripod.

48 children managed to clean all the clay from their hands using just 2 litres of water.

Running a tap whilst cleaning teeth in the sink uses as much as 10 litres in one go – food for thought indeed!

clay model created by imaginative 4yr old at ledbury primary school nurseryLove this left of field interpretation of the coil pot project by a creative 4yr old at Ledbury Primary School Nursery. The clay is usually coiled upwards, layering each snake on top of the previous one to form a pot wall – not so today!

“I’m going to make a big rat, a baddy rat and baddy rats always have long tails”

family enjoy making pottery at eastnor pottery and the flying potter in herefordshireSteve and his family battled through the snow for a morning session here at the Pottery. Here’s what he had to say about his experience on the potter’s wheel:

“So therapeutic. All your focus is on the wheel and the pot, the rest of life’s stuff is parked some place else – very addictive!”