Group Shot of Great Pottery Throw Down Judges and Participants

Hats off to BBC2 and Love Productions for starting a pottery participation revolution!

As the series aired in the run up to Christmas our phones and email accounts just got hotter and hotter. Come Christmas Eve we had recorded record sales of our one day and weekend pottery courses and, as we progress through January, demand hasn’t discipated one jot.

We are currently running a potter’s wheel workshop of some description every weekend for the foreseable future.

If you needed any more proof – here’s an extract from The Guardian 6th Dec 2015:

“Hobbycraft is reporting that sales of kiln-drying clay have risen 40% since the show started. Sales of air-drying clay, which doesn’t require you to have access to a kiln, are up 60%. Evening classes in ceramics are at capacity up and down the country. If you are thinking of signing up, prepare for a waiting list.”

Remaining dates (you’ve gotta be quick!) and further details of our potter’s wheel days and weekends can be found here.

 

21 girls make hen party pottery at EastnorJanuary is the time when brides to be and their maids of honour contemplate or plan their Summer weddings.

Increasing numbers of girls opt to spend their hen weekends in the rural splendour of Herefordshire, enjoying the landscape and local activities.

 

Hen at the Potter's WheelWe cater for large groups and are delighted to share the benefits Careful hands on the potter's wheelof working clay with numerous groups of women, looking for a creative and memorable experience to share with their friends.

If you would enjoy throwing pots on the potter’s wheel as part of your hen celebrations, please check out our hen party dedicated page.

Here are some examples of recent pottery hen parties:

Hen party 3-11-15

Hen party 28-8-15

Hen party 9-7-15

Hen party 26-6-15

Happy hens after day of clay

 

Returning to Eastnor Pottery for more Work Experience over Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were delighted to welcome back work experience student Evie over the Christmas holidays. Back in 2012 Evie spent a week with us, helping out with workshops in educational and community settings. As a fully fledged sixth former, Evie is persuing a career in the creative industries. We asked if she wouldn’t mind writing a few words about her influences and the work she produced at the Pottery this time around:

I am currently completing my A-levels and am in the process of applying to university to study Fine Art. Right now in Art, I am conducting a personal investigation into the Cornish town of St Ives and the work and style of its artists, after spending many happy childhood holidays there. In particular, I am studying the work of Ben Nicholson, an iconic British artist that is mostly known for his Cubist still life compositions. I love the rough and unpolished nature behind Nicholson’s work and his reduction to simplistic forms. In these various sized bowls I created at Eastnor Pottery I have tried to recreate the weathered surfaces and colour palette that Nicholson took inspiration from within St Ives. Having done work experience at the pottery in 2012, it sparked an interest for me in ceramics, which I hope to pursue at university. Jon has been kind enough to let me return and develop my understanding of ceramics and experiment with different techniques until now, unfamiliar to me. Previously my practice has been drawing which offers precision and accuracy; however I have really enjoyed the unpredictable and challenging nature of working with clay.

Good luck with the application process Evie!

2016 February halfterm creative workshop at Eastnor Pottery

‘Raining cats & dogs!’ Wednesday 17th February 2016

Inspired, in part, by the incredibly soggy winter we’re currently experiencing, and that popular climatic phrase, we’re inviting youngsters to make clay cats and canines on a special children’s workshop in the February half term.

The 1.5 hr workshop sessions are designed to suit two age groups, (4-8yrs at 11:30am and 9-12yrs at 2pm) although younger or older siblings will never be turned away from either session.

Places cost £15 per child (with a 10% discount for x3 or more places booked) and can only be reserved by telephoning 01531 633886 or email admin@eastnorpottery.co.uk

Sarah and Jon joined forces to work with the entire population of Marlbrook Primary School in Hereford. The participatory arts project took place during British values week and each child contributed a clay creation towards a giant, three dimensional, terracotta tea service.

Jon and Sarah the Potters working with Malbrook Primary School and Terracotta

Eastnor Pottery always looks forward to its visits to Marlbrook and enjoys the reminders of past ceramic triumphs undertaken with the School. .

Check out these x8 magnificent oak tree tile panels in the library made in 2010.

Marlbrook Primary School Trees, Eastnor Pottery, Herefordshire