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antique door lock at eastnor pottery

antique door lock at eastnor potteryWhen we were offered ‘Clock Tower Cottage’ on the Eastnor Castle Estate as our artist’s studio in 1993, there had been little change to the interior since the day it was built. The Estate installed electricity and running water to enable us to make our ceramics, but apart from that, the decor was untouched.

Fast forward to 2020 and pleased to say things are pretty much the same! It still has the crumbling but authentic, wattle and horse-hair lime plaster on the walls, hand-made nails in the beams and of course, the original door latches and locks.

Just look at the size of the mechanism on the front door!

horse hair plaster at eastnor pottery

roger oats design staff away day

roger oats designs teambuilding at eastnor pottery morning group

Last year, our friends at Roger Oats Designs purchased Introduction to the Potter’s Wheel pottery experiences as Christmas presents for all their staff. What a lovely, thoughtful idea!

What with Covid-19 and everything, its taken a while for the team to access their presents. We’re pleased to report on a sunny Thursday in October, the gang finally made the short journey to Eastnor Pottery to spin some mud and have lots of fun.

Roger oats design staff wotching pottery demo on an away day at eastnor pottery

staff away day at eastnor pottery and the flying potter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The staff visited in groups of x4 and were treated to a potter’s wheel demonstration before taking turns to make pots. As you’d expect from such a creative bunch the results were pretty amazing with a variety of shapes and forms.

oger oats designs teambuilding at eastnor pottery afternoon  group

Here’s what they had to say over on Instagram:

“Thanks for having us @eastnorpottery. One very happy team! Looking forward to the next visit”

“Thank you for a fab afternoon”

“It was a super afternoon, highly recommended, thank you”

“Great fun, thank you!”

roger oats design staff away day

 

eastnor pottery open sign

The Pottery and surrounding Herefordshire countryside looks so lovely in the Autumn.

Autumnal front door at eastnor pottery

 

eastnor pottery open signview from the steps at eastnor pottery in the autumn 2020steps at eastnor potterycollaborative terracotta pheasant at eastnor pottery

oak tree in the autumn at eastnor castle estateThursday is our making day when we work towards exhibitions, commissions or simply experiment with techniques and materials.

These days are so valuable and have become an essential part of our weekly routine. It’s like a mini, midweek holiday and we have taken to walking to the Pottery through the beautiful Eastnor Deer Park as part of our making day  ‘journey’.

A couple of Thursday’s ago our commute in the sunshine was particularly inspiring and we spent way too much time taking photos and soaking up the Autumnal colour.

Check out the Pottery instagram for more photos.

the old post office eastnorred phone box in the herefordshire village of eastnortwo oaks in eastnor castle deer parkeastnor pottery in the autumnal sunshine

 

pottery funwith the flying potter at Childwickbury arts festival

Looks like the Flying Potter has a busy few months ahead! Just look at all the lovely events and festivals the mobile division of Eastnor Pottery will be hosting clay workshops over the Summer. Hope to see you at one of them! :)

4-9 June Makershack, Cheltenham Science Festival. Come and make a clay brick using traditional clay brick making techniques for our collaborative sculpture. FREE event 10am – 5pm daily. Late opening on Friday 8pm-10pm

participants display their clay tiles at science festival 2018

14 June Royal Three Counties Show  Three Counties Showground Malvern. Jon will be there with his potter’s wheel entertaining school groups on the Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire stand.

 

The flying potter at the royal agricultural show malvern 2019

5-7 July Childwickbury Arts Fair, Hertfordshire. Take a spin on the potter’s wheel the take your clay pot away on the day to paint at home. 10am – 5pm

pottery funwith the flying potter at Childwickbury arts festival

13 July Brockhampton – come and play with clay in the orchards making insect homes and pots on the kick wheel. 10.30am – 3.30pm

child showing his clay fish made at hellens garden festival 2018

20 July Berrington Hall More brick making! Contribute to a collaborative interactive installation. Make and decorate one for the art work and one to take home as a keep sake.

girl making a clay brick at berrington hall with the flying potter

21-25 July Eastnor Castle. It’s the annual Flying Potter residency! You’ll get the chance to make a dragon head or dino scull to take away and paint at home.

Terracotta Trex made by families at Eastnor Castle with help from Eastnor Pottery

26-27 July Black Country Museum. Adult and family workshop sessions exploring various pottery making techniques and themed on the colourful ceramic world of the art potter Ruskin.

pottery workshop participant making a pot on the potter's wheel at the black country museum west midlands

8-11 Aug LAKEFEST! Right here right now, (well in a couple of months anyway!) Once again we’re venturing across the A438 into the deerpark to offer punters the chance to throw a pot on the potter’s wheel at this relaxed and family friendly music festival.

pottery wheel fun at lakefest music festival with eastnor pottery and the flying potter 2019