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white hand thrown tea pot with black spotted spout, surrounded by hand modeled red dragon

It’s mostly adults who enjoy our Weekend Potter’s Wheel Courses here at Eastnor Pottery but every once in a while we’ll entertain a teenager or young person. We love the dynamism and creative flair the junior potters bring to the table.

GCSE art student Ellie was no exception.

Ellie was gifted one of our weekend courses as a Christmas present last year and attended a fully booked event in the Spring 2021. On day two, you can  assemble the pots from the previous day into a single work of ceramic art. Ellie was keen to make a Dragon Tea Pot and threw all the components (spout, lid etc) on Saturday. On Sunday all the bits and pieces were leather hard and perfect for scratch and slipping together. We think she made an amazing job of her mission – Well done Ellie!
white hand thrown tea pot with black spotted spout, surrounded by hand modeled red dragon

white hand thrown tea pot with black spotted spout, surrounded by hand modeled red dragon

white hand thrown tea pot with black spotted spout, surrounded by hand modeled red dragon

white hand thrown tea pot with black spotted spout, surrounded by hand modeled red dragon taken from a birds eye view

potter Sarah Monk placing ceramic birds in the trees of hellens gardens

Eastnor Pottery co-directors Jon Williams and Sarah Monk are exhibiting a collection of their ceramic birds ‘n bugs at Hellen’s Garden Festival

Go see if you can spot them in the undergrowth but hurry hurry hurry, the exhibition closes this Sunday!

potter jon williams leaning over putting ceramic bee on a pole in to the ground of hellens gardens

potter Sarah Monk placing ceramic birds in the trees of hellens gardens

abstract terracotta bees on poles in the ground surround by shrubbery

terracotta bottles post firing painted and glazed

green white and blue decorated bottles from numbers 1 to 8

These fabulous door numbers were commissioned by Three Choirs Vineyards, for their Deluxe Vineyard View holiday accommodation.

Jon and Sarah combined their creative talents on this one – a collaboration of skill and style.

thrown terracotta bottles lined up and drying in pottery studio

painting brush applying white slip to a hand thrown terracotta bottle

hand thrown terracotta bottles painted with white slip on table

terracotta bottle cut in half being held

inside the halved terracotta bottle

terracotta painted bottles in the kiln before firing with numbers 4, 5 and 6 on them

terracotta bottles post firing painted and glazed inside the kiln

leaning tower of pisa pot painted

Meet Katie Glover new apprentice

We’re as pleased as punch to welcome Katie to the team. Hurrah!

Katie’s our new and talented Junior Content Producer Apprentice and is being trained in collaboration with Creative Alliance in Birmingham. One of her first tasks here at the Pottery was to write an introduction for our website:

“After completing my BA Hons in Textile Design in 2020 at Falmouth University, I wasn’t sure not what to do next. With months of uncertainty, I was offered an apprenticeship as a Junior Content Producer with Eastnor Pottery. I’d completed a week of work experience at the Pottery in the summer of 2019. I remembered my time being filled with potting skills, beautiful scenery, camaraderie and lots of laughter. How could I turn down a chance to work with Jon and Sarah again!?

Illustration is at the heart of my practice. During lockdown I have set up in business as a freelance designer. I have an Etsy shop selling a range of products including, amongst other things, cards, prints and stickers. My role as Junior Content Producer involves promoting fabulous courses and classes the Pottery offers. I’ll be getting to grips with their social media and promotional material, capturing the customers experience.

After the apprenticeship, I will have the confidence and skills to further pursue my career in the arts. Although illustration will always play apart, working as a junior content producer will provide me with a variety of new tools and skills. I am sure my time at the Pottery will be a fantastic learning experience and tremendous fun!

Below are some examples of my work including some pots I made during my work experience at the Pottery in 2019.”

Pot illustrated painted with seals and waterSelection of small animal and drinks themed cardsleaning tower of pisa pot paintedleaning tower of pisa pot written text wonky potselection of prints cats and dogs framed and unframed

clay handmade campervan painted green on grass with flowers in the background

sarah monk ceramics including egg cups lemon squeezers and soap dishes

sarah monk ceramics including egg cups lemon squeezers and soap dishes

Sarah is super thrilled to be taking part in the Digital Craft Festival 26th  – 28th March 2021.

The online international event aims to promote the very best contemporary makers through an exciting program of talks demos and films. Visitors will also have the opportunity to buy direct from 150 selected artists working in all kinds of materials.

This is the first time she’s taken part:

“I’ve enjoyed this event lots in the past….. it’s so lovely! A fun filled weekend of craft demonstrations, interviews and workshops on InstagramFacebook and zoom.  The Digital Craft Festival is an opportunity I would ordinarily have to pass on, what with the 3.5k class participants that pass through the doors each year at Eastnor Pottery. As the Studio is currently closed to visitors I have had more time to focus on my own work. I’m launching lots of new designs in my shop especially for the event!”

As well as selling from her online shop, Sarah will be running a ‘make along’ zoom class.

“I will show you step by step how to make your own clay bug house and you can make along with me! No previous pottery experience is required. The pottery techniques I will be sharing with you are slab building and sgraffito decoration. Once you have made your wonderful clay house, leave it to air-dry at home.”

If you’d like to take part in the class you’ll need to purchase a ticket from her website.