Wonky

Last week at our monthly West Forest Potters Guild meeting, guest Louisa Taylor demonstrated how to throw a pot using an angled bat. That is in effect puts the Potter's Wheel is at an angle of say 10 or 20 degrees, rather than being the usual horizontal.

Once the clay is centred on the bat, the idea is you can then throw a pot in the normal manner. The outcome of this is a) you learn not to rest your hands on the wheel head and b) the finished pot is beautifully thrown but leans at a pleasing angle.

Here's a couple of images of Louisa demonstrating the technique:

A wad of clay (seen on the left) is used to prop one side of the bat, while Louisa throws a cylinder.

Louisa proudly displays her leaning pot.
















And here's my own humble attempt from last night:

My leaning open bowl.












I threw two pots last night which are now drying and hopefully next week I can work on the bases before sending for bisque firing. It's pretty hard work I can tell you: the surface of the bat moves up and down at a disconcerting speed, while the wheel is rotating.

As always, once they are completed I will post some images here and also on Webshots. These will likely be the last pots I work on for some time- the college term ends in a couple of weeks and due to lack of employment (therefore lack of funds) I'm taking a break. Fingers crossed I get to finish on high note.

Bush

Two blog posts in one day? Well I've just found some exciting (at least to me) news on The Telegraph website. So it must be true. Please, please, please be true!

The wonderful and lovely Kate Bush is releasing in May "Director's Cut," a new CD of reworked tracks from the late 1980's and early 90's. That's "The Sensual World" and "The Red Shoes" albums.

In addition, she is also said to be working on a new album of original work. Mmm :-)

For years I had this poster on my bedroom wall. It's nearly life size dontchaknow. Still got it somewhere...

Pot. Kettle. Black.

According to the head of a multi-national company, food in the UK is truly "terrible." The comment was made recently to university students in Chicago (and carried in The Chicago Maroon newspaper) by Bernardo Hees, new global head of Burger King.

I'm sorry I must have missed BK being awarded a Michelin star for the high standard of cuisine served in their "restauarants."

Oh and in case there was any doubt that Mr Hess didn't view the UK with any sort of affection, apparently British women are "unattractive." According to Mr Hees this is just as well otherwise the poor soul would not have been able to concentrate while studying here. Read all about it here.

Blood

Three unconnected items to mention today:

I've just uploaded a couple of images of my latest work: it's a stoneware bowl with earthenware glazes applied. Crimson Blood and Turquoise so you know.  







Earthenware glazes as a rule give a different range of colours so it can be fun to experiment, provided a basic principle is followed. Stoneware glaze needs to be fired at around 1260 degrees Celsius (about 2300 degrees Fahrenheit) and earthenware clay can only be fired to about 1080 degrees C (1976 degrees F) without it starting to break down. This means you can put earthenware glaze on a stoneware pot and fire at the lower temperature without any problems but you can't fire an earthenware pot with stoneware glaze at the higher level. 

Unfortunately the Crimson is a tad thin in places but overall I'm rather satisfied. Please take a look here and I've been asked to point out that the latest work is to found at the back of the folder.



I recently purchased (on a whim) a toasted sandwich maker. Kind of takes me back to my childhood: I absolutely loved toasted sandwiches during my formative years and I suspect I might have lived on the things if I'd been permitted LOL. Anyway this one cost the grand sum of £5.47 (about $8.75). How on Earth do we make it for that price, let alone no doubt ship it half way round the planet and still sell it for a profit?  

Exploitation of the Third World work force? Discuss.

08 March 2011 Ipswich 1 - 3 Reading

The Royals move to 8th in the league on 54 points.

I was somewhat shocked (and saddened) to hear the news yesterday that Reading defender Chris Armstrong has been forced to retire from professional football at the age of just 28 because he has Multiple Sclerosis. Apparently he was diagnosed in 2009 and has continued to be able to play for the first team until now but feels it is right to stand down.

This makes me feel very grateful for my relative good health.

Illegal

Thought I would share these pictures of illegal immigrants found smuggling themselves into the Reading area, hiding in the back of a truck.

Someone has too much time on their hands but I'm not admitting to anything LOL!


Also I've read Warner Bros have announced that next year there will be a Harry Potter themed tour over here at the film studios. Don't think it will be a patch on the Florida theme park. Still sounds like it might be fun.


05 March 2011 Reading 5 - 2 Middlesbrough

Made In The UK?

One of the joys of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood is that it is a distinctly British take on the world of Sci-Fi. In particular it has an unashamedly Welsh setting with very strong Welsh accents, putting it apart from the competition.

The new 10 episode series currently before the cameras is a co-production between the BBC and the Starz network. The majority of the writers are veterans of US network TV, with more than half the episodes being shot on location in America. Barely a week goes by without an announcement that more American Film and TV stars have been added to the cast.

None of this is bad and don't for one moment believe this is any sort of anti US rant. In fact it all sounds very impressive. My question is however, at what point does an exciting and distinctly British property become just another X-Files wannabe?

So Far...

Thought I'd post a sneak view of my current work in progress. It's now waiting bisque firing so fingers crossed I'll be glazing soon.

56

A few comments and thoughts for a Monday afternoon:

• I knew it was going to be tough this time round but job seeking is proving to be harder than I thought. There just doesn't seem to be be many suitable positions out there but I try to remain positive.

• The government is considering an increase to the motorway speed limit to 80mph (about 130kph). Having attended a speed awareness course recently I'm not sure I can agree.

• Some readers will know I have an interest in tracing my family history. It's proving to be a whole lot of fun and quite informative. No connections yet to anyone famous or notorious mind you. I doubt there will be.

• The Royals just about kept their promotions hopes alive on Saturday with a 3-all draw away at Crystal Palace.

• Commercial television in the UK has got it's way and from today product placement will be permitted during certain programmes, together with an increase in the number of adverts per hour. Apparently this is in response to falling advertising revenue. Here's a thought- make better programmes. Audiences figures will rise and then you can charge more for advertisement spots.

• Apparently attempts to move the UK permanently to Central European Time have been shelved. Would have made for lighter evenings but much darker mornings. Oddly reports suggest Spain is now considering moving back an hour to GMT.

• My doctor told me this month I have a "lung age" of 56. Back on the meds for me. :-(

Farewell Brigadier

The actor, and Doctor Who fan-favourite, Nicholas Courtney died yesterday aged 81 due- I believe- to a cancer related illness.

His first Doctor Who appearance was in 1965 opposite the original lead, William Hartnell. However the role he is perhaps best remembered was that of leader of the fictional United Nations Intelligence Task-force (UNIT), a role Courtney played from 1967 opposite Patrick Troughton. He then appeared regularly throughout the original "classic" tv run working with the first 7 Doctors, with the exception of Colin Baker.

Although mentioned a few times in the reborn Doctor Who, he did not get to appear in the new series and Courtney's final tv appearance as the (retired) Brigadier was guest starring in 2008 in a two part story for The Sarah Jane Adventures, first shown the BBC's CBBC channel.

Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. A real hero, BBC style.














My own lasting memories of the character are tied with "my Doctor," the one I grew up with, Jon Pertwee and the Earth based UNIT stories of the 1970's. You might even argue it was a vital part of my childhood: The Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and The Brigadier, fighting (weekly) alien invasions of the English country-side and the odd chalk quarry. Happy days.

Mixed

Recent results for The Royals has been somewhat variable:

4 Feb Reading 0 - 1 QPR
12 Feb Norwich 2 - 1 Reading
15 Feb Sheffield United 1 -1 Reading
19 Feb Reading 1 -1 Watford
22 Feb Reading 2 - 1 Millwall

Reading crawl back to 9th in the Championship on 47 points, some 7 points below the teams currently in the play-off zone.

Seeing Stars

Please take a couple of minutes to wander over to my Webshots page, where you'll find some new images of my latest work. I've put a handy link here.

LSD

(That's Pounds, Shillings and Pence)

It hardly seems true but 40 years ago today saw the adoption of decimal currency in the United Kingdom. Until 15 February 1971 our coinage had been based on a system that dated back to Roman times whereby 240 pence equalled a pound weight in silver. We even referenced the old Latin terms: Librum, Solidus,  Denarius.

First introduced in the 16th century, a pair of Thrupenny bits or 3d (3 pence). Not to be confused with cockney rhyming slang LOL.










For the record there were were 12 Pennies in the Shilling and 20 Shillings in the Pound. I can't begin to imagine how we all coped.

Read more here.