Behind-the-scenes with cabbages and sea-anemones

After the rush of Christmas fairs and commissions, I've had quite a thoughtful start to this year, with the chance to play and experiment with porcelain. 

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been working towards producing pieces for a ceramics 'Natural Inspiration' exhibition, Made at Mac (at the Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham). And have you now worked out what cabbages and sea anemones have in common? They are both intrinsically beautiful and delicate, and have provided a lovely, fresh 'natural' stimuli for recent work.

Last month we had a photographer, Sam Orchard, come into the centre to take photographs. I did find it hard to keep a straight face, but I was so pleased with how he captured what I was working on that day...So here's a sneaky peek of what goes on 'behind-the-scenes.'

For the next piece I was initially inspired by a potter I have admired for over ten years - a local lady called Sam Krankpod. I attended a workshop where we made simple pendants and pressed a variety of leaves into the clay. I was suddenly struck by the beauty of the cabbage! :) At the same time my tutor at the Mac had just made a plaster mould of a cabbage leaf so I then took this to make a flower-inspired cabbage bowl. I'm hoping to use a lovely translucent or pale-coloured blue or green glaze to highlight all those lovely veins. Fingers crossed it works. There are no guarantees when working with clay or porcelain. Here are some work-in-progress snaps.

I've also heard this week that I've been accepted to have a stall at Moseley Arts Market on Saturday June 28th. This is a curated market so they only pick you if they like you. I was delighted to be accepted, but all this means that I can't be quite so leisurely now and will need to pick up the pace. I've had a lovely play - but it's now back to business.