tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61728932069802881162024-03-09T08:56:31.366+00:00Pots and PaintJude Allman: Hand Thrown Stoneware PotteryJude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-65511084544947056592020-07-19T00:08:00.007+01:002020-07-19T00:54:08.334+01:00Latest Update: Instagram and Etsy Shop LinksIt's been over a year since I updated this blog. I started writing about my pots back in 2009 and for a few years I posted here regularly. But things move on, so I thought it was time to officially archive and retire the blog. Instead you can follow my latest updates on my instagram: @judeallmanceramics.You can also follow my latest work in my Etsy Shop which is now my main on-lineJude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-91398751364628929492018-11-18T23:44:00.002+00:002018-11-18T23:47:48.393+00:00Pit Firing 2018
Back in September I tried out an alternative firing technique called pit firing. Although I enjoy using my electric kiln, it's fun to try something different now and again. I used to fire using a raku method but my last firing was seven years ago. Since then I moved house and now have a garden with enough space to try some firing experiments. Time to play with fire!
Pit firing (also known as Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-39301458497572670082018-09-27T20:12:00.000+01:002018-09-27T20:15:42.381+01:00How to Make a Wood Ash Glaze (Revisited)
Wood Ash Glaze Tests
One of my most popular posts on this blog has been the one about how to make a wood ash glaze. It seems there's quite a few potters out there looking for information on this. So I thought I'd do an update in case anyone finds it useful or interesting!
I've completely run out of my first ash glaze - the one I made back in 2013. It was such a lovely glaze I used it on Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-81754687928962228822018-07-07T20:05:00.001+01:002018-07-07T20:08:11.863+01:00In the Studio: New Chalkboard
Throwing Berry Bowls
Ah, the ubiquitous chalkboard! In my day we called them blackboards, but I suppose that reminds people too much of school. So chalkboard it is!
Ever since my old notice board (a pin and cork affair) fell off the wall onto a batch of freshly thrown jugs (yes, that really did happen) I've been thinking about an alternative system. The obvious choice is a trendy Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-57509240158585701662018-05-15T22:07:00.001+01:002018-05-15T22:07:37.392+01:00This Week I Will Be Mostly...Glazing.
This week it's all about glazing. In fact I have plenty of glazing to do because I have enough bisque fired pots to fire two glaze kilns (which I plan to fire next week - all being well of course).
In the photo above you can see the kiln shed as it was a week or so ago -with pots waiting to be fired in the bisque kiln. And below are a few last minute shelf fillers - some tiny stoneware Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-16837667933156596102018-03-25T21:49:00.001+01:002018-03-25T21:55:08.749+01:00Photo Shoot at Home in the Kitchen
When it comes to taking photos of pots, my style of photography for the past ten years or so has favoured a plain white or minimalist background. I like the simple look of this style so it's always been a 'go to' choice for me. Also magazines prefer to use such images when publishing a feature.
But it does have drawbacks. The main one is that people can't tell at a glance how big or smallJude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-5160566396920895432018-01-30T12:13:00.002+00:002018-01-30T12:17:54.305+00:00Spring Cleaning in the Studio
Snowdrops in the garden
January is nearly over and it looks like Spring is on its way already - as you can see from the lovely snowdrops in my garden.
I've been doing a bit of Spring Cleaning. I've got a few custom orders to make so it's nice to start the New Year fresh with a clean studio. I'm quite a tidy potter (I clean as I go!) because I find it difficult to work when things are Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-58354300368912241202017-11-18T20:01:00.000+00:002017-11-18T20:09:20.904+00:00Christmas Stock: New Ceramic Bells and Star Tea-light holders.
New Star Cut Out Tea-light Holders
Christmas is officially back on track! In my last post I mentioned I was having kiln issues. Thankfully these were resolved after fitting a brand new isolation switch. The new one is more robust than the last one - which burnt itself out. Hopefully the new one should do a much better job and last longer too.
I was very lucky that nothing else seemed to beJude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-64472267814423182272017-10-18T22:31:00.001+01:002017-10-18T22:42:05.364+01:00Kiln Issues - A Problem with a Bisque Firing (Christmas on Hold!)
Christmas Bells Drying in the Kiln Room
I'm currently in limbo and don't know yet whether Christmas is cancelled or not! Last Sunday I packed the kiln full of pots for a bisque firing. Most of the pots are Christmas stock ready for the busy season and include a batch of Christmas Bells (see the photo above).
Everything was going well with the firing and seemed normal right up until about 550Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-10230672768887258732017-08-18T20:25:00.001+01:002017-08-19T00:05:21.764+01:00Studio Update: New Shelves
For many years my studio has been populated with odd bits of second-hand furniture and shelves. Building up a studio from scratch often means adapting items you already have. I've always re-used and re-purposed old pieces of furniture that were 'down-graded' from the house and given them a new lease of life in the pottery. And when I needed something extra, I looked in second-hand shops for Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-91484761776891940162017-07-04T17:09:00.000+01:002017-07-04T18:30:54.203+01:00Natural Dyeing Day - Wool, Cloth and Colours
Clockwise from top left: Natural wool skeins and fleece, Brewing up some eucalyptus leaves, and below, Pots of dye bubbling on the open fire pit
I don't normally blog about anything else besides pots (and very occasionally paint). But last week my sister and I spent a lovely day in her garden enjoying ourselves doing some natural dyeing. It was so interesting to see all the colours appearingJude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-84342754196010281782017-04-07T02:05:00.000+01:002017-04-07T02:30:59.632+01:00Setting Up the New Studio
New Shelves (and Brackets!) in the Kiln Shed
It's been a busy few months setting up the new studio. In fact so much has been happening I'm not sure where to begin blogging about it! I also didn't document the process - or progress - very well, so I don't have many photos. But here's the short version of everything that's been happening.
I began setting up the studio in January. The most Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-48742591785868301132017-02-03T12:46:00.000+00:002017-02-03T13:28:54.259+00:00LandScape Magazine Feature: Pouring Bowls and Pancake Day
I'm absolutely thrilled to be featured in Jan/Feb 2017 issue of LandScape Magazine! You can find a photo of me holding my pouring bowl set on page 41 as part of an editorial for inspiring seasonal ideas and recipes for the kitchen.
Pancake Day isn't far away: it's the 28th of February this year, and my bowls are great for making small batches of batter as well as all sorts of other Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-1859391861314214872016-12-11T14:21:00.000+00:002016-12-11T14:21:10.631+00:00Christmas Tea-light Holders
On the last day of November we had a lovely frosty morning. So I popped into the garden quick with my camera to try to get some festive photos.
These Christmas tea-light holders with stars are made with speckled stoneware clay. On the handle they feature handmade beads made from porcelain and black clay. And to give them a seasonal touch, some gorgeous red glass beads, which are Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-78759666416511755232016-11-07T20:48:00.000+00:002016-11-21T10:50:03.969+00:00New Home, New Studio - and Christmas Crafts at Quarr again...
Handmade Stoneware Cottages
In case anyone was wondering where I've been for the past six months, I've moved house! In my books, that's a really good excuse for not posting on my blog since April. They say, (whoever 'they' are) that moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do. And I agree. But I'd have to say that moving house AND moving pottery studio adds a little cherry onJude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-20818252453834633122016-04-16T15:34:00.001+01:002016-04-16T15:34:49.421+01:00Modern Stoneware Beakers: Monty's Vintage Shop Blog Feature
Back in January in my last blog post I was throwing an order of beakers. Well since then I've been so busy (as usual) I've hardly had time to show off any of the things I've been up to. But today (while I'm waiting for the latest kiln to cool) I thought I'd at least mention what happened to those beakers...
After throwing them, I turned the bases next day and then brushed Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-75910830478600998952016-01-01T17:58:00.006+00:002016-01-01T17:58:54.740+00:00New Year, New Beginnings
It's New Year's Day today and I'm starting as I mean to go on! It's been a really busy Christmas season and my stock of pots is very low. But before I can re-stock I have some orders to complete - in fact the first kiln of the year is already booked up! So I've been throwing some beakers today as part of an order of 20.
Today has been the first chance I've had to get on the wheel in quiteJude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-83538603023090493792015-11-04T19:38:00.000+00:002015-11-04T19:57:44.226+00:00Christmas Crafts at Quarr Abbey - 2015
A medley of work available at the show
The kiln is working overtime at the moment making orders and getting ready for Christmas shows. I have two more glaze firings left and then I'll be ready for my next event which is a joint show at Quarr Abbey.
I'm exhibiting with four other local artists and craft makers from the Isle of Wight. On display will be a range of different disciplines Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-18710962602770234462015-10-05T16:30:00.002+01:002015-10-05T16:37:47.075+01:00Speckled Stoneware Clay - Some New Pots and Designs
This year I've been using a speckled stoneware clay more often to make new designs. Some of these designs I make exclusively using this clay because they go together so well. When fired, this clay is lighter in colour than my usual stoneware and is best described as 'ecru'. It has a brown speckle throughout which comes from the tiny flecks of iron inside the clay.
As well as being a lovely Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-40761048912637561502015-08-16T13:16:00.001+01:002015-08-16T13:16:14.634+01:00Packing and Firing a Glaze Kiln
Yesterday I packed and fired a glaze kiln. Above is a composite of
all four shelves as I packed them one on top of the next - number 1
being the first or bottom shelf and number 4 being the top. These are
what the pots look like when they've had glaze applied, but before
they've been fired. In other words they should look different by the
time I open the kiln tomorrow!
When I pack the Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-65346525708843360482015-06-27T15:46:00.000+01:002015-06-27T22:57:08.766+01:00Candle Bowls
The women in my family have a thing for candles. A long time ago I bought my mum a candle in a terracotta bowl. I thought
it was a lovely idea and I suspect mum did too - because she still has
it on display in her house unlit after all these
years! Back then I didn't know
how to make pots - although of course I've always loved pottery. So when I started making pots, this idea kept Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-39297778425796783552015-05-03T14:54:00.000+01:002015-05-03T14:54:01.543+01:00Spring Things - Making Bells, Jugs and Bowls
The kiln is on again. This time another bisque. It seems the only time I write a blog post these days is when the kiln is on! But I've been taking photos of some of the things I've been making this past month. Above and below are a batch of new bells or wind chimes I've made for an order. As you can see, each one is handthrown on a wheel just like a bowl and then the base is turned and Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-11870749606415261142015-03-20T13:08:00.001+00:002015-03-20T13:11:17.002+00:00Eclipse: Moon Bowls in Black Stoneware Clay
Today we had a solar eclipse. The plan was perfect. Fire the kiln on
Thursday (yesterday) so this morning I could watch the eclipse in the
garden while I waited for the kiln to cool down. Unfortunately a thick
blanket of cloud obscured the entire event! And although it went quite dark around 9.30am (during which time we had a nice piece of carrot cake and a cup of tea) it mostly felt the Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-1174815693566239212015-02-05T16:19:00.002+00:002015-02-05T16:49:54.993+00:00Valentine's Day Ideas
It's been a busy 2015 already - mostly with finishing a spill-over of Christmas orders and re-stocking on some essential pots (bird bowls are back in stock btw!). The kiln has been bisque fired once and glaze fired twice already before January had a chance to put its feet up!
I think the kiln was wondering what on earth was going on - especially as it had to contend with some chilly Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6172893206980288116.post-72087348511804606802014-12-01T18:24:00.002+00:002014-12-01T18:47:13.516+00:00Homes and Gardens Magazine Feature - Bird Tail Pouring Bowls
© Homes and Gardens Magazine December 2014
Recently I found out my 'bird tail' pouring bowls were featured in this month's Homes and Gardens Magazine (December 2014 issue). It was a complete surprise and I'm so pleased - especially as they look great too which is the most important thing!
I have two sizes of bird tail bowls - a small one that fits in the palm of Jude Allmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652922707350616702noreply@blogger.com3