1882ltd
Penny Vases painted and ready to be fired.
As my Mother and her family herald from the area of England known as the Potteries, the business of ceramics has always been familiar to me. My very first words were likely biscuit, Daddy and Royal Doulton.
My adult introduction to this industry has been through Emily Johnson and her company, 1882ltd. Whilst waiting one afternoon for Emily at Royal Stafford in Burslem, I found myself in the cafe/shop that adjoins the factory where they have a painting area for children. What an invitation.
Though my drafting repertoire is not much more than dots and squiggles, I make the most of that naivety and my love of playing with colour. With some years of practice under my belt now, I am working on stripes…. more challenging … but lovely.
Every day is a learning day. The process of making ceramics is fraught with the possibility of accident. At every stage of production there is a potential problem lying in wait… all of which makes it so very challenging and enjoyable…. the desire for control that is never arriving.
I love to work with my hands. After many years of being in a creative business I know the key to everything is to get on with it…. but don’t expect genius in the first 5 minutes.
Lou casting new work for LDF 2022.
Colour tests waiting to be reglazed and fired.
Powdered Bronze.
Glaze colours and textures.
When I arrived in Stoke 5 weeks ago, I was taken to meet a man who bares great resemblance to a wizard and entertained me with drawer upon drawer of glaze colours and effects. I could have spent days in this small room packed with cupboards full of tiny coloured tiles.... dozens in every shade.
Carole, ceramic artist and co-worker, painting.
Tools of the trade.
Stripe in progress.
I work with brushes and sponges. It's much harder to apply a glaze than the finished results suggest. They can dry very quickly causing the brush to come to a sudden halt. Adding more liquid is the solution though this often ends in unwanted dribbly disasters. Trying to correct a mistake is also a risky business though I'm learning to be more patient, pause and gently brush off unwanted spots and spills.
Wedgwood building, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent.
The space 1882ltd occupies is part of the Wedgwood factory in Barlaston… the village my grandparents lived in. I’m surrounded by years of expertise… an invaluable crew of people trained in the specifics of this craft. I’m watching, taking it all in.
happy April
xm
Martyn Thompson Painted Ware, London Design Festival 2019.