First 2 weekends in April were very busy. I talked to a lot of people who came to visit us during York Open Studios 2011. I really enjoyed talking to people who are interested in arts and craft, and interested in one's own work. Our work was showcased in a conservatory transformed into a gallery. At our venue were 2 ceramic artists and a print maker. Some people came to see prints and experienced ceramics as well, and vice versa. It was great to get such good feedback from people. Now it's back to the studio to create more work.

Yesterday was slightly fraught as I applied coloured engobes to my work. First came the mixing of colours. Enjoyable but choosing the right colour for each pot or sculptural piece is an intense dialogue. Once the colours were ready I ventured outside. It was cold so I was bundled up with a mask on looking like a creature from another planet. The sprayer and booth worked beautifully but trying not to touch the pieces after spraying was difficult. I wore gloves so no actual fingerprints but I'm sure there are a few smudges. This is the last step before firing and I haven't seen the finished product yet so I am holding my breath. Wish me luck!

Hi. Today was mild outside so I started spraying engobes (mostly clay & stain with some glaze ingredients) on bisque-fired work. My 'spray' booth is improvised: a water butt cut out on one side & placed on a table.; a spray gun and hose attached to a compressor. Using a very low pressure the results were great and the spray blow-back was minimal. Of course, I wore a mask. I have other formulas to try over the next few days; and other colours. Today it was white on a pierced pot. I need to get my current batch of work glazed as I need photos for an upcoming exhibition.

A part of making any work is making it visible to the public. I have had a web site for a year but I needed to update it. I'm not exactly a whiz at internet technology but I have managed to set up this web site.  I've created a web site where you can see my work and contact me with any feedback if you wish.