Kiln filled half way. First layer all the Stroke Club tiles. Then a layer of Christmas T light holders. Then this layer of Christmas sweetie pots. Several vases waiting to be carved and fired in the next layer.

This huge vase has been covered in slip and coloured slips as the first layer in another "when will they ever learn" Vase.  I will bisque fire it then put in the layers of underglaze colours before bisque firing. 

Plaques and vase waiting to be carved;

Leaf Printing on Slipware with Stroke Club

We started with leather- hard slabs of clay. We cut them into different sizes and shapes. Mum made coasters;

Someone else made a large mat or trivet;

Two square wall plaques;

It is a very easy technique. The clay is cut out at leather hard. Then leaves are placed vein side down and then we wipe around them to remove background colour (leaving leaves in place to mask)

Then the entire surface is painted over with a contrasting colour. Wait again for the leaves and surface to dry; then the background colour is planted over. The above is what I saw when the leaves were removed; beautiful!

Some might see turning as unnecessary or at least boring. I actually enjoy the process and find it relaxing and therapeutic. Might be because when I first did Art at school I did wood turning! (I don't think they have that in schools these days, sadly!)   The first vase is a big vase and it is drying out a bit before I paint the slip on top. I need to decide what will be portrayed on the surface.. It might be trees or flowers.  It will ultimately be fired as Stoneware.

The second vase was thrown in two parts in order to increase hight and minimise weight. The aim is to recreate my slip painted vase "When will they ever learn?"  

I also slip painted some of my "sweetie jars"; this one has a penguin. I intend to make trees and snowmen to sit on top of the jars as well.

Three of the twelve T light holders made for Christmas. They are awaiting their first firing.

An experiment with leaf printing. I will use it at the Stroke club on Friday. Quite simple to do and very effective!

This evening I am making more Penguins, Snowmen and Trees to sit on top of my "sweetie jars" I turned them and their lids this afternoon. Then I will stick on their snowflake masking and paint them with three colours of slip. It's all go!!

 Today I have been back on the wheel; frantically trying to get ahead on my Christmas stock.  I have thrown six of the new design "sweetie" jars with lids. Once dried out a bit I will turn these and add my little embellishments like snowmen, trees and penguins. (my favourite!)

I also carved the surface of my large vase with birds and leaves plus a vine design around the top. I think I will leave this one strictly black and white although once bisqued I could perhaps add a little colour.

I draw mostly freehand from sketches from my ever present "doodle" pad.

I particularly like birds! This one using white as an outline on black as opposed to the large vase which is black outline on white.

Here are the numerous shapes waiting for me to carve them. The four tiles have no slip added yet as I have yet to decide what to put on them. Maybe trees.
The black round ones are going to be coasters; six sets of four with various trees etc depicted. The red and green ones are also coasters but will have Holly and Poinsettia depicted on them. (Holly on Red and Poinsettia on Green for some contrast otherwise it would be a white cat in a snowstorm moment!)
I will try and photograph the various stages from adding layers of  slip to carving etc.
Enjoy!

I have spent this week throwing vases, bowls, coasters, vases and t light holders. I have then covered them with a variety of coloured slips.
I really love the sgraffito technique.
So I will spend the week in my studio scratching! They will come to life when glaze is added and the bright contrasts between slip and clay shines bright.
The Kiln is half full despite my surgery at the end of last week. I intend to spend some time throwing some jars etc tomorrow.  The weather changes and people suddenly decide they need to start thinking about Christmas. I will have to plan my time carefully as my daughter Stefanie is getting married on the 21st December and I am making and doing loads for that. (photos to follow).
I will post more photos when I unpack the kiln. All very exciting!

Sgraffito, (from the Italian sgraffire, or scratched, also written as Sgraffiti as plural) is a visual arts technique used in ceramics, pottery, painting and glass in which a top layer of surface colour is scratched away to reveal another colour underneath. Sgraffito wares were produced by Islamic potters and was a technique widely used in the Middle East, influencing Mediterranean ceramics in medieval times. Sgraffito as architectural adornment can be seen on the surfaces of German and Bohemian buildings dating from the Renaissance.

The technique of sgraffito spread throughout Europe from Italy in the 16th and 17th centuries, originating from Italy and being brought to Germany via master builders and architects. As a visual alternative to stonework, sgraffito murals became an artwork in their own right.

In ceramics, sgraffito slipwares were produced in the Po valley, Northern Italy, at the beginning of the medieval period. As the Pisa region became a primary producer of ceramic wares, the style also became traded across north-western Europe.

This is my first Blog entry. I think this will be a huge learning curve but here goes!  The first bit of a book sets the scene and is usually a bit boring but bear with me please!

I am Mandy Dodd from Rainbow Pottery. 

If you know me you will know that my artistic career has been multi coloured and varied to say the least! I didn't go to uni in spite of the protestations of my art teacher Mrs Heatherington.  I did what mum and dad wanted for me and that was to get a "proper job". 

But in spite of that inconvenience I managed to keep my hand in art wise and started entering competitions at  Ealing Town Hall with quite satisfying success. Then commissions even portrait work via word of mouth in oils. A phone call out of the blue sent me in the direction of the theatre as I was asked to be scenic artist for Starlight Theatre Company. There I stayed for many years designing and painting scenery and props and latterly UV puppets. When I moved to Woodley I continued the theatre work and became scenic artist for Woodley Theatre. Graduating on to writing two full scale puppet pantos and making scenery, props, puppets, training puppeteers etc. By that time my children Stef, Matt and Kip had been born and each of them helped paint scenery, work a puppet, perform on stage etc.  We did the Lord Mayor's Show with gigantic puppets made to a piece devised by the kids including a UV scene. Stef was a giant bird that hatched from an egg, Matt was a giant crocodile and tree and Kip was a fluorescent drum playing monkey in the UV scene. Great fun.

The puppetry took off in 2000 when Cathy Valentine of Circus Scene decided we could devise a traveling show and What a Doddle Puppets was born. We performed to the great and good and even performed at Guilfest at the same time as Rolf Harris and Alice Cooper.  Special Needs schools took to us particularly and we devised workshops based on individual needs to enable them to access the National Curriculum. We did interactive shows for Berkshire Blind Society and many local Special Needs Schools including Addington That was so rewarding.

We devised two full scale Christmas puppet extravaganzas and performed them to packed houses in the Oakwood Theatre. Again this was a family affair as Stef Kip and I recorded voices with some other friends. Alland did the sound and music. Matt did publicity, website posters and video recording. Kip, Cathy Stef and I were puppeteers.Allan and I built scenery, Stef helped to paint and we all mucked in to set up the show and take it down at the end. My brother even made a snowing machine for the first show and took great interest in each production.  We did not realise how much fun it would be. The audiences loved it and still ask for more.  Wonderful memories.

I went back to doing stuff for theatre and we made the odd TV appearance with the puppets. (Let me Entertain You. Brian Connoly). Puppeteers were myself, Cathy and Kip.  

We also won a holiday with WestStar for our puppet performances and also won first prize in the overall competition at the end of the year with our "who let the dogs out" and "delilah" medley. Such fun and a free holiday!

The family have been brought up around theatre, art and music. They all took part in Woodley Youth Theatre and some of my most precious memories come from that time... Just as well I couldn't predict the future...