Where does the time go?

Where indeed. I haven't stopped. Until now. And then it's only because an afternoon session in a school has been cancelled so I have two seconds to myself...

Perhaps this is self-inflicted though, with too many fingers in too many pies, and some of them very labour intensive pies.

So what have I been doing? Well, not alot of time has been spent in the studio, though I did have an intensive few days preparing for a wood-firing down at Rufford. If you haven't heard about this facility, let me enlighten you.

Down at Rufford Country Park (in Nottinghamshire, near Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest) there is an outdoor Activity Centre where workshops take place and also where the Rufford Wood-Firing Society (of which I am a member) has two wood-firing kilns. Wood-firing is a hugely labour intensive activity, and running a group of disparate people from far and wide (members have hailed from as far afield as Cornwall, Kent and Liverpool and occasionally the visiting potter from Australia or other far-flung corneres of the world) with egos and personalities to match is also quite time-consuming and difficult. We need a large number of people in the group because firing the larger "anagama" kiln (big enough for several people to get inside for the packing) is a big undertaking requiring a lorry load of dry wood that needs to be organised, chopped and stacked, and then five days and nights of non-stop stoking - not to mention a day of packing and half a day to unpack following a week's cooling. We work on a four hour rota but given people's other commitments to work and family, this can sometimes be quite hard to fill. I have to say though, once you are down at the kiln site doing your shift, it is magical, and all the troubles of the world are forgotten in the peace and calm of the woods.

It is a risky business - you are never quite sure how the pots will come out - each firing is different and other factors such as type of wood and clay used and placement in the kiln are crucial. The work is generally not glazed on the outside as the point of a wood-kiln is that the wood ash deposits on the pieces as it travels through the kiln and when this reaches a higher temperature this melts into a glaze on the work. This does mean variation on each piece and the shape and surface texture will also play a part in the resulting effects. I find the wood-firing works really wonderfully on my pieces - I use a very high quality white sculpting clay that results in a golden brown subtly variegated glaze on the best pieces. I also play with different textural effects which can be really exciting as the wood ash deposits on the extremities and tends to highlight both the form and the surface decoration.

I had been working on two scuptural pieces based very loosely on diatoms and microscopoic organisms but did not manage to dry them in time for the firing. Hopefully they will go in the next firing which is due to take place in April. As the gallery in London has requested wood-fired pieces I am hoping some decent work will come out of one of these two firings!! Although I do have some fall-back pieces, thank god.

I must go to work on my research project now - I have been commissioned by Creative Partnerships National Office to look at the work that Creative Partnerships has done in Pupil Referral Units and to look at recommendations for future working practice. This is a nice piece of work to supplement my studio practice and my other work as a Creative Agent (mentor, liaison, consultant, project manager) and Creative Practitioner in schools. It needs a concentrated span of time, however, which is very difficult to find!!

Who knows when I will next be in my studio. I will write and let you know, and will get some photos of my most recent work.

Till next time.

Happy spring!

Sarah