A Potter At Work

[Newt]

Jan & I are in the finishing stages of putting together a web site to sell local handmade pottery. We spent Thursday morning at the Holly Hill pottery finalizing some details on pricing and shipping with Richard, the owner.

 

Jan mentioned to him that she wanted to get a couple of pictures of him creating a piece to put on his section of the web site along with his finished wares for sale and asked when he would be throwing some pieces prior to firing them. He is only around 70 miles from us so it's an easy morning drive to the pottery and back home in plenty of time for me to get to work.

 

Richard told her that since she had her camera handy, he'd do a couple of things before we left so we headed to the rear of his shop. He pulled several balls of clay from their container, walked over to his wheel, and started to work. Jan was able to get some great pictures including these three.

 

Most of his finished work is designed for use. He does bird houses & feeders, lamp bases, and a large variety of cooking vessels. The clay is a mix of 5 different sorts and made to withstand years of trips to the oven. This particular one is made for cooking chickens and small turkeys with a center piece that holds liquid (beer is very popular) and holds the bird upright. You simply fill the holder (integral part of the dish) with liquid, 'stand' the bird on the center piece, place veggies around the bottom (onions, carrots, whatever else you fancy) and then into the oven. The finished product makes for some great eating.

 

I suppose he has been doing this long enough that it is pretty automatic for him but to watch the easy way he shaped a lump of clay into a finished dish amazed me. Richard is around 70 and learned his craft from his mother starting when he was a young boy. She moved from England to North Carolina when she was about 20 - not sure of details but I do plan to ask him at some point. I have no idea if his pieces show his English roots or not.

 

Getting it started

 

 

Using wire to trim off a bit of clay

 

Nearly finished now

[Steve Randles]

Nice one Newt! One of those shots would be good to enter in the current photo challenge

 

Good luck with the site.

[Jeff S]

He's not related to Harry?

 

Good luck with the site Newt. Can you send me details of the site once it's up? My wife would really like some of his creations.

 

I'm just leaving...

[Guest Finepix]

Something I've always wanted to do. What an art.

 

Have you loaded them in the comp? I'd go for the top one, maybe in b&w.

 

[Guest Jan V]

Something I've always wanted to do. What an art.Have you loaded them in the comp? I'd go for the top one, maybe in b&w.

Changed to b/w and added to the competition - now can I go to bed Newt????

[Peter Waller]

Errrr, what was it that he made?

[Guest Jan V]

Errrr, what was it that he made?

This piece is a new variation on his chicken baker - which we have used and like very much. Here in the States, the newer thing with cooking chicken is having a can of beer up the inside cavity to provide the added taste and keep the meat moist. One can use the liquid of their choice to permeate into the meat by placing it in the reservoir molded into the center of the piece..

 

 

[Peter Waller]

American beer add flavour!?!??

 

But the idea is good.

[Guest Jan V]

American beer add flavour!?!?? But the idea is good.

Ok, not as good as your ale, but it works (sort uh)

[Newt]

American beer add flavour!?!??

 

But the idea is good.

 

Somehow I thought the idea of American beer stuck up a chicken's butt would appeal to a largely UK readership.