Friday, May 10, 2013

Take a deep breath and breathe out, time to digest what happened at Gulgong ...

The flurry of facebook posts after Gulgong has been quite overwhelming. There are so many stories to tell of this amazing week of non-stop ceramics, artists, workshops, events, fun, food, drinking, parties... all with people passionate about ceramics... is this heaven or what?

Gulgong itself is a perfect location, and as one local said to me, "We love having the potters here, they are such friendly people to have in our town." Of course!

All the delegates gained so much from the week, so many surprises, and delights. Already my mud colony buddies have written and hightlighted so many of the great happenings, so here are a selection of images of happenings that rang my bell!

Mould making with  Somchai Charoen using sawdust to lighten the moulds - such a practical and useful idea. He lives in Sydney and he makes moulds as his business.





Making non-toxic lustres with Greg Daly, I can't wait to try them out - thanks Greg.



Building big forms with Naidee Changmoh, Thailand - (I know this has been posted before, but I just loved this)



Uncle Skulky and his crow - the naughty alter-ego of Frank Boyden, who, in my view, is naughty enough without having a even wicked-er alter-ego.

Inspirational design methods from Ane-Katrine von Bülow and Diana Fayt. Both are so careful, take so long over their work, so many lessons to learn from them.

Diana Fayt

Ane-Katrine

Listening to Jeff Minchim, again (I went to his 2-day workshop in Noosa a couple of years ago). Jeff, thank you for being so generous with your techniques and telling about your thinking behind your work, so many of your ideas I will be using in my work. And the delightful work of Norma Ginsberg - one day I will spend time in Brazil with her and the wonderful Pimenta (who was our guide in Jingdezhen). Inspirational. And the off beat whimsical work of Maryanne Hallberg, such wonderful ideas, simple yet so sophisticated. Loved it all. And there was more, too much for one post.
And I have to mention again the amazing Lee Kang Hyo - I think we all took a video or two, and I now have a couple of his splash painted bowls waiting to go into the kiln. 



Making a coil pot with the help of Paul de Jongh



I did enjoy meeting and getting to know more potters, especially my mud colony buddies, spending time with Suncoast Clayworkers, sharing with Mieke, and I loved seeing what other Australian potters are doing, so much amazing work here, just amazing. 



On the way to Gulgong we stayed at the Pilliga Pottery near Coonabarabran. This magical place is a working pottery, employing several potters. My friend Peta Meiking will be working there as a painter of pots, so I'm hoping to visit and spend time there next year. It was a delightful surprise. Mieke and I staying in the schoolhouse pictured with handmade tiled bathroom, and bespoke architecture, a true fairy house. 
http://www.pilligapottery.com.au








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