Welcome to our Web site
Please use the menu buttons on the left hand side of the screen to navigate around, find out about us, and see some examples of our work.
Please browse and enjoy!
Pottery Parties
We are happy to host such parties for children or adults as well as team building or hen party days. Childrens parties usually start between 2pm - 2.30pm and finish at 5.30pm approximately. We provide a birthday cake if required (homemade chocolate birthday cakes seem to be popular!). The children or adults will have a chance to try their hand at throwing on the wheel and slip casting pots. Such activities do involve a degree of mess!! Hence such parties come with a warning that attendees should come dressed in old clothes that do not matter if they get covered in clay!!! To date all those who have had such parties have had a thoroughly fun time. These are just a few of the comments/feedback:-
29th September 2008.
"I had a great time" Olivia Conway Age 9.
1st November 2009: Letter from a parent
Dear Suzanne and Neil,
A very big thank you to you both for Alex’s party.The children absolutely adored it and can’t wait to see their masterpieces. It really was a treat for me to watch and participate as a bystander enjoying seeing Alex and her friends as opposed to rushing around like a woman possessed!
It really was a wonderful experience for all of us.
Do let us know when the pottery is ready for collection and also when you are ready to do your evening pottery classes as I would love to have a go myself.
All the very best
Jane
P.S.Suzanne your chocolate cake was great..not too sweet just right.
Evening Classes
These classes are aimed at those that wish to escape to a creative environment where they can try out different techniques or start a project with our help that may take a few weeks to build.
Every Tuesday evening from 7.15 - 9.15pm
Cost £7.50p per hour - this includes all materials & tuition.
One Day Pottery Courses
These courses are aimed at those that have never tried pottery before or those that are beginners at throwing. Classes are relaxed and kept small (maximum 5) to allow individual attention to be given to each student. Whether you would like to recreate that "ghost" moment on the wheel or just simply have a fun day messing about with clay then this is the ideal sort of one day course for you.
Cost: £90 per adult - includes all materials, tution as well as lunch.
We provide a home cooked lunch, morning coffee and afternoon tea with homemade cake (we are known for our chocolate cake!) as part of the day. Such days normally start at 9.30am and finish approximately at 5.30pm. We have in the past taught family groups including children. If they can reach the wheel pedal on the floor we are happy to teach them, but children under 16 need to be accompanied by an adult/parent.
Suzanne has a MA in Education and hence is a qualified HE lecturer (Higher Education, based in a University setting). We both share the teaching aspects on these days, as we both have City and Guilds qualifications in ceramics and ceramic design amongst other professional/degree qualifications not directly related to ceramics e.g. engineering and health.
We are always open to suggestions of other days or ceramic topics that people would like to learn more about. Please contact us to discuss your requests.
Dates for 2008
- Saturday 26th July:
- Saturday 12th September
- Saturday 25th October
- Saturday 15th November
Daisy Conway at Butts Green Pottery Studio.
------------------------------
Half day decorating courses
There are many ways to decorate pottery when either green (before firing) or when in a bisque state (after the first firing) or as the final layer after glaze firing - luster application. We have found that many people after producing pots on one of our beginners throwing days want to come back and try out the different ways of decorating their pots including under glaze painting, slip trailing, spraying, sgraffito, on glazing, dipping, pouring both stone ware and earthen ware glazes. Any one medium of decoration has many different methods of application for example under glazes can be sprayed, sponged on, painted on or rolled pressed on.
The chemicals that make up glazes react in different ways depending on the temperature in the kiln and the ramping of the firing (how quickly the final temperature is reached), the type of firing (reduction firing in a gas kiln or oxidation firing in an electric kiln etc) thickness of glaze application, the loading of items in the kiln - the direction of and speed of thermal currents in the kiln are influenced by the height and size of pots that disrupt the thermal current flow. There are many other influencing factors to numerous to mention in this short narrative, but some of which are covered on the half day decoration days if you are interested in finding out more. Such days normally start at 9.30am and continue on until 1.30pm when we finish with a mug of homemade soup and bread to keep you going on the journey home.
Cost: £35 per person
---------------------------------------------
Weekend Pottery Courses
The intention in 2009 is to expand the length of courses from one day courses to weekend courses; providing accommodation with breakfast and lunch included in the price of the course. Accommodation is provided in the main house next to the pottery studio, although students can arrange their own accomodation at another venue. All food is home made and at times depending on the season punctuated by home grown vegetables and salads. The emphasis in our cooking is on sourcing organic ingredients free from chemicals, pesticides or genetic modification from local producers with the aim of producing tasty, enjoyable food in a sociable setting.
Again the emphasis is on keeping the pottery courses small to allow individual attention - maximum of five people on each course.
Butts Green is a short car journey from Stansted airport - approximately 45 minutes by car. Students arriving by air from Stansted airport or by train at Chelmsford station can be collected by prior arrangement. More dates for weekend courses in 2009 have yet to be finalised. However, if you are interested in such an option please contact us direct by telephone on 01245 223672.
Sarts at 4pm on the Friday ends 5pm on the Sunday
Cost: £280 per person
--------------------------------------------