Clay lovers of Victoria, you can plan some proper good road trips for Australian Ceramics Open Studios 2018 next weekend!!

27 artists in 23 locations across Melbourne and Victoria are opening their doors to the public for the sixth annual Australian Ceramics Open Studios, Saturday 18th + Sunday 19th August.

Get out to visit a studio (or THREE) and inspire your inner artist!

Judy Hilbig at Clay Bowl Pottery is number 22 on the map, and I'm number 21. We'd love to see you here in the Grampians.

Thanks to Susannah Larritt (ACOS studio 11 in VIC!) for the ace map!

In August I will be creating a pop-up studio Halls Gap Hub for a mini-residency, where I'll be making pieces on the potter’s wheel and decorating them with designs inspired by the surrounding Grampians National Park!

I am S T O K E D that this project is part of both Australian Ceramics Open Studios AND the 2018 Craft Cubed Festival! TACA + Craft are two of my most favourite Antipodean art organisations, it's a thrill to participate in events hosted by them.

The pop-up studio will be open from Wednesday 15th 'til Sunday 19th August 2018, 10am - 4pm. Drop in for a sticky beak and a chat!

Halls Gap Hub can be found at 117-119 Grampians Road, Halls Gap 3381 (look for the Visitor Information Centre!) or click here for a map.

I'm thrilled to be selling pots at my first Victorian market this month! Find me at the Halls Gap Market on Sunday 10th June, 9am - 1pm.
​
Halls Gap Primary School
10 - 14 School Road
Halls Gap
VIC 3381

​Huzzah!

Hello friends. I have officially returned to Australia, with my darling partner Ed. Two weeks ago we moved to Halls Gap, a tiny town set on the edge of the Grampians National Park, three hours NW of Melbourne.

We've had very warm welcomes to our new home, from humans, marsupials and birds! We are surrounded by hundreds of kangaroos. There are a pair of emus roaming nearby. Cockatoos, kookaburras, Australian magpies, crimson and eastern rosellas, galahs, swallows, willy wagtails, several varieties of honeyeaters, many tinier birds that we are yet to identify, plus happily a sprinkling of my long-time muses, rainbow lorikeets! We feel very, very fortunate to be here.

My studio gear will be shipped over here in a few months; in the meantime, dear Adriana Christianson has lent me her spare wheel (and a stash of studio essentials, AND two bags of my favourite clay!) I'm excited to be making again, especially to resume painting glorious Australian birds.

​In the spirit of sharing the realities of being a self-employed artist I'll admit that I'm waitressing three nights a week to supplement my income, whilst working on re-establishing my practice during the day.

Thank you for sticking around through the quiet period of applying-for-and-waiting-on-visa-boring-times. Your support and encouragement is deeply appreciated, thank you.

In September last year I announced a plan to relocate from the Island with my partner Ed, possibly to Australia. 

Here at the end of January, we've been happily ensconced in Melbourne for nearly 2 months, spending our days between something of a holiday and navigating the path to live here long-term. It's a pleasantly odd balance of revelling in the culture that this city offers, and jumping down the anxiety-lined rabbit hole of visa applications.

There are a great many things not worth writing about for the time being: visa applications are like dreams, only interesting to the people involved in them. 

Until I have some Proper News to share with you, I'll leave some illustrations here for your perusal. Amidst the paperwork, time and space to draw and paint with no particular goal is a huge privilege.

(Yes, I'm keen to paint them on pots...!) 

Wow. Christmas in the Yard weekend was blinkin' INSANE! Props to my legendary customers for turning out in force and patiently queuing through the building. I'm a lucky potter, full of gratitude after a magical weekend. Special thanks to PineWood Studio, Flo the Coffee Van + Reap What You Sew for making my last Christmas in the Yard epic!

Thanks too to Deb Turk for these beautiful photos, they make my heart burst.

You are warmly invited to the annual festive shindig, Christmas in the Yard!

This year we are VERY happy to be joined by special guests Flo the Coffee Van, serving up tasty seasonal treats, and Jenny James of Reap What You Sew, with her gorgeous soft furnishings, clothing and accessories. Our wonderful hosts, Pinewood Studio, will have the showroom bursting with their signature restored + rescued furniture and collectable homewares.

This will be my last year at Christmas in the Yard (please, hassle Maree to continue partying into the future!! She makes the furniture showroom so magical!), and my last event before leaving the Island. I'll have my new festive designs available, PLUS a seconds and samples clearance sale. The pots can't come with me!

Saturday 25th + Sunday 26th November 2017
2pm - 6pm

Lower Bishopscourt Farm, Kirk Michael
(click here for map link - satellite view recommended to find the correct driveway!)

You would be most welcome.

[Photo: Mike Radcliffe]

Some exciting news to share with you: in early December I'm bobbing off to do some travelling! My partner and I have been looking at opportunities in Australia and the UK, and we will be spending some time there to pursue those options - huzzah!

In anticipation of this departure, please save the date for this year's Christmas in the Yard (I beg, refrain from reaching for those pitchforks, I only use the C word out of necessity): Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th November at Lower Bishopcourt Farm in Kirk Michael, with PineWood Studio. We will confirm details in good time, but heads up: there will be a seconds and samples clearance sale (my first on the Island!) as well as this year's festive designs. We are stoked that Flo the Coffee Van will join us in the yard for the weekend to serve up deliciously festive refreshments. 

Whilst I'm not yet sure where I will land next year, and in what form KMC will relaunch, fear not as I will keep you posted - especially when I reopen my order book for 2018! The best way to hear first is to sign up to my mailing list - it's nice to give my subscribers first dibs!

A heartfelt thank you for supporting me on the Isle of Man for the last four years; you've helped me to become a full-time artist. I'm forever grateful.

[Photo (cropped to square): Mike Radcliffe Photography]

​You may have seen me happy-dancing all over social media earlier this month, as one of my swallow side plates was featured in Country Living magazine!

I WAS VERY EXCITED! A sharp subscriber got in quick and nabbed this particular swallow plate from my Etsy shop before the September issue (released on 1st August - ah, publishing!) even hit the shops, but I have made a few more so orders can still be placed! 

I'm particularly chuffed that the Isle of Man got a mention. Many thanks to Alaina Binks for including my work in the selection!

The studio shelves are heaving with new pots for events in July! 

Next week I'll be out on the fair field on Tynwald Day amongst excellent foodies, makers, and of course, Vikings. That's Wednesday 5th July, 9am - 5pm!

Allowing just enough time after that to finish some extra pots and fire the kiln, the Celtfest Artisan Craft Fair is returning on Saturday 15th July, 12 - 5pm! This year it's part of The Gathering family day in Peel Cathedral and the neighbouring Corrin Hall, with mini-performances and workshops from Manx and visiting performers and teachers, as well as storytelling! To top it off, there will be PIZZA from Black Dog Oven and ICE CREAM from Stixx - hurray!

I've set myself up with a PayPal card reader, so I will be able to accept card payments for the first time - woohoo!