Shaun Hall's Raku Ceramics Blogspot

I finally got round to packaging up some work for the Erwood Station Gallery in Powys, Wales. This is the sister gallery of the Lion Street Gallery in Hay on Wye. In between I have had yet more kiln woes- so production ground to a halt during August. Everything is now fixed and I'm back up and running. The pots will be in Wales fingers crossed by the weekend. Here's a few of the "newbies."

I paid a visit to the Taplin Gallery at Woodbridge today to drop off some new work, including some conical style bowls, tea-bowls ( Chawan ) and a couple of sculptural pieces. If you know Woodbridge it's a picturesque Suffolk town with a beautiful old high street and is situated on the River Deben. I've been exhibiting work there periodically since about 1998. It's always a pleasure to visit and today was a chance to have a chat with it's new owner and I must say the gallery is looking  great. Worth a visit if you're up in that part of the world. You can "facebook" the gallery manager- Maz- for more information  at, https://www.facebook.com/taplingallery Some of the new work for sale at the Taplin Gallery Aurora- retail £145    Raku Chawan (small) £25

I just thought I'd share this particular pot. It's a "Sentinel" - a type of sculpture very loosely based on standing stones and archaic tools and flints- with my own slant. It cracked in the firing, so it lay around a while until my nephew came round and decided to clean it up. I rather like it despite the flaws and the curving crack on the rear face. Shall I  infill with gold leaf or maybe just leave it? Anyway I quite like like it as it is. .                                                      "Sentinel" sculptural raku form

I am enjoying spending more time in the studio over the summer and have finally got around to one or two long standing projects! You might recall a while back I made a Jug for Chelmsford Museum, in Essex, which is now in their collection of Studio Pottery. The museum collection curator, Dr Mark Curteis  commissioned me to make a second jug for his own personal collection of ceramics. I have only just got round to it! Anyhow it is nice to be back in the workshop and busy making stuff once again. Bliss. One of a series of freshly made green-ware Jugs  drying out in the workshop read for bisque firing.  You may also like to see a time lapse video of the construction process in making one of these jugs over on my Youtube channel VIDEO:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di4d1syY5C4

My website is back up live! It needs a bit of tweaking to bring it up to date, but thanks to my good friend and chief designer - Bergy it is live. He did a great job for me. Have a look and hopefully it will get updated as we go. That's my aim anyhow in between making pots....and teaching....if I get a chance! http://www.shaun-hall-raku.com/

A big thanks to Dr Badar Al Malmari of Sultan Quboos University. I picked up my package posted all the way from Oman, and lo and behold is my copy of "Ceramics and Glaze"- just about the only book on the subject written fully in Arabic! Ok, my Arabic is not that good- but I am featured in the Raku section- next to David Roberts. Pretty good eh?! Anyway if this carries on- I am going to need to put up another another bookshelf. Fifth book now- now I just need to sell some bloody pots....

You may remember my last disastrous attempt at building a Raku box type kiln. Suffice to say it didn't work- and the temperature stacked at 800 degrees c. This time I've recycled the fibre and mesh and reverted to the tried and trusted barrel type kiln- and dug out my old raku kiln given to me by a fellow potter. Essentially I've made a top hat to fit on the kiln base- and I am firing tommorow to check it reaches temperature.. It better bloody had I am doing a Raku firing demo on Saturday as part of the Braintree Arts Festival in Essex. I'll be stuffed if it doesn't work!