Enough Already

There are so many other things to be done,and you know that I've been restraining myself [sometimes forcibly] from getting back to work, but today a trickle of tourists lured me back into the studio, where Meir's new clay was just the right consistency after I'd added a plasticising mixture of ballclay,molochite and VeeGumT, and it was cold and rainy outside, my favourite working conditions, with the parafin stove burbling away, reggae on the net, and I just couldn't hold out any longer,so I made the bits for a couple of bottles,and had a wonderful time.

Gareth Mason at Tel Hai 2008

If you click on the title,you should be rewarded with a brief video from this morning's concluding session...Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Sameach!

Marete's Forms

The last one being a "sketch" for the first,which is 60-70cms long.

Fong's Teapots

Symposium Day 2

Gareth applying hakame slip [but inside,for a change],Master Fong's tools,Marete pinching away [note wrist supports].

Tel Hai Pottery Symposium -First Day

An engrossing day of creative claywork,learning,meeting,re-unions and helpful friendliness. Warms the heart while whetting the appetite [rather like the fine soup the students prepared,in addition to their staple and ubiquitous sandwiches,and generally being on hand to assist whenever required].Today the guests were building bases and forms,with their individual styles of manipulation,treatment,refinement and finish still to be demonstrated tomorrow and Friday. They were watched by a strong 200+ crowd of enthusiastic Israeli potters,with more expected tomorrow,while the welcome rain poured down [intermittently] outside.

It Begins

This evening we lit Chanukah lights with our students and guests at Tel Hai. Yael Novak,who has been looking after the guests and introducing them to the country since their arrival four days ago,brought them up to Tel Hai and,after a brief tour of the department,they got down to work,preparing some pieces for further work when the Symposium starts tomorrow. They are an impressive and diverse threesome: Merete and Gareth were both in a recent group show in England,but neither have worked with Fong,and everyone seems excited by the prospect of three days' playing with clay. Myself included - see you there!