Happy New Year??!!!

Blimey, is it that long since I posted? What have I been messing around at....

Well, let's see - I didn't do a lot over the New Year - dreaded cough that seemed to take forever to get rid of...

I did go up to Bradford to the National Media Museum (old Museum of Photography, Film and Television) the first weekend of the new year - for a bit of research for an essay (in context studies, we had been doing about museums and exhibitions, and labelling, and it was an extension of some research I had done on my Mum's old Brownie 127 camera - interesting history of the Kodak story).

I can highly recommend the place for all ages - Mum (who's a "senior citizen" and I hope she doesn't read my blog!) loved it, my son, who's now 11, also did. As well as an amazing array of cameras charting the history of photography, there is film and television - kids (and adults if you like) can have a go at being on television, there's a brilliant room all about light, as well as puppets from some of our favourite telly shows.

It really was interesting, and best of all, its FREE. Well, unless you want to go to into the iMax cinema (although you can go see the projection booth which is worth a look) or use the simulator.

I'm sure we'll be going back some time.

That was for an essay that had to be submitted in the New Year, which I didn't think I would do especially well on, as I wasn't sure I had answered the question. But I got a decent grade, a B, which is better than I expected, so I feel rather pleased about that.

We also had our first assessment for two other modules - however, due to "supply problems" I haven't been able to finish my restoration project yet, so I only had "Craftwork" to be assessed. Again, a B, which I was rather pleased with as I thought one of my sections, batch, really wasn't very good at all. I might post a pic.....

Here's the two pieces that we had to put into an exhibition - the square block is combined red and white earthenware, impregnated with glass frit and ground back on a linisher to reveal and reshape.

The grey bowl in unfired stoneware clay with white and coloured chalk chunks - because this piece is so thick, I was to get things dry in time for firing - so this really is just a sample of how something might turn out. It's ideal, but I really liked the chunky form and the contrast between the curve of the bowl and the thick, clean lines of the top.


We were also asked to get involved with submission of ideas for a playground - I know, not really craft, per se, but it was an exercise in working to commission - we had three groups, and we had to present all our ideas to some councillors from Staffordshire. It went down very well, and they'd actually like to take ideas from all three groups to submit for funding to build a "real" playground....

Watch this space!