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Sheila Hansford
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| Having recently ‘retired’ I now have the time
to pursue my passion for ceramics. (I had always fancied trying my
hand at pottery but never had the opportunity). I now enjoy all aspects
of pottery but have a particular interest in slipware and modelling
the human form in clay. I have my own small studio and enjoy experimenting
with different materials and production techniques. It’s very
much a journey of discovery. My earthenware bowls etc are thrown on a wheel. Once they are leatherhard, the foot rings are turned in much the same way as a woodturner would work before being decorated using coloured slip (liquid clay) underglaze colours, and sgrafitto (scratched decorations). These decorations reflect my love for flowers, swimming in the sea and walking. They enable me to combine my other love of water colour painting with ceramics. Once the bowls are completed they are bisque fired to 1000 degrees centigrade. A coat of transparent glaze follows with a final firing to 1085 degrees centigrade. It is a long and, at times, complicated process! I have had no full time formal training but I have been fortunate to be taught by three inspirational teachers at adult education classes. More recently I attended a master class in throwing with Seth Cardew in Spain. |
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