Students vsiting the studio
of Rowena Kinsman will discover the fascination
of pottery and salt-glazing. Rowena likes to make
work that is both functional as well as decorative.
Her work can be used in the kitchen, bathroom and
the garden. She chooses to salt glaze, as she feels
this technique enhances her work and allows her
to be involved with her work from beginning to end.
The course begins with background of the potter,
including slides and video, before clay is prepared.
This is followed by a demonstration of slab rolling,
making slab bottles and plates. Students will make
vessels after a demonstration of wheel work. The
work will then be slip decorated, after Rowena has
explained the role of various slips and salt. There
will also be an introduction to coil making techniques.
Individuals will have an opportunity to work on
the wheel.
Owing to the nature of this course, it is not possible
to dry and fire the work, so all finished pieces
will be fired and forwarded to each participant
after the course ends.
Artist: Rowena
Kinsman
Rowena Kinsman is a formidable
woman, Brought up on a farm in Africa, she worked
as an NHS physiotherapist in London for many years.
She considers herself "lucky" to have been granted,
in 1990, early retirement from the increasing pressures
of the NHS. She was able to pursue her long-standing
interest in pottery and gained a postgraduate Diploma
from Goldsmith's College in 1992.
In 1993 she moved to a beautiful farmhouse in the
Mendips, where she built her own kiln and began
life as a potter. Rowena is now widely-exhibited,
and her works are both commissioned and available
commercially. All of her objects are dulce et utile:
functional works that can be used in the kitchen,
garden and bathroom.
Not satisfied with her own success, Rowena has recently
established a new cooperative of craftspeople -
weavers, silversmiths, wood-turners, paper makers
- in nearby Shepton Mallet, where she set up an
outlet for the members' works. Her shop, "Gallery
One", has been a huge success, drawing many customers
from far a field to this ancient Somerset Market
Town.
.gif){kind=spacer}
