'Enlivening - a one day workshop with Kotuku Pottery'

A day workshop for experienced beginners and intermediate potters. The day may include throwing.

Ian will demonstrate how to join larger thrown pieces, and show you how to make lids, lips and apply handles (that work!) Ian will also share some tips about glaze preparation and application, Sue will demonstrate coiling as embellishment, stamps and slip decoration.

Bring along your greenware pieces - bowls, cylinders and platters for a day of 'enlivening'.

Also:

• Shared lunch

• Range of hand-building and throwing tools

• Bats

Your presenters:

Ian Dalzell:

Ian has lived in the area he was born into all his life. He has built his own small business from the ground up, with absolute devotion to potting.

How it all began - Yvonne Rust was an inspiration to so many young and older people. To Ian, who was at high school, she was his teacher and potter - an artist larger than life. He was her student for three years, and her guidance was significant.

1973 Christchurch Graphic Design at the polytechnic, and with an at home Mum who was making pottery with local ladies. She had an electric kiln.

1974 Ian returned home, milked the cows - and started to make pottery.

1975. Went and met Barry Brickell. Barry had just moved to his land and talked of kiln building. Barry was a constant and dear friend who we visited, potted with and we had the privilege to have potter at our home most years, .

1980 Time to start the pottery Kotuku pottery which is located near lake Brunner at Kotuku. It is still being updated constantly - kilns fixed (we run a Coal fired salt glaze kiln and a gas kiln and are updating an electric one at the moment) We make our own glazes. The workshop area is large and covered.I an makes everything, sculpture, mugs teapots and bowls.

Ian ' I will stay here doing what I love - crafting pottery, it keeps me grounded and at peace'

Sue Pidgeon:

Born 1959 went to High school at Avonside Girls High School. Studied nursing as a psychopedic nurse , at Templeton Hospital. Went potting in 1981 at Shirley Intermediate School night classes with Rex Valentine who was a great teacher.

I have always been very artistically inclined and would have loved to have had more opportunities when I was at school. I loved fabric, paint and especially clay. I met Ian at our home on an employment scheme, I was a single mum and I had moved to the West Coast  in 1983. He was running a course. And as everyone can see here we are together still, doing what we do best together.

Sue: I am so incredibly lucky to be able to say I can make what I can dream up and hope someone will like it, and that it is made beautifully.