Open Studio - Elspeth Soper
Date:Sun May 09, 2010 - Sun May 09, 2010 Time: 11am - 3pm Location:Barrow Road, Broseley. TF12 5JQ Phone: 01952 885759 or mobile: 07790347007 Designers:Willey Furnace Pottery.
On Sunday May 9th, potter Elspeth Soper will be opening the doors to her workshop for an 'Open Studio' event, to celebrate the launch of her new range of pottery.
Elspeth, who was born in Oxford to an English father and a Canadian mother moved to Shropshire during the early 80's and set up Willey Furnace Pottery in 1985.
From her "very basic but homely" pottery in the woods on the Willey estate near Broseley, Elspeth Soper creates distinctive and very individual pieces of practical pottery.
Elespeth's wonderful new pots are made of cream coloured clay instead of the red terracotta clay that Elpeth usually uses. The decoration is then painted on mostly using underglaze colours.
"I'm still experimenting with the cream clay" Elspeth said, "but the colours are brighter and more transparent than the slips (coloured liquid clays) that I used on the terracotta so the effect is quite different to my usual work even though I am using basically the same designs."
Elspeth, inspired by country pottery from England and Eastern Europe says "many of my designs result from when I kept chickens, ducks, geese and guinea fowl here at the pottery some ten years ago" says Elspeth, "until foxes came and steadily stole them away".
With pottery featuring chickens, hares and guinea fowl and Elspeth's earthly glaze colours such as soft blues, greys, muted terracotta's, ochre's and greens, the finished pieces from Willey Furnace Pottery would sit happily in any home.
Elspeth continued "I am finding the new way of working very refreshing and changes to the work are happening through the fact that I'm working in this different way. I'm enjoying using a fine brush to create the line rather than scraffitto (scratching through the layers of colour with a pointed stick to reveal the dark colour of the clay underneath) which I have used before".
Using the cream clay happened by accident for Elspeth, "I had got very discouraged with the terracotta because I was having problems with the glaze coming off the rims.
I was finally tackling the problem and while I waited for test pieces to be fired by the glaze suppliers I decided to use some white earthenware clay I happened to have which I knew the glaze was OK on. I found myself thoroughly enjoying using it and decorating it, and liked the results so I decided to carry on with it even after the problem with the glaze was sorted out - it turned out to be the clay rather than the glaze and a different terracotta clay works fine. So I am still doing some terracotta pots but mainly I am pretty keen on the cream clay!"
The Open Days at Willey Furnace Pottery are very popular with those that know and love Elspeth's distinctive work. Elspeth continued "I am always amazed at how many people come to the open days. I think it is usually between 50 and 100 people, so it gets quite crowded but everyone seems to be very good humoured about the crush!"
The Open Day is on Sunday May 9th from 11am – 3pm, and Elspeth invites all to attend and receive a complementary drink and nibbles.
The pottery is also open whenever the sign is on the roadside or by appointment.
Willey Furnace Pottery is at Barrow Road, Broseley. TF12 5JQ and will be well signposted on the day.
For more information please telephone Elspeth on 01952 885759 or mobile: 07790347007
e-mail: elspeth.wfpottery@hotmail.co.uk