Craftsmen Potters Association William Blake House. Marshall Street, London W1. Tel : 01 -437 7605.

CPA Potters Camp -1975 After the traffic jams of the A3 with road works on a bank holiday week-end, it was refreshing to come upon the pastoral scenes of Loseley Park. By 9pm on Friday evening the camp site looked set for a medieval pageant, with grand marquees strung with coloured flags and people already toiling. The week-end started with a film show given by Robert Fournier of four films . Isaac Button throwing, Abuja pottery, Dan Arbeid and a fascinating film showing the extremes of Japanese calligraphy, from school children being taught how to write, to the Jackson Pollock of calligraphers who with a large mop like brush threw himself onto the paper in an abstract frenzy.

We were blessed with fine if cold weather and the weekend continued with demonstrations in the marquee, kilns being built and film slides and talks in the evenings . For people with little money and the ability to improvise Colin Kellam had made a momentum wheel for under £8. It had limitations but was very cheap. He also built a life size soldier which would have frightened Napoleon himself, proving that there are few limitations to what you can do with 2cwt of ball clay providing you add some fireclay, sand and grog. Elizabeth Rompala demonstrated feminine ingenuity with her porcelain hand built pots. Glass domes, stockings, darning mushrooms were put to effective use to

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build up organic forms. 'T' material was added to the porcelain to give it better modelling qualities and a greater firing strength.

Peter and Jill Dick and Geoffrey Fuller built a kiln which looked rather like a cross between a bottle and a beehive kiln and fired it with wood and coal. It produced some nice smokey plant pots. Peter Starkey and Wally Keeler built a catenary arch salt kiln and fired it with a mixture of diesel and sump oil and the help of old vacuum cleaners to produce some commemorative saltglazed mugs. A new material from Carborundum called Fibrefax was used by Clive Davies to build a kiln inside an old oil drum. The drum was lined with Fibrefax -a thick blanket of fibrous alumina- to insulate it and then it was fired with gas to successfully biscuit some of the porcelain David Leach had made.

John Chalke, who had just arrived from Canada, showed slides of his recent visit to Korea and Japan, the latter a country full of surprising paradox -old crafts and industrialization still co-existing. He also showed slides of his own work which seemed to carry this influence. Some were reminiscent of Japan others of American studio pottery. Harry Stringer gave a talk on mixing glazes without molecular formulae and the importance of clay bodies and slips in producing good quality glazes. He now has recipes for glazes which give good effects in an electric kiln, including a chun glaze. These glazes, ready prepared, will be available from Podmores. The evening was highlighted by delightful slides of 18th century wallpaper belonging to Coutts Bank. It was hand painted with scenes of potters at work . Brought back from China in 1794 it was given to Thomas Coutts and is in the process of being moved to the bank's new board room in the Strand.

The shop took over £1200 selling members pots, as well as tools and books, a raffle made £75 and an auction on Monday afternoon of pots that had been made over the week-end including some in the green state, fetched £432. Smooth and efficient organization, good food and a convivial atmosphere were greatly appreciated by all the 400 or so participants who all said how much they were looking forward to the next Potters Camp. Val Barry Potters Camp 1975 finished in a blaze of sunshine and with many rather sad handshakes after a weekend that seems to have been thoroughly enjoyed by all the four hundred or so members and friends present. Harry Stringer will tell you below about the publication that he is editing which will record the events with articles and photographs. Please give it your support. David Canter In response to demand from the previous potters camp at Loseley- this time an illustrated souvenir is being prepared which will cover all the action of the three days in words and pictures. Detailed reports are being prepared on all demonstrations and talks. Kiln plans will be published together with recipes from the throwers and decorators. If you weren't able to get along, here is your chance to benefit and enjoy a most memorable occasion, and for those who did, a souvenir of a happy and very rewarding three days spent in close contact with the top potters of England. Order your copy now from the C.P.A., William Blake House, Marshall Street, London 80p postage paid. Limited edition. Harry Stringer

The Craftsmen Potters Association, William Blake House, Marshall Street, London W1. Full Membership is by selection (annual subscription £10.00) and is open to practising potters in the U.K. Associate Members (annual subscription £5.00) is open to everyone interested in pottery. Junior Membership (under 21) £2. All members can subscribe to Ceramic Review at a reduced rate. Application forms and further details from the Hon. Secretary, Craftsmen Potters Association, William Blake House, Marshall Street, London W1. Tel: 01-437 7605.