We were lucky to have Mark Baker step in at short notice when Dave Reeks told us that he was not well enough to do our October demonstration.

Marks current designs are influenced by oriental pottery and ornamental art and it showed in his pieces he produced on Saturday.

His first piece of the day was a simple bowl the outside of which he textured using a small beading tool. The base had no foot but followed the shape of the bowl right through. The reason for this became clear at the end when he mounted it on a flat base that had a shallow recess that the bowl sat in. He used Jo Sonja’s iridescent interference colours to colour the bowl finishing off with verdigris wax by Liberon. (Special effects wax).

Next came a vase, again without a foot but had instead a pin that held it to a separate base. He chose ash for this piece. Mark turned it to a cone and then drilled into the end with a forstener bit to accept dried flowers or whatever. He would normally cut the top at an angle at this point on the band saw and then texture it but no band saw being available he cut the end away as he textured it with a mini arbotec. To finish this item he first raised the grain by brushing it with a wire brush and then sprayed it black inside and out. This he sanded back, coloured it green, sanded back again and finished with red with a final sanding and polishing.

The last item was the smelliest lump of burr you could imagine. Mark had had this given to him some months back wrapped in bubble wrap in a plastic bag. The sap had fermented and stinky cheese and rotten socks came nowhere near this odour!!!
But it was a nice burr so Mark started hacking in to it. The more bark that came off the stronger the smell got but as he got past the bark so the smell reduced and the end result was a nice bowl. It was thin, again this is Mark’s style and this didn’t have a foot either so a stand would be needed to show it off.

Our next meeting is on 12th November and we have Jenny Starbuck with us for the day. Most of us have seen Jenny before and her style is nearly all about decorative work. Highly skilled and very interesting so don’t miss it.

I have included a shirt order form with this edition. I have ordered a couple of items and now I have been asked for another sweat shirt. Before I send this order off, which will be the Monday after the next meeting, please let me know if any one else would like something. If I order more than ten items we might get a small discount!! All prices on the form include VAT at 20%.

Graham.

Notice board

Christmas Dinner.

When we asked some of you last year why you didn’t want to come to the dinner the most common answer was that there were too many Christmas bashes going on around November / December and you couldn’t go to all of them.

We have discussed this at the last couple of committee meetings and have decided to hold a “Club Dinner” on Saturday 25th February at the Fruiterers Arms ( where we go for lunch on club days) or the Cock Horse at Detling. More details re the menu and times will be published nearer the time. Charity Events

We need to find a couple of venues for our charity events next year. Has anyone any ideas? Ideally we need somewhere where we are not charged for the space and where power is available.
Farming world was perfect but it is no longer open for this type of event.
A friendly garden centre or somewhere that has an annual open day?

Your input would be gratefully received.