Two people.
One kiln.
We took on a dairy nobody else wanted.
Annika grew up in Dalarna and trained as a thrower in Gustavsberg. Tom is from Hawes and spent eleven years repairing dry stone walls. They met on an evening class in Leeds, where he was the worst in the room and she was teaching.
We took on the old dairy at Oatley in 2017. It had no heating, and a floor drain that turned out to be ideal for a clay trap. The kiln came on a trailer from a school in Skipton that was closing its art room.
Annika throws most of what you see here. Tom pulls the handles, mixes the glazes and packs the parcels. We work to the speed of the kiln, which means about 160 pieces every five weeks. That is all there is, and we are happy with that.
Fired twice. Thrown by hand. Yorkshire Dales. 1260°C. Two people. One kiln. 160 pieces a firing.
34 days.
One cup.
- Day 1
Thrown
A 600g ball of buff stoneware from Stoke goes on the wheel. Annika throws a morning’s worth, about thirty.
- Day 2
Handled
At leather hard the foot gets trimmed. Tom pulls two handles for each cup and joins them while they are still soft.
- Days 3 to 9
Dried
A week on the boards, under plastic for the first two days so the handles do not pull away.
- Day 10
Biscuit fired
Up to 1000°C, slowly. The clay turns pale, hard and thirsty.
- Day 20
Dipped
Into the glaze bucket by hand, for a count of three. Tom wipes the foot clean with a sponge.
- Day 34
Glaze fired
To 1260°C over eleven hours, then two days before the door can be opened. Nobody sleeps well that week.
Come up on a Saturday.
The studio is open from 10 till 4, unless we are unloading the kiln, in which case you can help. It is a mile up the lane from Oatley, past the chapel, and the track is fine in a normal car.
Order online and pick up for free, or ring us on 0113 496 0147.
Go to the shop