Back in the 1950s, the BBC had a load of short film-clips they used, titled "Interlude", when for some reason or other there was a gap in programming, technical failures, and so forth.
And I know, as a child, I was endlessly fascinated by this. I so wanted to try it, I made things out of mud all the time, but never had access to a potters wheel until I was at college, aged 19, on another course altogether, but at night, less than a hundred yards from my room, the pottery studio was unlocked!
The potter whose hands we see was George Henry Aubertin, who ran the Compton Pottery in Compton, Surrey.
He's buried at the Watts Chapel, in Compton, which is a beautiful building full of arts and crafts ceramics. Any potters visiting the U.K. might enjoy a visit there, it's near Guildford, just south of London.
http://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/watts-chapel
http://fannycornforth.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/beauty-on-hillside.html
You and I must have done similar when we were kids. We used to get "white" clay from a particular seaside area not far from where we lived; my brother and I were forever making things out of the fine, pale grey clay...we had our bits and pieces throughout the house. I'd not thought about that in ages until I read your post.
ReplyDeleteAh the potters wheel.
ReplyDeleteIt was better than bloody Mrs Mills who all too often sang the same song as an interlude!
During our most recent presidential election, there was much talk about "job creation" by both parties. I was particularly irritated since neither party really seemed to address the real issues, and essentially ignored the role of innovation, inventions, and engineers leading to new technology, which creates new industries, leading to jobs.
ReplyDeleteAs a result, several months ago I started re-reading one of my undergraduate engineering course textbooks, edited by one of my professors, Dr. Melvin Kranzberg. The two - volume set is entitled, Technology in Western Civilization. Considering your interest in how things work, I thought that you might find it interesting. Apart from historical notes, there are many diagrams and sketches of early machinery and equipment, showing the evolution over time. Really interesting stuff.
That is a stunningly beautiful doorway. And the links to its photos - WOW!! How is it you've never been ??? Now all I want for Christmas is plane ticket to England and 7 days off from work. Just enough time to travel see the Watts chapel and share tea and porridge with you!
ReplyDeletexxx
to travel TO SEE the Watts chapel ...
Deleteand i really need to change that x to xxx!