Potters Weekend
Venue: Spode Museum & Stoke Minster
Date : 5th & 6th October
Time: 10:30am - 4:00pm
You are invited to our special Potters' Weekend, where you can meet and interact with makers.
Enjoy free demonstrations throughout the weekend. The finalised schedule will be available online closer to the date.
We have arranged a special room discount at The Courtyard Marriott Hotel - Keele for Potters' Weekend and other festival stays. If you are interested, please let us know, and we will send you the link.
Demonstrations & Talks
Just life in general in the pots, pieces worked on and my travels
Jon was born in Constable Country on the Essex / Suffolk border. At 16 Jon moved to Stoke -on-Trent to become an apprentice at Wedgwood.
Jon’s apprenticeship saw him trained in all aspects of commercial pottery, including throwing, turning, glaze and hand painting techniques. At Wedgwood Jon flourished and became highly regarded across the world for his pottery skills. As a Wedgwood Craft Ambassador, Jon travelled the UK and across the world, working on projects for Royalty and prestige clients, as well as demonstrating his skills in department stores to a world wide audience.
Following a thirty year career with Wedgwood, Jon took the plunge and established his own studio in the historic Middleport Pottery. It was during this time that Jon discovered a new passion in pottery, teaching and developing the skills of a potter in others.
Through this new found lease of life, Jon shares his skill and enthusiasm through his classes. A number of Jon’s students are exhibiting in Stoke on Clay 2024!
Nathan Smallman
Venue : Stoke Minster
Date : Sunday 6th October
Time : 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Cost : Free
Nathan James Smallman, a Modeller and Designer based in Longton at The Roslyn Works, will be demonstrating his unique pottery technique. Holding a BA (Hons) in Ceramic Design and with extensive experience, Nathan is known for incorporating painting into his pottery, particularly his 'Potteries Skyline' pieces.
During the demonstration, he will be decorating one of his signature Pot Banks, which features a tealight inside. He will showcase his technique by sponging on coloured bricks and tiles using underglaze oxides, offering a glimpse into the creation of his distinctive works.
Peter Larkin
Venue : Spode Museum
Date : Saturday 5th October
Time : 11:00am
Cost : Free
Peter Larkin first encountered clay at Wedgwood’s Barlaston, working on the shop floor and assisting throwers. With experience in smaller studios and teaching at Newcastle College and Staffordshire Polytechnic, he now creates functional stoneware in his small workshop.
For this event Peter will be demonstrating the traditional art of creating stemmed pots on the potter’s wheel. We’ll explore the intricate process of crafting goblets, bowls, and drinking vessels using stoneware clay, which is known for its durability and versatility.
Jon French
Venue : Stoke Minster
Date : Saturday 5th October
Time : 2:00pm
Cost : Free