Re: Art In Clay

by **22 Crawford St.** June 1st 2022, 7:24 pm

Even I might go this year - but I said that last year and did not go.

What is the best day Friday? So you get the pick?

by **22 Crawford St.** June 18th 2022, 9:08 pm

Going Friday - bought a ticket so I can't back out now - would be £11 down the drain.

Jumping For Joy

Thank you for your order. We look forward to seeing you at the event!

by **22 Crawford St.** August 19th 2022, 4:45 pm

So Photos from today 19th Aug 2022. Quick summary for those that can not go and for posterity. I have added some photo as I find it interesting to look/compare prices especially looking back.

Ticket was £11 on your phone. Doors open 10:00am - I got the train to Slough and it's a £10 taxi ride to Windsor Racecourse with a view of the castle on the way thrown in for free.

Got there about 11am and it was quiet but double the numbers + by the time I left at 1pm
Very friendly spoke to a few of the potters, Geoffrey Swindell was very friendly. Sun shone - no rain.

Prices, in general if it sits in the palm of one hand it's under £100 if you can cup it in two hands it £200 and anything bigger and you will need to contact your bank for an extension to your overdraft or new loan. I did think prices were high but then kilns cost a lot more to run.

About 50/50 male /female potters, many beards on show (male only potters), quite a lot of new potters their stalls did not look so busy but established potters always had people in front so excuse photos with people infesting them

Only bought bits. A Geoffrey Swindell dish, Steve Booton vessel to use for wine/beer, and a couple of tiny pots by Jessica Jordan to give away.

There was three big tents each housing approx 40 stalls and then loads of other things going on. The normal food and beer stalls etc. All well run and no issues.

by **22 Crawford St.** August 19th 2022, 4:47 pm

by **22 Crawford St.** August 19th 2022, 4:50 pm

by **22 Crawford St.** August 19th 2022, 5:08 pm

I should mention the 'tail' (haha) of the harmless creature. very simple I had a good look round and Chiu-I-Wu was on my list from the start - had a long look at her offerings and could not make my mind up - only really liked (loved) the harmless creatures bottom right. Tiny one was £170 and bigger was £210 but I really wanted something different (I have one) In the end went back for the third time and the bigger one was sold and tiny one dotted also - Bugger! - so moral is - if you see it and want it then buy it. Waaah

PLAGUE ON YOU WHO TOOK MY HARMLESS CREATURE! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

I think she needs to make some harmless creature variants, I'm just not taken with some of her other animals. Anything with delicate sticking out bits is a BIG NOT for me as they just snap off with the smallest puff of wind. The stoneware she uses is a brittle as a 10 week old cookie and just as durable. I might also suggest she gives away a free tube of superglue with each creature next time Excellent

by **philpot** August 20th 2022, 10:44 am

Thanks for the photos Crawford. Beautiful ones aa well. Looks as though it was very busy. Was a lot selling? Brings back memories for me, as we used to go to Hatfield nearly every year. It was convenient for us. But Windsor is a step too far.

by **22 Crawford St.** August 20th 2022, 12:47 pm

Very hard to tell if stuff sold, prices seem high to me. I missed off this photo, but the hand sized little Geoffrey Swindell I seem to remember them being £30 - now they are £50 - I'm sure that dampens down sales but if you come all that way it's very hard to go away without buying something methinks. Peter Beard now starts at £220. I'm thinking it's in Windsor for a reason.

by **NaomiM** August 21st 2022, 1:53 am

Had a lovely time at Windsor today, although it’s not a patch on the old Art in Clay at Hatfield. Very sad not to have the European contingent any more, and the number of exhibitors was down. There used to be more tents, and a lot more stands in each of them. It might be a combination of extra spacing a due to Covid, and the arrival of the Potfest fairs down south which gives potters more choice of where to set up. Best thing about this fair is the final year university students getting a taste of selling their work to the public

Swindell said he’s increased his prices because he’s getting on a bit and cutting back on how many pots he makes and how many fairs he does. £50 for his test pots is still very competitive compared to the price many potters charge for a mug or a bowl. He’s concentrating on making the higher priced pots, but you’d be surprised at how little someone of his calibre earns from a major 3 day fair like this. Since his appearance on the Great Pottery Throwdown he’s been asked to do a lot more presentations which has also cut into his potting time.

by **22 Crawford St.** August 21st 2022, 4:48 pm

I'm not going to complain about prices they are what they are. We are buying luxury 'art' pieces - not as it's bread or potatoes or firewood.

I just pay the going price - seems a bit cheap to bargain, although I did want to it's like Monty Python, "This bloke won't haggle!" Insane

If I went to see the potter at his workshop I would but then I would buy a few pieces.

N - Do you know why they moved from Hatfield? - Also were there any Harmless Creatures in the Chiu-i-Wu stand?

by **dantheman** August 21st 2022, 5:43 pm

I can't just buy something without a haggle unless it's way less than how I value it....and even then...

by **NaomiM** August 21st 2022, 5:54 pm

I don’t know why they moved. Did the organisers change? Seem to recall Richard Miller took over organising one of the events but might have been Waterperrys or Oxford

Chiu i’s stand yesterday:

by **22 Crawford St.** August 21st 2022, 7:00 pm

Comparing your photo to mine. It's worth going to shows early to get first choice.

by **NaomiM** August 21st 2022, 8:11 pm

I got a little one with a bird ontop. I may get one of her cucumber shaped animals next time.

by **philpot** January 20th 2023, 6:16 pm

NO Physical Art in Clay this year. Just a virtual one. At least that is what it says in an email from Valentine Clays I have just had. They say they are too busy. But....given inflation and the zoom in the price of anything and everything. Are such fairs still possible or practical?

The e-mail.

Art in Clay Windsor 2023 Update

We wanted to inform you about some changes that will affect this year's show, we have made the difficult decision to postpone a physical show until 2024. Whilst I know this might seem disappointing to many of our loyal visitors we wanted to assure you that we have an exciting alternative that will be much easier to access by all.

The decision to postpone the show is due to time pressures on our team, whilst we focus on opening our new factory and dealing with the increase in production demand at Valentine Clays. We are also conscious of the difficult times ahead and wanted to support our exhibitors in the best way possible too.

So this year as an alternative we are excited to announce that we are in the process of launching an online and streamed show that will incorporate all of the wonderful elements of the festival with some exciting new additions. As you know we are extremely passionate to do anything we can to try to help our exhibitors, customers and industry. Whilst we are struggling to dedicate the time needed for a physical show this year we still would like to continue to celebrate what Art in Clay Windsor stands for.

So watch this space for further details on our digital show as we will be in touch soon with further details on our exciting plans for Art in Clay Windsor 2023.

by **22 Crawford St.** January 20th 2023, 6:21 pm

I can only assume that yes it's cost driven and they did not make money last year. Shame as how are you going to post that big Chiu-I-Wu beast in the centre of her stand? Then no chatting to the potters which is half the fun, they have to be nice to you it's half of what you are paying for. And also picking up and choosing is another half the fun. Can do that on interwebthingy.

by **NaomiM** January 20th 2023, 7:07 pm

I think they held an online auction during the pandemic but it was all high priced items

by **studio-pots** January 21st 2023, 3:40 pm

I haven't been to Windsor but, having spoken to potters that have had stalls there both last year and the one before, my feeling is that it might not happen again.

Although last year was better than the previous disaster from reports, I think with the "Pottery in the Pens" team holding events in the South and repeating them this year that appears to just be a better option for potters and buyers.

by **NaomiM** January 21st 2023, 4:15 pm

It was an excellent venue for Ceramics students to showcase their pottery (similarly for Ceramic Art London) so it'll be a shame if it closes permanently, but I know several older potters who didn't like doing 3 days, and it was expensive for a stand compared to the one and two day venues, I expect losing some big names, and the European potters, put a dent in their profits.

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