Jane Kelly’s pottery classes at
CANNONBALL HOUSE
&
In 1976 Jane Kelly –not long qualified and working from her own pottery
in Portobello- wrote to the Lothian Education Department to ask whether she
could start pottery classes for adults in the city. Space was found for her classes in the
basement of Cannonball House at the top of the Royal Mile next to the Castle
Esplanade. It was part of an old ESB (
With her family growing, she was not able to take day classes at first,
but demand for them grew and Alison Robinson and Jean Wilson joined to start
them in 1978. Late each summer the
pottery was used for the groups appearing at the Military Tattoo in the
Esplanade alongside.
Around 1982, the public buildings at Cannonball House were sold and the
Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre opened in the old
Environmental Education building in 1988.
The pottery classes meanwhile had been moved to another board school at
POTTERS’ NOTES South Bridge
Materials –Clay, glazes and tools are provided but have to be paid for,
£6 a term is the current charge. Please
bring your own apron or old shirt and take it home with you each week.
Care for clay –It’s important to keep clay damp; please be
careful to seal and cover clay bags to prevent drying out.
Spills –Mop them up quickly with damp cloths. Try to avoid brushing dry clay, or using
sandpaper. The dust is bad for you, and
for others.
Marking finished work –When your pots are finished at the ‘green’
stage, leave them out to dry on the shelves by the door. Use the special class symbol stamp, and
scratch your initials on the base of each piece. Unmarked pots will not
be fired.
Glazing bisque ware –After the first (‘bisque’) firing, the pots
are ready to glaze. Glazed pots should
be put in the kiln room ready for their second (‘glaze’) firing. Wipe their bottoms clean of any glaze or they
will stick to the kiln shelf. Too much
glaze may drip and spoil shelves too. Unwiped
pots will not be fired.
Tools –Please take good care of the tools, brushes and equipment:
wash them up and put them away after use.
Wheels –Must be left clean and switched off at the wall.
Monday Pottery Classes Morning course 10-12. Afternoon course 1-3.
Provisional term plan
September 23rd week 1 –Welcome and enrol new students. Plan the term programme
to meet student requirements. How to prepare clay. Wedging. Pinch pots.
September 30th week 2 –Slab pots and hand-building.
Textures.
Slip decoration. Colour. Press
moulds.
October 7th week 3 –Coil pots. More decoration techniques.
October 14th week 4 –Learning to throw pots on the wheel
~October 21st
is a half term break, with no Monday pottery classes~
October 28th week 5 –Turning
your wheel-thrown pots.
November 4th week 6 –The
bisque firing. All
about glazes. What they are. How to apply them
correctly.
November 11th week 7 –More
throwing tips. How to
make lids and handles.
November 18th week 8 –Slip casting, or other topics as required.
November 25th week 9 –How to progress. Developing ideas.
December 2nd week 10 –The last day. Collecting finished pieces. Learning some fun
techniques.
In May 2007, Jane decided to retire from these classes after over 30 years. Her last class was a Raku firing
NUMBER 99 of the 1
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