We Are Makers 26

We Are Makers builds on the couple’s recognition that independent makers often lack such opportunities to freely exhibit their work. The aim was to create a level playing field for makers of all disciplines and backgrounds from across the globe.

Free of advertising, the publication is a curation of stories reflecting Kate and Jack’s mission to support the people behind handmade products. Each edition showcases a wide variety of makers and puts their work in front of consumers who truly value quality. Leafing through the pages is an education in the beauty of craftsmanship and what it means to own a unique piece made by hand.

We Are Makers is a platform that both champions the maker and their product and celebrates the process and the passion that drives the work. In between the two editions released annually, the conversation continues online.

Kate and Jack have created a place to share experiences, journeys and ambitions; a network where conversations and collaborations between crafts and trades can begin. We Are Makers is an opportunity to overcome the frustrations and loneliness of the independent craftsperson. By uniting makers, it channels that contagious joy of being surrounded by people who love what they do.

All are welcome to join the community. If you’d like us to consider your work for inclusion in a future edition, please submit brief details and a selection of images via our submissions form (https://www.atelierardent.com)

Book Review

Contemporary RAKU By Stephen Murfitt Published by The Crowood Press

ISBN: 9781785009938 Width: 189mm Height: 246mm Number of pages: 176 Published: 24/01/2022 Binding: Paperback Price: £18.99

It is available to buy through the publishers website (www.crowood.com) and it will be available to pre-order 30 days before publication (25th December).

Stephen Murfitt has a Contemporary Raku exhibition planned with the Craft Potters Association running from the 3rd March to 21st March subject to Covid restrictions.

Book Review: Contemporary Raku

Raku is a Japanese word that has been freely interpreted in the West as ‘enjoyment’. The ‘enjoyment’ is generated from the ‘full-on’ involvement and total engagement with an exploration of ideas interlocked with a magical process! It is a constant search for an elusive unknown perfect outcome. The famous potter Hans Coper once com- pared his work to that of a ‘demented piano tuner, trying to approximate a phantom pitch’. Many contemporary makers are engaged in a way of working which could be defined as ‘Raku’, a fusion of ideas and process that continues to develop and evolve. In this book, the con- cept and practice of Raku is revealed through insights provided by some leading practitioners, informed by the first-hand experience that is constantly increasing their knowledge.

Pottery is as tactile as it is visual and should be seen and experienced in the round. Manipulating clay and making is an extremely tactile experience. As the forms slowly develop, intuitive decisions are made. A change of direction here, a seam added there, more scraping and refining required. Developments that take place during the making process are influenced and informed by ideas that have been developed from experiences absorbed and observations made over many years.

Opposite: Stephen Murfitt, tall textured vessels; height 60cm.