YOUR wellbeing editor Kate tries out a treatment or event or activity each issue this time it is a ceramics course with maker Penny Little.
WHAT makes a good teacher? Passion? Commitment? Enthusiasm? The ability to inspire and encourage?
Penny Little is a good teacher. And I mean a GOOD teacher.
I have to confess to being less than enthusiastic about doing her short ceramics course for this issue’s Kate Does (sorry Penny!). A combination, for me, of lack of time but mostly lack of any perceived artistic ability was the reason for my somewhat lukewarm approach.
At the start of the course, Penny gave me a pencil and paper and suggested that I draw what I wanted to make. Five minutes later I was still staring out of the window with a blank sheet of paper in front of me and the words “I can’t do it” going around in my head. So, she did something wonderful. She took me out into her garden and suggested I choose something – a leaf or a seedhead. I chose a large, heavily-veined leaf. Then, she showed me how to roll out the clay and I pressed the leaf into it and cut around it. Next, she helped me carefully to peel back the leaf and there was a clear impression of it in the clay. I had made a tile. I was hooked. Good teacher.
You may recognise Penny Little’s name as the creator of exquisite lustre-glazed porcelain pieces that are on sale in the Bowie Gallery in Totnes. Now Penny is offering short courses, day courses and one-to-one sessions to share her love of ceramic. The courses are held in her lovely home in the centre of Totnes and as well as providing the clay and inspiration, she also provides homemade cake (what’s not to love?).
If you are interested in learning more about ceramics they are ideal but I’d also recommend them if you’re looking for something creative to do that is also quite meditative and therapeutic in nature. I found the feel of the cool clay in my hands and the sensation of pinching and smoothing it into shapes to be deeply satisfying.
Maybe the fact that Penny’s own journey with ceramic was a healing one helps to influence the feel of the course, too. She explained to me how, as a sensitive 11-year old girl she was sent to boarding school, far away from home. Like so many boarders, it was a traumatic and distressing experience and she struggled throughout her first year. Then her mother died suddenly after a short illness and Penny returned to boarding school the following year full of grief and loss. She described how a friend (blessings upon her, wherever she is now) encouraged her to sneak up to the art room late at night and how they opened up the big black bin of terracotta clay. As she squeezed and moulded the cool clay in her hands, Penny felt something shift inside her.
She and her friend returned to the art room every night, forming shapes and pots before pushing them back into the mass of clay at the end of the night. Although they were never caught, Penny is convinced the terracotta stains on her clothes must have given them away. The teachers never said anything and she describes that as “the kindest thing they ever did”.
After a career in PR, Penny returned to her love of ceramics in 2015. She began creating porcelain pinch pots at home, working with her head, heart and hands. Penny bought a kiln in 2016 and began firing her own pots. Her signature lustre glaze finishes developed as a result of trial and error and took a long time to perfect. She explained to me: “Once I discovered the gold and platinum and how to apply it, I was able to create work that represented who I am and what I wanted to say. That’s what clay does – whoever you are and whatever is happening in your life, it will speak for you through what you make; it’s just earth, water and fire and the results are always surprising and enlightening.”
Like all of us, Penny has experienced tough times over the last few years, coupled with personal challenges and her love of clay has helped her through. She began offering short courses this year to allow others to experience the joy of the cool clay and the alchemy of firing and glazes.
After forming my leaf tile, I went on to create two pinch pots and a coil pot (which gradually transformed from something resembling a moon crater to a passable plant pot). My finished pieces won’t win prizes for finesse but I really enjoyed making them and they are respectable enough not to be heading straight for the bin.
If you are looking for a way to express your creativity under the guidance of a warm and encouraging teacher, I would recommend it. Penny has new courses starting this Autumn and, whether or not you love your finished pieces, you may find yourself touched by the healing power of clay and glaze.
l For more information visit https://pennylittleceramics.com
Email: penny@pennylittle.com