So we’ve just completed our first year of trading as a Social Enterprise and, despite it all, we’re still here!
Classes and workshops were suspended back in February/March but we re-emerged through the summer, with safety measures, reduced numbers and physical distancing in place.
Courses for 6 were reduced to 3 and workshops for 10 were reduced to 4.
We stocked up on perspex visors and face masks to offer participants and took a wee hit when the government announced that visors are not adequate protection… they may prove useful for something in the future.
I’m currently working with groups of 3, 4 sessions per week and, unless circumstances dictate otherwise, will run further 10 week courses for similar numbers from mid-January 2021.
Let’s hope for a better year!
The Potter of Leith’s work is available from the Edinburgh Art and Craft Collective, Causewayside – https://www.artcraftcollective.co.uk and the new Scottish Design Exchange store on Edinburgh’s George St. – https://www.scottishdesignexchange.com
The gallery at Leith Community Pottery is open to groups from single households/bubbles from 1pm – 6pm Wednesdays to Saturdays and we have stocked up well for gift shopping, including with our flagship Ramen Bowls.
We also hope to be selling work every Sunday, 10am -4pm, at the Crofts in Pots Farmers’ Market on Leith Links, John’s Place, Covid restrictions permitting.
I’m on a making frenzy right now and have just begun working with Valentine Clays’ ES80 reduction body (beautiful) having run out of my old favourite St Thomas stoneware and encountered supply difficulties.
There’s quite a few commissions to meet too, though more are always welcome and I really want to thank everyone who’s supported the pottery in any way throughout 2020 (no-one named, no-one missed out!).
It’s been a devil of a year for all of us and speaking for the pottery, I’m in some ways aghast to have survived.
To paraphrase an old friend,
“Andy, come over here and throw clay at yourself!”