EUROPEAN POTTERY AND CERAMICS - SWALMEN

THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' MARKET - SWALMEN

Some 100 professional Potters from Europe, display their work at this market. Domestic-ware, Sculptures, Contemporary Ceramics, Ceramic Jewelry, even musical Ceramic instruments are being exhibited and sold. Both days pottery masters will demonstrate and exchange information on their current work held during afternoon Workshops.

It is a wonderfully well organized market, usually sunny weather over this weekend. Great Potters, so not to be missed.

This market is being held every second year during the Whitsunday.

Swalmen is a small town in the province of Limburg in southern part of the Netherlands.

Here are some of my pictures of this market, taken over the years. Enjoy!

JOOP CROMPVOETS

STEFAN BANG

IRIS SCHONE

CARLA TEER

Alistair Danhieux

NIEK HOOGLAND

PETRA BITTL

RICHARD DEWAR

JOOP CROMPVOETS

MARIA MEYER - UTE MATSCHKE

LET DE KOK

BIBI KRIEK

JEAN-PAUL LANDREAU

ELKE EDER-EICH

CONNIE POLS

EVA ROUCKA

SYLVIE PIAUD

PIM VAN HUISSELING

TINEKE VAN GILS

CHARLOTTE AND SIGERD BOHMER

Footnote:

The pictorial reviews of the various Potters' markets I visited - in this case in Swalmen.

It attracts thousands of visitors over this weekend.

This market is highly organized, run by mostly volunteers. Inexpensive entrance fee and plenty of well organised parking which is free. Many visitors arrive by bike, for which there is a separate bay. There are B&B's and camping sites nearby. 

Potters come from far and wide from all over Europe and need to cover their various costs in order to make this weekend happen. They work hard, very hard and we are awfully spoiled to see them all gathered and display their top quality work. Europe is wonderful in this way.

Please visit 
www.keramiekmarktswalmen.nl

TAKESHI YASUDA

Canada:

A one day workshop at the Canadian Clay Symposium in British Columbia with

TAKESHI YASUDA

During this workshop, this Japanese Potter shared some of his experiences, philosophies and influences and demonstrated his masterly and unique style of throwing. 

He threw his pieces as viewed upside-down to visualize the final form from the onset. A tall foot was turned, spiraling grooved and enclosed at the top. The fragility of the form was held in place by the air pressure inside. The neck and lip were turned separately.

The other piece was thrown and then suspended by placing it's bat upside down between two tables so as to retain the fragile grooves of the piece and to stop the collapse of the form whilst drying to a leather hard stage.

His open bowls were turned with a thick rim and displaying thin spiraling areas just beneath this rim. He lifted the bat off the wheel and deliberately threw off the top section with one swift movement holding it briefly upside down. The top edge was softened when bone-dry with a soft sponge to remove the extremely sharp edges. 

Please therefore visit  the following website

www.takeshiyasuda.com