Angela Carter is a member of the HAMPSHIRE ARTISTS COOPERATIVE at the
SELBORNE GALLERY   SELBORNE. HAMPSHIRE   GU34 3JQ http://www.hampshireartistscooperative.co.uk
In August 2007 the Hampshire Artists Cooperative opened its first exhibition at the Selborne gallery.  As a group of artists and 3D workers we show work in exhibitions that run for about 10 weeks.  The gallery is open from 11 - 5 Tuesdays- Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays and is well worth a visit.

The BBC at Milland Pottery
Back at the beginning of the 2007, I got a phone call from my son saying the BBC wanted to talk to me. After 10 minutes of persuading me that this was not a spoof I called them back – DIY-SOS were doing a makeover locally (Southampton!) – the room had a Japanese theme and they needed some appropriate vases. I told them I made pots in the English tradition but it didn’t seem to matter. The initial call was on a Friday and they wanted the pots by the following Wednesday. Quite a tall order! First the pot has to be thrown (made) on the wheel, then left to dry, then turned (finished off), then left to dry some more, then slipped (colour put on), then left to dry again, next comes the decoration. Finally the pot must be completely dry before the first of the 2 firings. I managed to stretch the time to Friday when they were filming the completed room, still not much time to make big pots in February in the damp pottery! Thank goodness for global warming – we had some very warm weather and I managed to get the pots through by Thursday.
They also wanted to add interest to the pots by filming me making them; so, I had a crazy day when the camera crew, director and designer descended on the pottery. I made a replica of their pots which were firing in the kiln and then they wanted the designer to have a go. That’s when things got a little out of hand – we ended up with the whole crew all making one pot at the same time to say nothing of the hairy legs helping to kick the kickbar of the wheel. What will be shown on the TV only time will tell.

In the last edition of the Milland News you will have read about the Pottery being 60 years old in 2007.
As well as making and selling pots from the pottery we also run classes. Many children, these days, don’t get the chance to learn how to use clay at school, but at the pottery they can be creative and get really mucky at the same time. We don’t want adults to feel left out. Come along with or without the kids and have a go. If you want a party with a difference we can help - from groups celebrating birthdays to hen parties or just get-togethers. We can also help with pots to commemorate events but you do have to think ahead a bit. I managed to get the pots for the BBC through in a week but it was a bit hectic!