2024 went off with a bang…

January and February was a busy time at the new studio. New wheels delivered, Ikea orders coming out of our ears, furniture building, painting, trying to sort out the lighting, signage. At the same time I moved out of my old studio at The Makers Mill. Everything was going well albeit stressful and then at the beginning of March, just before teaching my first class in the new studio, I had a catastrophic event, which meant two weeks in hospital and a long road to recovery. All lessons cancelled and all making put on hold. As I’m typing this with one hand (can’t wait for the other hand to be fully working) at home, I am making plans on how to keep the studio going. Firstly, I need to be calm about this because I need to keep my blood pressure down but there are bills to be paid too.

Classes are in the planning stage - tutors engaged with and details/dates are being finalised. Stock from potters around the UK has been ordered and should be here in June or July, ready for a summer shop opening. I will only open a few days a week while I’m recovering - Instagram is the best place to check on opening times. The best news is that I have a studio holder. Julia Forrester from Stone Circle Ceramics will be using a space at the new studio for her own work while also working part-time at a ice cream shop in Keswick. At least the studio will have someone in there for the time being until the summer when I can open the shop.