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I think it’s about the fourth year I have helped set up the show and it was a bit different this year.  Not quite so many entries and I also thought the works themselves seemed different.  There were certainly some splashes of colour – Peter Collis’s beautiful black bowls with their glowing red centres and Robyn Sievwright’s dazzling blue Whirlpool pots.  One thing that was missing was last year’s contingent of Raku works and there were significantly fewer entries of blue salt glazed pots and fewer wall pieces. It was a lively event with a good crowd, good music and the usual vital crowd-pleasers of short speeches, good food and plenty of wine.   Trien made beautiful nibbles again, she is such a treasure – good at everything she does, and dammit I missed the lemon tarts but I can definitely vouch for the corn fritters and the gorgeous hot sauce.

But now a drum roll, merits to Helen Perrett , Peter Lange and Lex Dawson – well done everyone, and the Premier award went to Duncan Shearer for his, gulp -  heavy bottomed, cracked dish.  Goodness. I remember someone's statement: ‘there are no rules in ceramics’.  But as Duncan told us earlier in the year as we, (the Dippy girls), struggled though our mountains of clay to make hundreds of mugs, bowls and plates for our throwing module -  you can’t break the rules until you know what they are – something like that.

I really enjoyed the selector, Rick Rudd’s speech – he reminded us to keep it all in perspective, not to get too dented by being left out, nor complacent if you get in.   And from that I took keep on potting people, and keep entering competitions – and I think it is quite good for us – we do get feedback from someone who isn’t family or our tutor and it gives focus and an aim.   

Another part of Fire and Clay is the display of work by the latest Diploma graduates. This year Annie McIver and Carol Stewart each had a plinth of work on display which showcases their individual interests and possible directions.

Anita Barlass, the hard working exhibition officer, chose this year to invite some people to have work displayed on a Ceramic Feast table as an exhibition centrepiece. This is great fun with exuberant mismatched place settings, jugs and goblets, surrounding Charade’s almost animated candelabras and my non functional rabbit casserole (no I didn’t glaze the lid on – it’s not a lid). You certainly can’t go past a good dinner party for a lively night out.

Helen Perrett