Out of the garden and into the pottery

Today was sated to be another garden day. After the blood letting that occurred last garden day, I entered with some trepidation. Fortunately for me, it has been very wet here. Like, rainiest June since the early 1960's wet. Yesterday it rained, a lot. The same went for this morning and afternoon. All of this rain is creating problems for the farmers that need to cut their silage, but for me it created an opportunity for me to work in the pottery. The garden in L'Arche Kilkenny has recently undergone some changes, including some expansion. I was given a tour of the grounds, including the garden, tunnels (green houses), orchard, Moorfield Lawn, plots for the local elementary students, and sensory garden before heading back into the warmth and dryness of the workshop. The great majority of what they grow is allocated for us in the cafe. Most of their veggies are grown at the direct request of the cafe menu planners. Their space was very nice, and they have plans for further expansion and improvements, including sectioning the garden into sections so that each core member will have an area to call theirs.

The orchard

The tunnels

Part of the sensory garden

Working in the pottery proved to be vary therapeutic, much like the time I spent in the Lambeth workshop. One core member was making Christmas ornaments and sheep, which they sell at holiday craft fairs. Another core member was working on plates and bowls. Although there are items that they are requested to make to fill orders, much of what is made is of the core member's own design. Perhaps one of my favorite approaches is pressing the clay through a garlic press, then forming it into a mould to make bowls. The effect that this makes when glazed is very cool. Most of their pieces are finished with a L'Arche stamp, which I think really adds a nice touch.

Ornaments and a sheep

The big sheep

A free-form bowl

The garlic press technique

The L'Arche symbol stamp

Posted with Blogsy