Bunnies and nuns

Tutorial today about my dissertation. Went well. Sometime soon I have to stop the research and start the writing. Have drafted a plan this evening - essay seems to want to be a sequel to Cheryl Buckley's 'Potters and Paintresses'. Have to contact ceramic employment agencies in Stoke about job descriptions and wages, and read more about Midwinter, Meakin and Ruskin factories.

Tried to use new library today. University has managed to build a library where it is impossible to read anything - no quiet area, no big tables to work on, not enough computers. A design classic, at an art and design university. Perhaps they can give themselves some sort of award.

Went to the other campus, and read Andrew Casey's 'Art Deco Ceramics in Britain'. I now know that

• actress Edna Best (Hitchcock's 'The Man Who Knew Too Much') had her own ceramic range.
• Clarice Cliff had a sister called Dolly who was unhappy when her paintresses were compulsorily relocated to the Bizarre decorating shop.
• the designer of Royal Doulton's Bunnykins tableware, Barbara Vernon Bailey, was a nun. Sister Mary Barbara had a duck design up her habit sleeve too, but Royal Doulton didn't want to know.

Wonder if I can squeeze all of these lovely facts into my essay?

Ducks and pots

Weekend in Birmingham. Unpacked four boxes of thrown work Mum has been storing in her loft for me. Spread them out in the garden and did some dremeling. Took these photos from upstairs - they look good from a distance. An eclectic mix: the result of several different projects last year. All for sale in November at markets in Birmingham and Bath.

The big heap of ducklings were in the gardens of a craft centre in Bromsgrove. There was also a depressed kestrel in a cage, but I'm trying not to think about him.

Back to school

Term started today. The new campus is getting there, but some rooms aren't quite ready for us yet. That's OK - I'm not sure I'm ready either.

Went to the opening night of the MA show tonight, and loved the salt glaze bowls of Mirka Golden-Hann. Beautiful, unexpected colours. Take a look at her website; http://www.claystone.co.uk/

The Meakin jug arrived in the post today. Essential purchase, to aid the writing of my 8,000 word dissertation on women in the ceramics industry. Plus I love the scritchy scratchy fruity design.