greendenepottery

Denis Dies

It wasn’t that long after I rejoined the pair that Denis started to show more signs of decline. The drugs he was taking had to be increased to continue to relieve his symptoms. This led to side effects that became increasingly intolerable for him. He kept on saying he couldn’t think straight, he had aContinue reading “Denis Dies”

An Exhibition and Madam Du Bois (continued)

The other person I was introduced to was the Legendary and mysterious Madam Du Bois. She came imperiously over and eyed me in her Dame Edna Everidge style glasses, then smiled and spoke in what was clearly a very English accent that was somewhat of a shock! She was no more French than I was,Continue reading “An Exhibition and Madam Du Bois (continued)”

An Exhibition and Mdm Du Bois

Old man’s beard twined its way up the trunks and did its best to trip us up, refusing to be cut easily. I love it’s seed heads (rather like dandelion’s) falling in profusion over the trees like snowflakes.

The Fire

Continuing my return to Greendene in the late 1970’s I rang Mike up one evening and was told that Greendene had had a fire! Fortunately it was in the out houses and coal store. Denis was living on his own and now suffering from Parkinson’s disease and was frozen and unable to do anything, butContinue reading “The Fire”

Summer’s End

This part of the story is meant to be before ‘The Return to Greendene and is my memory of the last few days I spent that first summer at Greendene. . My work in the garden and my lessons in the pottery continued. Sometimes I caught the bus to Horsley and Denis would pick meContinue reading “Summer’s End”

Return to Greendene

Thinking back to my return to the little green haven in the depths of the surrey hills, I had spent my youth attending college, where I felt, after my first explosive and vibrant first year, at Farnham, that I learnt very little about art and painting. Most of the time I engaged in night longContinue reading “Return to Greendene”

The Setting up of the Craftsmen Potters Association (CPA)

” The CPA in their one man non- selective exhibitions are giving lesser known artists the opportunity to show their productions. Such an exhibition was recently held of the work of Denis Moore and Michael Buckland partners in a a thriving pottery at East Horsley in Surrey” ( Ceramic Review) It was recognised during theContinue reading “The Setting up of the Craftsmen Potters Association (CPA)”

Firing 4

When we got into the warm kitchen with our dirty blackened faces, Denis went and got the whisky and we toasted the firing hoping that all would be well. Time would tell, as we now had to be patient and wait until the kiln cooled down.

The Firing 3

Slowly the temperature climbed and Michael and Denis kept peering in to the Kiln waiting for the magical temperature of 1300 degrees C. This was the key heat that would turn the clay to stone and melt the glazes sufficiently. Time dragged on into the afternoon and into early evening. We continued to keep theContinue reading “The Firing 3”

The Firing (2)

“YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE THREAT OF FAILURE ALL THE TIME!” I am going to talk about glazing the pots at a later stage as there is much to talk about regarding mixing and applying glazes. Suffice it to say that glazes were a key ingredient to the individuality, invention and exploration that epitomisesContinue reading “The Firing (2)”