Date that this item was entered on to the web-site: 31st March 2004.
Wedgwood Factory, Barlaston, Staffordshire
Two days of filming have so far taken place at Wedgwood's Factory near Stoke-on-Trent, (4th February and 10th March 2004). The project is being managed by NEVAC's lighting cameraman, Bob Prince in conjunction with ceramic artist Neil Brownsword. The aim of the project is to document some of the hand-making skills still being used in the ceramics industry.
The images below give details of the nine makers who have been interviewed so far.
Alan White is a master figurine mould maker. Alan's job is to take a figurine which has been made by a modeler and produce a mould from it so that the figurine can go in to production. The image on the right shows Alan preparing the figurine's arm.
Michael Lockett is a master mould maker. He demonstrates how the master mould is made. The image on the right shows Michael modeling the base of the clay model in preparation for a mould to be made of it.
Malcolm Challinor is a master mould maker. The image on the right shows Malcolm placing clay natches on the clay master mould. The natches keep each side of the mould in place.
Lewis Howard is a picture mould maker. He is shown on the right cutting the edges of the clay mould. Once fired the moulds are used to produce clay sprigs which are attached to Wedgwood wares.
Suzanne Thompson is a prestige figure maker. The image on the right shows Suzanne checking the figures which she has produced from moulds similar to the one shown above, being made by Lewis Howard.
Kevin Dodd is an ornamenter. He is shown on the right applying a figure of the sort made by Suzanne Thompson, (see above). The type of ware he is working on is known as Jasper ware.
Neil Burton is a prestige Jasper turner. Jasper is the name of a famous type of ceramic ware made by Wedgwood. On the right Neil is shown turning a clay vase on the lathe.
Michael Virgo is an engine turner. The image on the right shows him spraying the vase with the first of twelve layers of coloured clay. This clay is then cut through on the engine turning machine.
Dale Bowen is a pate-sur-pate decorator. Pate-sur-pate is a decorating technique whereby layers of wet clay are built up on the surface of a pot to create a raised pattern or picture. Pate-sur-pate literally means 'paste on paste'.
