David W Slack

Blue Bonzo. A reliquary.

Stoneware and mixed media. 22cm. A sacred final vessel for a lost beloved one, or simply a stylish safe haven for your Maltesers. It’s up to you. Both, even – no judgements.

The time was right to add colour to my usually raw black and stern-ish canopic jars, and Bonzo seemed to be the right fit. My vessels naturally have the look and feel of cast iron, so it seemed right to give them a rusted and crusted vibe. What I’ve done, really, is saved whoever ends up with this chap from waiting a millennia or so to get just the ‘look, which would be a proper ball-ache and no mistake.

I’ll have made just one of these, hand thrown, (once I have modelled the head, I take a mould for future incarnations), the silhouette of this one is obviously a nod to, if not a steal from the great Keith Murray’s transcendent work for Wedgwood in the 30’s.

I’m experimenting again away from oils for a bit, and although I truly didn’t aim to make finished paintings while in playful experimentational setting, I could not it seems stop myself. I drift toward an imagined finish line as excitement builds, and I just WANT to end up with a finished painting in my hands. It’s quite magical really, conjuring up an idea into a physical object of desire. These little paintings took many days each as I wrangled a medium I’d not used for yonks, there was blood sweat AND tears, but I worked through it like a brave little soldier, and Hey Presto – new paintings.

There is an eye-popping extravaganza to see at the pop-up show Ali @aliallpots and I have had the best fun assembling at no 8 Mermaid Street, Rye. Largely, I’m on the walls, Ali is on the surfaces. Paintings and ceramics both sculptural, useable and wearable. On the surface, our work is quite different to one another’s, she exuberant, me meticulous but standing back, once the show was put together, it’s clear that our work contrasts and communicates with a grin and a wink to cheerful nostalgia and the not so inner child at our helm. That’s me trying to keep it short – there’s a lot going on here. This weekend is the second and final of this show, Saturday & Sunday 6th & 7th Sept 11-6pm. It’ll be lovely to see you there.

I’ve been making inlaid stoneware matchbox pin badges by hand, but in a small production line, which means I’ve been able to make them affordable. Each one goes through many processes (see vid below), each different from the last. To be worn, or stood up in its little matchbox as a reminder that we will all shuffle off in the end, so best blooming well get on with it.

Introducing the new Hitchcock Smoking incense burner (or pencil holder – the choice is yours). Heavy, coarse, black stoneware 11cm £95.