Guldagergaard Residency: Upon Reflection

The plane has landed. All my clothes and ceramic tools have been unpacked and as I return to a slightly less frantic schedule, I have taken a few minutes to sit back and take stock of my Danish Residency.
Looking back, I am amazed that I achieved so many of my (frankly ambitious) programme of objectives in a single four-week period. I have returned to the UK having created much larger ceramic pieces than I have ever done before and I now feel I understand and can handle some of the practical and technical difficulties of working on such a large scale. My major piece – nearly a metre tall- has been accepted into Guldagergaard’s own ceramics collection and I’m hoping that, later this year, the huge mould will follow me across the North Sea to West Sussex so that I can make more statement vessels in the months ahead.
 
Equally important were the many chance encounters and discoveries that led to subtle alterations in my work and outlook. Guldagergaard teems with examples of the best in ceramics, a team of wonderfully skilled and experienced staff, great equipment and a constantly-changing cohort of residents to generate innovation and inspiration. It’s impossible to work there without learning new techniques and absorbing ideas. Most important was the warmth and friendliness of all those I encountered. I now have an internationally-based group of knowledgeable ceramic friends for advice and helpful support. I’ve left Guldagergaard for the time being, but it will never leave me. I’m grateful to all those who helped to provide me with such a wonderful experience.
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