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My glaze firing this week was only a partial load because its bisque had also included the remainder of my stoneware pieces for the salt firing. But I needed to get the jugbirds ordered at ArtWalk finished. As usual Alan has photographed them for me, using our smart light box out in my kiln shed. It does make the work look so much better!

I’ve been researching English birds with a view to designing some for Primavera. Jeremy Waller has asked me to bring some more over. My sister Mary suggested the Green Woodpecker which visits her Hampshire garden.

I hope my jolly version looks sufficiently like the real thing while still functioning as a jug. The red, black and greens are quite striking!

The Great Tit is related to our Chickadee apparently except that his body is yet another shade of green. I wonder if my version can be recognized?

And the third new jug bird is my take on a Sparrow.

If you think there are other English birds, with especially distinctive colours or shapes, not little brown guys, that I should make please let me know.

A neighbour asked for a Rufous-sided Towhee, one of my standard birds but she asked for a matching plate. It’ll be good for catching gravy!

The other plates are just me, playing.

One, the seagulls, is inspired by a fifties or sixties wallpaper I came across. Another is the Green Woodpecker again and the third is simply slips and paper resist. Your comments would be appreciated.