Here are a few images of pots from the most recent wood firing on the 15th and 16th September 2007.

I am planning another selling exhibition here at the pottery in the new upper showroom of the works of Hamada Shoji. Hamada Shoji was, in my opinion, the most influential potter of the twentieth century. He had a life long friendship with Bernard Leach and was made a Living National Treasure in Japan. The breadth and quality of his work is unsurpassed and his work is collected by major museums and private individuals around the world. I hope to have around 55 pieces for sale at prices lower than one might expect for Hamada's work in the west. Hamada Shoji's pieces have become sought after and represent real investment potential.There will also be a selection of pieces by Tatsuzo Shimaoka and Hamada Shinsaku.I have been able to gather together a collection of books on Hamada not normally available in the UK and they will also be for sale.

Nearer the time I will produce a catalogue which will be in the form of a pdf download from my website. Anyone interested in receiving notification that the catalogue is available and/or an invitation card to the opening of the exhibition please email me with your details.

The exhibition will be from the 26th April until the 3rd May 2008. All of the pots will be available to be viewed from 26th April and then sold on the 3rd May. Pieces will be available by telephone on the morning of the 3rd May after those who are in attendance have made their choices.

The first exhibition in 2005 was an amazing success. The opening day saw a large crowd here from very early on a sunny October morning. The day turned into something of a party with 140 people chatting, eating and drinking while revelling in almost 80 pieces by Hamada and Shimaoka. Everything with the exception of three items were sold very quickly. It was a memorable day due largly to the gathering of like minded people and their good humour.

The new exhibition promises to be even better than the last and I will create a page on this website very soon to begin to show you some of the treasures I have gathered in readiness.

PHIL ROGERS - potter is a new book published in the United States by The Pucker Gallery of Boston.

Contained in this book of almost 100 pages there is an appreciation of my work by Andrew Maske previously keeper of ceramics at the Peabody Essex Museum in New Hampshire USA. There is also a question and answer interview with myself within which I talk about starting out as a potter, my life as a working potter, my influences and future projects.

80 full colour plates of my work are represented and the book the size of which is 8 x 11 inches with a dust jacket it will be available in July 2007.

The publication price is 25.00 pounds.

To order a signed and stamped copy please send a cheque for 31.00 pounds (UK), 35.00 pounds (USA), 31.00 pounds (EU) to:

Phil Rogers, Lower Cefnfaes, RHAYADER, Powys. LD6 5LT. UK.

All prices include packing and postage.

For those of you in the USA the book will also be available from The Pucker Gallery, 171 Newbury Street, Boston. MA

Pucker Gallery - Tel 617 267 9473 or http://www.puckergallery.com

To have a book written about me rather than by me is a very special moment. I hope this book will compliment the pots that are owned by collectors everywhere and provide some of the background to the work I make and my reasons for exploring the avenues that I do. I would like to thank Bernie Pucker and his staff at the gallery, in particular Destiny Barletta and Emily Tevald for their hard work in making this project happen.

The Pucker Gallery really is an amazing place and if you are in Boston please be sure to call in. You will be received warmly and shown all four floors that comprise the gallery and which house an enormous collection of paintings, pots, sculpture and artifacts.

If you are a retailer of ceramic interest books please contact me regarding supplies for your outlet.

Two days of kiln firings/openings, seminars, masterclasses and practical demonstrations featuring many of Britain's best practitioners of vapour-glazed ceramics including myself.

Hosted at the Whichford Pottery, in the heart of the spectacular Warwickshire countryside, just north of Oxford, this event also marks the opening of a major exhibition of salt and soda ware, in the spectacular new exhibition space - The Octagon at Whichford Pottery.

The weekend workshop will be fun and informative for professionals, amateurs, collectors, students, teachers, and anyone interested in the exciting world of studio ceramics.

Weekend £100 (£80 CPA members). Lunches included. Booking for the workshop essential: Plenty of local accommodation, also camping at the village pub.

The Octagon at Whichford Pottery, Whichford, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, CV36 5PG Tel: 01608 684416 or http://www.theoctagon.co.uk

DEMONSTRATIONS:

“Throwing” by Phil Rogers, Lisa Hammond.

“Coiling a big pot” by Svend Bayer.

“Raku Tea Bowls” by Gas Kimishima. plus others to be announced.

Please visit www.anagama.co.uk for more information and to contact Gas Kimishima.

A&C Black have published all three of the books I have written. Throwing Pots is about to appear again in it's third edition. Throwing Pots had sold in excess of 15,000 copies worldwide and is compulsory reading on a number of college course in the USA. The new edition retains all of the useful information of previous issues and, in addition, a number of the older images have been replaced with new work.The updated edition should be available from June 2007 either from A&C Black or from any good book shop. Alternatively, signed copies can be obtained from me at £14.99 + postage.

The catalogue from my show with the Goldmark Gallery is available both in paperback at £10 or hardback with a dust Jacket for £25.00 + postage. Although a catalogue it is really a finely produced book of 56 pages with an essay by critic David Whiting and around 70 colour plates of pots and my workshop. I am very proud of the book because it will provide a significant document of my career at this point in time. Mike and his son Jay did a great job of production and this book will form part of a series of monographs on contemporary potters that will have exhibited at the Goldmark Gallery including Clive Bowen, Lisa Hammond and Mike Dodd. Signed copies are available from me or contact Mike Goldmark at the Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham, Rutland on 01572 821424.

The Goldmark Gallery has also commissioned a film from Charles Maplestone about my work, travels and experiences in the USA and Japan together with some making sequences and scenes from a woodfiring. Approximately 1 hour in length, we hope to have the film ready for distribution by May 2007.

Earlier this year I made some alterations to the new, two chambered wood fired kiln in an attempt to rectify the uneveness of temperature we experienced the firstand second firing. I shall be firing it again at the end of May 2007 in time to hopefully include some of the pots in my show at the Goldmark Gallery in the spring of 2008.The Arts Council of Wales has, with a Creative Wales Award, kindly funded a period of research with this new kiln and I hope that by the end of this year I will have become much more familiar with wood as a fuel and that the kiln will provide me with a new path to explore.

I have completely rebuilt the lower showroom to enable the work to be seen to it's best advantage. Visitors can now view pieces with suitable lighting and in a warmer, cleaner atmosphere.

Last year we refurbished the upper showroom to provide a space more suitable for showing pots to their best advantage. New, purpose built, display shelves and suspended lighting create a gallery atmosphere and a perfect setting.

My 2007 show at The Pucker Gallery in Boston was a great success. The weather in Boston in January was unseasonably warm and, in contrast to the previous show when it snowed,people were able to attend Saturday's opening in large numbers.

My next show at the Pucker Gallery will be in January of 2009 although there is always a stock of my work there and visitors are welcome to browse all the four floors of the gallery.

I am pleased to say that my work is now also to be seen at the Harrison Gallery in Williamstown MA. Please contact the owner Jo Ellen Silipo for opening times. Also, in conjunction with the Pucker gallery there are pieces available at Earth and Fire Gallery in Leesburg, Virginia.

I have now purchased a digital camera! So, if you are unable to visit the showroom or make it to events like 'Earth and Fire at Oxford or 'Ceramic Art London' at the Royal College of Art, you can email me and in return, I can email to you images of pieces available at that moment.

'Salt Glazing'

'Salt Glazing' was published in 2002 and continues to sell very well.

'Salt Glazing' is a thorough look at the procedures of salt glazing together with an in depth study of 25 contemporary potters using salt in a variety of ways. Anyone wishing to have a signed copy can email me and I will send them one from here. The cost is £30.00 plus postage.

The second edition of 'Ash Glazes' is also available. 'Ash Glazes' has now sold more than 11,000 copies. The new edition is full colour throughout, includes a number of new practitioners and many new images of comtemporary work that employs wood ash.

Our annual pre Christmas open weekend. Just before every Christmas we have our sale of older pots and seconds. Come and join us for a glass of mulled wine (or two!) and choose from a selection of pieces at reduced prices. In the new upstairs gallery there will also be a display of first quality pieces.
If you would like us to send you an invite card please email me.

When I am away, maybe giving a demonstration or at a fair, I am often asked about the pottery - what it looks like, it's setting in the hills of Mid Wales. I have included these two photographs to give you an idea of where I work and the beauty of the hills above the Elan Valley. In the first picture the pottery, a converted cow house, is to the right and even further right the chimney of the wood kiln can be seen. The house was built in Circa 1480 just after the end of the 100 years war.

The second photograph is the view from the yard toward the hills above the Elan Valley looking west.

I am slowly putting together a collection of pieces by Bernard Leach. If you have a piece of pottery or work on paper by BL I would love to hear from you if you are thinking of parting with it. Please email me.