I remember when I first went to art school and we received a reading list before the term started. I was so excited by the promise to be found within these prospective pages and I spent hours photocopying their pages and adding them to my journals. I can almost smell the pages of the books and hear the whirr of the photocopier now. And the chill misty mornings of October waiting for the train, books under my arm. Just so keen! (By November a little of this had worn off). My world looks a bit different now and September is much more focussed around the lists for my own children, which has its own pleasure. But I do love this month and the feeling of fresh energy and learning it can conjure up, so I’m sharing with you my own suggested reading list. These are books I am reading now or have found useful recently to my practice. I hope you’ll enjoy, let me know if you have read any of them or if you have any books to add to the list.
Tools for Food by Corinne Mynatt
“The stories behind objects that influence how and what we eat”. We were given this book as an anniversary present and it is such a treasure of a book. It’s a fascinating snapshot of culture and design told through 250 culinary utensils. As we produce functional ware, I find it a really useful book for exploring the relationship between food cultures and material.
The Potter’s Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Frank and Janet Hamer
I recently added this book to my collection as another potter in our studio building was getting rid! My good fortune. It is a so useful. Simply a dictionary containing entries for just about all things pottery and really handy for having about in the studio alongside working.
Natural Glazes by Miranda Forrest
This book is like an old friend to me, it was probably the first pottery book I ever bought because the subject completely captures my imagination. The book follows examples of Forrest’s own work and recipes (very specific to the island of South Uist). I like the practical advice on how to process raw materials.
Design and Create Contemporary Tableware by Linda Bloomfield and Sue Pryke
Such a visually inspiring book but also bursting with information about so many techniques of making. Includes some of our work too! But that isn’t why I’m including it, I think it should be a firm addition to every functional potter’s bookshelf.
By My Hands, A Potter’s Apprenticeship by Florian Gadsby
I haven’t actually read this yet, only flicked through but I can confirm it looks to be a great read full of amazing photography and illustration. Looking forward to some quiet Autumn evenings in front of the fire with this one.
Making Emmanuel Cooper, edited by David Horbury
For years I’ve used glaze recipes out of an ancient Emmanuel Cooper book but barely knew a thing about this potter. This is a really beautifully and sensitively compiled series of writing about Cooper’s life and work, taken from memoirs, letters, diaries and interviews.
The Beauty of Everyday Things by Soetsu Yanagi
I am studying the first chapter of this marvellous book, which is composed of a series of essays by Yanagi, the folk-craft ‘pioneer’. I’m enjoying reading and learning about the Mingei movement, but there are so many inspiring ideas and concepts in this book.
Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours by P.Syme
I’m not sure I fully understand this book but I absolutely lose myself in the descriptions of colours. This is a guidebook to colour, written pre-photography, searching for a non ambiguous way to describe colour. I was wondering how to talk about my chun glaze, which is chemically similar to opal. I found this for ‘common opal’ Name: Skimmed milk white. Animal: White of the Human Eyeballs. Vegetable: Back of the Petals of Blue Hepatica. This is a scientific study of colour but I read it like poetry.
Studio Pottery by Oliver Watson
This book includes 20th century British Ceramics from the V&A collection but the introduction by Oliver Watson is full of fascinating information, beautifully written. I read it over and over as there is just so many things to pick out.
How To Wrap Five Eggs by Hideyuki Oka
We potters spend a lot of time considering how to package our pots. It has to be safe, beautiful and not cost the earth. This book includes examples of packaging so resourceful and beautiful it is almost breathtaking. Everyday materials, whatever is to hand, crafted to purpose, creating works of art in themselves.