The Wool Clip’s latest Spotlight guest is Newton Reigny potter, Clare Farley of Pinfold Pottery. Clare has set up an exhibition of her stoneware planters, garden markers and animal sculptures at the co-operative’s Caldbeck shop and her work will be on sale there until Potfest in the Pens at the end of July.
“Clare is the fourth artist or designer maker to exhibit as our Spotlight guest,” said Wool Clip member, Julia Neubauer, “and she’s done a great job of giving some of the work on sale a Cumbrian wool theme with sheep counting in local dialect on a selection of her planters and some ceramic sheep. So far we’ve had a basket maker, an artist and a craft bookbinder as our guests so it’s great to welcome a ceramicist – and Clare’s someone who several of us in The Wool Clip already knew through other events and Cumbrian networks anyway.”
Having set up Pinfold Pottery in 2008, Clare’s work has evolved in recent years to focus mainly on studio garden pots and ceramics for outdoors such as plant labels, water features and cane toppers. The clay and her firing process work together to create stoneware pots that can survive British weather and her designs are made to compliment plants and allow them to show off a bit. Clare has also created bigger garden sculptures on commission including one that was part of a show garden design for both RHS Hampton Court and Tatton Flower Shows in 2016.
“I’ve developed a common thread to my style that combines clay, colours and surface textures,” Clare explains. “My work is made from a gritty stoneware clay that has an honest feel to it and people seem to like it for their homes and gardens as it’s both attractive and robust.”
A range of Clare’s work will be on display and for sale until the end of July at The Wool Clip, which is in Priest’s Mill, Caldbeck. The shop is open Tuesday to Sunday each week, 11.00am to 4pm. Further information, directions and details of The Wool Clip can be found online at www.woolclip.com. After this, Clare will be at Potfest in the Pens at Skirsgill near Penrith from 30 July to 1 August.
