Journeys of a Pottery Muser…

I recently had the lucky opportunity to go to Europe for a mixture of work and pleasure. I, as is mandatory, trapsed all over the cities in search of beauty and here are the specifically ceramics based experiences that I enjoyed, and you may too. Glasgow - the highlight here was going out the The William Burrell Collection set in Scottish woodlands only 1/2 hr from the city centre. It is a beautiful purpose built building , housing a incredibly carefully curated collection of excellent ceramics. I also will add that the Glasgow City Chambers is an incredibly lavish building to visit, two rooms clad in Queensland Silky Oak(now extinct) and Tasmanian Huon Pine…and the Willow Tearooms worth a visit to sit and ponder on the Scottish suffragettes who used to meet there and as in original condition as designed by Rennie Macintosh, whilst enjoying tea and scones. Berlin was a treasure trove of finding hidden away small ceramics practises..often located in unassuming single shopfronts, only to open into creative hubs of inspiration and action. Onto Valencia and here we see the National Museum of Ceramics, and the amazing experience of seeing ceramics thoroughout the centuries housed in an opulent Rococco Silk merchants house. The Valencia Museum of Modern Art was also well worth finding and seeing a series of Jose Gonzalez sculptures. Then onto Madrid - whoa this city is laden with fabulouse ceramics everywhere the eye goes. Sooo much richness, how to narrow it down. Most people will visit the three main museums so I am going to make a special mention for The Naval Museum which was well worth the visit. Ceramics wise you see many examples of the ceramic vessels used to carry spices and other goods around the world. That’s it…I hope this gives you some ideas!