Make North

23/09/2021

Flashback to 2 years ago! Just couple of months after we opened in Preston City Centre.

We were in the old Saul St Clinic, a pretty ad-hoc setup to test demand and sadly a 5 months later the pandemic struck. We moved to cheaper premises, we built a socially distanced studio and we weathered most of the storm with a home-pottery service, offering online tutorials and going door-to-door to collect members pots.

Make North opened in August 2019 in Preston City centre, established by Louise Smith as a community maker-space, where members could access facilities such as pottery wheels and print benches, as well as attending formal courses. Seven months after opening Covid-19 struck and Louise launched a home-pottery service, with online tutorials and along with Make North's tutors: Christine Cherry, Katie Timson and Micaela Schoop, spent 15months delivering clay to member’s doorsteps, giving advice over the garden fence and collecting and firing their pots. Over 120 households participated, with all ages taking part and producing some brilliant work.

​It's been a tough couple of years and after restrictions were lifted in April things continued to be incredibly quiet in the studio, so in July with attendance still very low, winter looming and because we were too new to be eligible for government Cultural Recovery Funding, Louise took the decision to move out of our premises. Louise is currently working with a group of eight long-term members, and new trustees of Make North, to reopen the studio in 2022.

17/09/2021

9 days to go! Just over a week remains to sign-up for a pottery class or membership at Make North in 2022 and prevent our closure.

We are taking bookings to reopen Make North in January through Kickstarter, you can book introductory day courses or sign up for 3months membership, with or without tuition.

Over 200 people have participated in pottery with Make North since we opened 2years ago and less than 50% need to sign up now for us to meet our target, we hope you'll join us and help reopen Make North as a resource for Lancashire.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/makenorth/reopening-make-north-pottery

10/09/2021

Pottery classes now bookable through Kickstarter! Our studio is easily accessible from across Lancashire and our 5hr classes are designed for people traveling to get to us.

www.makenorth.org/classes

04/09/2021

www.kickstarter.com/projects/makenorth/reopening-make-north-pottery

A message from Louise, founding director of Make North.

"Hello, as many of you may know I opened Make North in August 2019, as a non-profit community studio for pottery and more. Just seven months later the pandemic struck. We’ve muddled through most things, with a mix of home-pottery and classes when able, and over the past 2years over 200 people have participated. Despite these numbers however we are on the brink of permanent closure. We were incredibly quiet from May to July and ineligible for government funding as we were too new, so I was forced to give notice on our premises’.

However as Covid becomes more manageable and life starts to return to normal, I hope that enough people may want to return to Make North to allow us to reopen in January.

After listening to what everybody wants from the studio I’ve changed the membership options from pre-pandemic, and as we now have members (past & present) from all over Lancashire, I have identified premises near junction 31 of the M6, only 20 minutes by bus from Preston City Centre, but very accessible by car, with plenty of onsite parking.

I'm running this as a Kickstarter campaign because there has been so much uncertainty recently and when you sign-up through Kickstarter your money will be held by them, so that if we don’t hit our target and need to close, your money will automatically be refunded, if we hit our target Kickstarter will be release your money and we will reopen in January.

We have three weeks to hit our crowdfunding target, if you would like to support this campaign please don't delay, your early support will encourage others.

Thank you for your support!"

02/07/2021

This week two years ago we were getting ready to open at the old Saul Street clinic, we were cleaning out an old pug mill, planting up the yard, casting loads of plaster moulds and getting the wheels set up... It's certainly been a strange time since.

01/07/2021

Thank you so much Blog Preston for sharing our news and for all your support! :-)

Coiled dip glazed pots made at home by Make North member Linda Walmsley Preston-based social enterprise Make North is adapting its service to offer pottery

27/06/2021

Simple turquoise glaze, it has a lovely matte finish and toasty edge on buff clay, one of many glazes available as part of our new pottery box service 👌

23/06/2021

Unloading a glaze kiln is such an exciting thing, seeing if the 'kiln gods' have been kind and transformed the clay and glaze as you hoped. As part of Make North Pottery Box we will film every kiln unloading, so you can share the magic 🤯

After you make your pots at home you will choose from our huge selection of food-safe glazes, we will dip your pots, they will be fired twice (the second time to 1220 degrees) then we will return your pots to your local collection point! 🙌

22/06/2021

Denim and Emerald Glazes 😋

21/06/2021

Our fluid Emerald glaze over the matte lilac 👌

21/06/2021

Wonky dip in alabaster and slate glazes 😍

20/06/2021

With a Pottery Box subscription we'll provide the inspiration for your creative journey. Through tutorials, expert advice and challenges, supporting you to make pots that are personal to you.

Clay is a tactile and therapeutic medium that can be used in a huge number of ways, from from expressive sculptural work to functional tableware. The process of creating ceramics, transforming raw materials into finished pots, involves a kind of alchemy- it's a little bit of magic.

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

Pottery box includes:

- Stoneware clay: buff, white or red
- Decorating slips and underglazes, for you to apply at home
- A huge range of coloured food-safe glazes, which we will apply for you, following your instructions
- Monthly collection, firing & return delivery, to your chosen drop & collection point
- Online video tutorials
- Expert advice and help from our tutors
- Monthly challenges to try your hand at

We are working with partners across the North West to provide local drop & collection points.

Our Partners:
- The Platform Gallery, Clitheroe
- Turtle Bee, Samlesbury
- Ward Field, Preston (opening soon)
- A Small Good Thing, Bolton
- Zero One, Great Eccleston
- Arteria Shop, Lancaster

You can find much more info and details if how to join on our website

19/06/2021

Lovely People 😊 some of our new partners, who will be collection points for our new pottery boxes. Victoria OmNom Zero Waste Emily A Small, Good ThingA Small, Good Thing Claire TurtleBee and Helen Platform Gallery and Visitor Information Centre (I didn't quite make to make it to Rachael with a poster today). Thanks to you all for being so open to this new thing of ours!

17/06/2021

*Early Bird Offer* sign up by the end of June and get a free place on a glazing workshop in August.

Please help us spread the word. Tag a friend if you think they'd be interested. Thanks :-)

Drop-off and collect venues: Platform Gallery and Visitor Information Centre A Small Good Thing TurtleBee zerooneuk OmNom Zero Waste Arteria

Clitheroe, Bolton, Samlesbury, Preston, Great Eccleston, Lancaster and Southport

13/06/2021

Lovely glazes Jude! 😃 Jude made these pots and home and then dipped them at the studio, they all include Emerald, with either Baby Blue or Lilac.

11/06/2021

Fab bowl by member Maya (who's a trainee doctor and potter newbee btw :-) it's wheel thrown and decorated with underglazes and sgraffito, Maya has chosen just to glaze the inside.

09/06/2021

Challenge 2: something with articulation. It can be fired as one (as with chain links or a ball socket) or it can slot together after firing, but it should only be made from clay. It can be functional or sculptural. Start by narrowing it down: either pick a form/function (i.e. a lidded box) and then explore the types of joint/hinge that could be used or choose one type of joint/hinge and then explore the possibilities of form/function.

In for firing on Sunday June 27th 👍

08/06/2021

Texture Challenge Winner, Sue Southworth with corn 🌽 All the entries are incredibly good, but Sue's use of corn three ways is really effective and inventive! Amazing Sue 🙌 Slab built pots dipped in Lilac and Emerald glazes.