Bethlehem Pottery Club

Several members have entered “A Potters Mark” collaboration exhibition hosted by Rotorua Potters. A few of our members won prizes last year, so we are super-excited to see how they do this year. Good luck everyone!

This is the last month of our financial year, and we are looking forward to see what the next year holds for BPC, with maintenance plans, upcoming workshops, and we will be making a call as to whether we restart classes available to the community.

We will be launching more in-house workshops for members: Beginners Wheel, Intermediate Wheel, starting in mid-June. Watch for more info on this in the next newsletter.

And to get the anticipation level up: Elena Renker is coming in mid June for a two-day workshop, and we will have a Matariki Bowl celebration on 22 June!

Driving Creek Pottery

The Leach Connection

Some of you may have noticed a new face around Driving Creek recently. Ellie Woods has joined us from The Leach Pottery in Cornwall for a three month creative residency. Originally from Cumbria, Ellie studied fine arts in Liverpool before she was selected to join the Leach production team as an apprentice potter. She completed her three year apprenticeship last year and is now taking a short break from production to explore new ways of making.

Callum Trudgeon, our lead potter and former Leach apprentice, is keen to continue building ties between the two potteries. The hope is that Leach potters will benefit from the earthiness and creative freedom of Driving Creek and that our future apprentices might one day experience the rigour of training at The Leach.

Bernard Leach’s philosophy of pottery and living, as laid out in his 1940 A Potter’s Book, was hugely influential to the generation of potters Barry came up amongst. Leach’s book was a guide to how and why we make. He preached the importance of pottery and the handmade in a rapidly industrialising world. While Barry pushed back against Leach’s sometimes dogmatic views on the craft, there’s no doubt that he and his contemporaries owed a great deal to Leach and his pottery “bible.” Barry even arranged for Leach to visit him in Coromandel by seaplane during his 1962 tour of Aotearoa. He also met with Shoji Hamada, the Japanese co-founder of The Leach Pottery, in Christchurch in 1965.

The Leach philosophy seems to have lost some significance for younger potters working in Aotearoa today. However, Callum and I still believe that Leach’s teachings, and especially the foundational skills taught through the Leach production training model, are just as relevant today as they were for Barry’s generation. Maintaining this relationship will, we believe, be hugely beneficial for both potteries.

Ellie started her residency in typical Driving Creek fashion: by collecting and processing local clays. Inspired by the many residents and potters she’s met, she has been exploring new ways of making and firing. She’s been based in Wailin’s old studio but also enjoys working on Barry’s kick wheel up at Horopito Station in the evenings. Ellie has become part of the Driving Creek family, and she will be missed when she leaves in May. We hope that the elementalness of Driving Creek continues to inspire her when she returns to The Leach.

Artists in Residence

Joining Ellie on the residency programme in March and April were clay workers Jessica Adams (UK), Suemi Chiba (Australia), Abbie La Rooy (UK/Auckland), Jill McNaughton (Auckland), Fiona Gates (Coromandel), Wendelien Bakker (Auckland), Ben Pyne (Auckland), Isobel Thom (Auckland) and Trevor Sphor (Australia). For more information on the artists and their work, head over to our blog: drivingcreek.nz/journal.

Residency applications for January-March 2026 are now open. Applications close June 30. For more information and to apply, head to the application page on our website: drivingcreek.nz/artists-in-residence.

Clay Works 2025

We are very excited for our standardware range to be featured in this year’s Clay Works Potters’ Market alongside some very talented makers. The market will be held at the St. Columba Church Hall in Grey Lynn from 10am-4pm Friday 9th and Saturday 10th May. If you’re in Auckland, swing by and check it out! If you don’t make it in person, you can always check out the range online: shop.drivingcreek.nz.

Off the Rails Exhibition

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the opening of Off the Rails in the Driving Creek Gallery the Thursday before Easter. This exhibition runs until May 17th and features work by Callum Trudgeon, Hannah Rose Arnold, Louise Penberthy, Laurie Steer, Mary Lee, Sam Ireland, Paul Maysek, Paul Cornwell, Iona Matheson, Jaime Jenkins, Riccardo Scott, Matilda Halley, Carolin Hahn, Alex Moore, Bethany Harris, Kalou Koefoed, Meri McMillan, Browyn Blair and Jan Kocian. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11am to 3pm.

Upcoming Pottery Workshops at Driving Creek

Starting Monday 5 May | 5 Day Throwing Course

Starting Monday 26 May | 5 Day Hand Building Course with Iona Matheson

Starting Saturday 5 July | 2 Day Jug Making Course with Callum Trudgeon

Starting Monday 21 July | 5 Day Throwing Course

Starting Sunday 31 August | 7 Day Mud & Fire with Aaron Scythe and Sergei Shatrov

Starting Saturday 20 September | 2 Week Pottery Experience Making and Woodfiring with Callum Trudgeon 

Starting Monday 13 October | 5 Day Production Throwing Course

Starting Saturday 22 November | 2 Day Bowl Making Course with Callum Trudgeon
Starting Wednesday 3 December | 5 Day Kurinuki Course with Elena Renker

Ngā mihi nui, The Driving Creek Pottery Team