Spode Works Closed - British Ceramics Biennial Spode Works Closed 18 December 2009 A manic few months since my last blog - but all is calming now, and its time to catch up and reflect on work, experiences, life etc. I was shortlisted for the ‘One-off Award’ at the first <a href="http://www.britishceramicsbiennial.com/stories/1052-award">British Ceramic Biennial</a> in Stoke this autumn. The festival and exhibitions have all just finished. I didn’t win, but I am pleased that <a href="http://www.galeriebesson.co.uk/brownswordexhib.html">Neil Brownsword</a> did. Although our work is very different, he and I mine very similar themes and sources - examining the richness and complexity of our industrial heritage. I made a specific body of work for the show, <i>Spode Works Closed</i> using objects salvaged from the abandoned Spode Factory in July 2009. Here are some of the pieces. This set of five bone china plates, salvaged from the factory floor is decorated with versions of Spode’s<i> Italian Blue </i>filtered through scenes from the derelict factory site. More work to follow over the coming days....