SHEILA HERRING
Things are going well with me at Wobage.We had a very successful wood firing before Xmas with several of my pots in it including creamers, mugs, storage jars and serving bowls , the results of which I was pleased with. The firing felt much more meaningful having worked towards it with making as well as the kiln preparation and packing. We also fired the test glaze troughs which have given some interesting results.
I have mixed several large batches of slips and shino glaze as well as making up our stoneware clays and doing the reclaim, pugging both.
We too had large quantities of snow in the new year and I was actually snowed in at home for 10 days. I had taken some clay home with me, so was able to work through some ideas following on from rounded bottomed pots I made in the summer school last year in the form of serving bowls.
The main news this week is that Jeremy's baby arrived on 31st Jan, 9 days early. This week I'll be involved in a group effort to complete the new kiln site structure, looking after evening class pots and preparing for the class, and doing some slipping on my own work whilst Jeremy gets things organised with his family.
I don't feel I have any particular problems just now, although I'm aware there is a lot to learn and get to grips with. Jeremy is always very approachable and it is great to have the other potters around to influence me and learn from. I still feel very grateful to have this opportunity.

PROGRESS STATEMENT, JEREMY STEWARD WOBAGE FARM
The apprenticeship from my perspective is going very well indeed. Sheila's punctuality and enthusiasm for work is awesome and she has applied herself excellently to the various chores of the workshop. She has also fitted in very comfortably with the other makers at the workshop, which is an important aspect in the studio's functionality and politics day to day.
After several gas-salt firings Sheila has certainly grasped the basics of reduction and salt-firing. She is firing the gas kiln pretty much single-handedly, with some assistance during reduction and salting. This was a big gap in her skill-base so she has really applied herself well here.
There is lots for her to learn still with the wood-firing, however, she proved a natural intuition for the changing patterns of stoking and a great stamina for the long day of a once-fired kiln. The work of her own that she fired was in my opinion successful, fresh, exciting and already very sophisticated.
Some images of Sheila's work will be posted in the coming months.