Catwalk Ceramics

Catwalk Ceramics Thora Talling has set up her own studio at Catwalk Ceramics, also offering pottery tuition. Hours as I have been a potter for nearly three decades now.

I started out with classes at Kendal College, with teacher Karen Wilkinson, then at Mike and Vicky Eden’s night class, and also the annual pottery holiday there – the highlight of the year. I have tried to replicate the Hungarian glazes, brought over by Mike and Vicky, these being blue (cobalt), green (copper) and orange (red iron oxide) to use together on my bowls. I have also explored traditiona

l decorating techniques for earthenware slipware, such as scraffito (scratching through to the red clay), and sponging and slip-trailing techniques. I have enjoyed going to the Aberystwyth International Ceramics Festival 2013 and 2015, and brought back new ideas using these techniques. I like colour and the interplay between slips (coloured liquid decorating clay) and glazes, both coloured, shiny and matt. I like to try new ways of decorating and view my time as a potter as a journey always with new places to go, new techniques to try. I throw some of my smaller bowls and enjoy using my sketches or photos of animals – mainly cats! – to decorate these I have also experimented with sculpture, putting together thrown bowls as the basics of my form. I won a prize for this at my first Potfest! I hand coil larger bowls which are decorated with horses and donkeys and decorated using underglaze colours, wax and a wash of cobalt oxide. I also design and produce friezes to hang on the wall, with landscapes created by rolling textured cloth into the slab and other objects, such as natural objects such as seaweed and shells to create texture, and then using coloured slips and glazes. These have a strong clay hanger fired onto the back. I have also worked with colours on tin glaze to make Chinese Vases. These are inspired by original Chinese paintings. This year I have ventured 'Out West', exhibiting at the Rum Story and the Rosehill Theatre at Whitehaven on the West Coast of Cumbria. This year was my sixth at Potfest in the Pens and I really enjoyed meeting the public and seeing the other Potters and their wares. In recent times I have been working wìth some charities like the Brooke and International Animal Rescue. With the sale of some of my work to help these good causes has been very satisfying. I have also made a foray into the canine world with some bowls sold in aid of C4GP, a charity for homeless dogs. And really enjoyed all the commissions of people's pets I was trusted with before Christmas- mostly dogs this year! A bowl with your pet on is only £35 + p&p! I run classes and workshops and will now be advertising these on my page. My cobalt wash workshops are always popular and there will be a tin glaze workshop later this spring. Keep an eye on my page and sign up for a workshop if you like. Look forward to see you at Catwalk...

Thora

Please save the bees...
22/05/2026

Please save the bees...

Join the biggest EVER movement of nature defenders. It only takes two minutes.

Visited The Old Courthouse at Shap today for my first viewing of 'Flora and Fauna'. A great space to spend time with a c...
22/05/2026

Visited The Old Courthouse at Shap today for my first viewing of 'Flora and Fauna'. A great space to spend time with a cosy gallery. The exhibition was varied and well set out. We were even offered a coffee before we left!
Come and explore this little gem, it has a lot going on!

Lovely day doing linocut printing at Ironpress printing, the Storey in Lancaster today. First time class here for me - a...
17/05/2026

Lovely day doing linocut printing at Ironpress printing, the Storey in Lancaster today. First time class here for me - and first time linocut printing! Very enjoyable.

Two pieces I am making to add to the older algae plaques, some of you may know. This is for the 'Flora and Fauna" exhib...
01/05/2026

Two pieces I am making to add to the older algae plaques, some of you may know. This is for the 'Flora and Fauna" exhibition at The Old Courthouse, Shap, which runs from the 16th May to the 28th June. I am exhibiting along with 10 or so other Cumbrian artists, including EVAN members Jane Firth, Gwen Bainbridge and Simon Whalley.

Last week UCLAY started. This is an exhibition at the University of Lancashire for Alumni and established makers associa...
01/05/2026

Last week UCLAY started. This is an exhibition at the University of Lancashire for Alumni and established makers associated with the University. It is open weekdays 10am - 4.30pm in the PR1 Gallery at Preston until May 14th.
It was a sublime evening and although I only had one piece, I felt is was really worthwile.
My dish refers to the plight of howler monkeys who keep getting electrocuted on uninsulated powerlines in Costa Rica.
The QR code leads to a website, Esto no es Pura Vida, where you can help by signing the petition.

Life Drawing in Clay with Sara Hood@SaraHoodfineart.comCedar Farm in Lanchashire with good company was a feast for sore ...
08/02/2026

Life Drawing in Clay with Sara [email protected]
Cedar Farm in Lanchashire with good company was a feast for sore eyes. Thank you Pauline Lowther for a good choice of workshop to ease my way back in!

Lovely day doing plate lithography printing today with Amanda Hancock at Ulan.
06/02/2026

Lovely day doing plate lithography printing today with Amanda Hancock at Ulan.

A scary hallow'een pot and others. Decorated with underglaze colours on tin glaze. Well done ladies.And Mum! My contribu...
27/10/2025

A scary hallow'een pot and others. Decorated with underglaze colours on tin glaze. Well done ladies.
And Mum! My contribution, a cat bowl.

A great first post MA firing. Lovely work by Val, Jessica and Josephine. Great decoration ( cobalt wash technique ) and ...
27/10/2025

A great first post MA firing. Lovely work by Val, Jessica and Josephine. Great decoration ( cobalt wash technique ) and good wheel pots!

It was our MA Degree Show night on Friday...It was well attended and contains all the MA Degree work for all the differe...
07/09/2025

It was our MA Degree Show night on Friday...It was well attended and contains all the MA Degree work for all the different MA courses in the School of Arts and Media.
Well worth a visit if youre in the area, open 10am - 4pm weekdays in PR1 Gallery, University of Lancashire.

Here are some of the Ceramics...

So glad the little leopard survived the second glaze firing. Shows its worth refiring pots if there's been a problem and...
28/08/2025

So glad the little leopard survived the second glaze firing. Shows its worth refiring pots if there's been a problem and theyve underfired.

Address

Catwalk Ceramics By Thora Talling @ Whinfell House Farm
Penrith
CA102AF

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Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

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