News

Hi just bobbing in to update on new workshops for 2025

I have 2 places left on 18th Jan for porcelain t light holders 10.30am-1.30pm down at Fired Up North Studios come and have a play with porcelain to create a unique luminaire.

Create your own tea light holders
using slab building techniques with porcelain. In this 2 & ½ hr workshop
you will learn techniques on how to handle the porcelain, rolling out
techniques and forming and joining the porcelain, impressing and incising using
textures to exploit its beautiful translucent qualities to create your very own
tea light holder. At the end of the workshop you will have created at least one
porcelain tea light holder to be fired. The tealight holders will be fired and
glazed with the glaze of your own choice and can be collected within 4 weeks.

Maximum 6 per workshop age 18 +
duration 2 ½ -3hrs

Porcelain tiles – 15th February 2025

Tiles impressed with natural or manmade objects in porcelain.
You will create a set of four tiles that can be used as coasters or wall
plaques, door numbers etc using colour and oxide to bring them to life.
Participants will learn the basic skills involved in creating clay tiles. We
will be using a porcelain clay suitable for displaying outdoors once fired.
Creating decoration with collected natural materials ie grasses, seed heads,
flowers and leaves to create patterns and pictures on the surface. We will
introduce a splash of colour using underglaze and oxides to pick up the details
on the surfaces once fired.

Maximum 6 per workshop age 18 + duration 2 ½ -3hrs

Porcelain jugs – 15th March

Create your own porcelain jugs using
slab building techniques with porcelain using impressed techniques to create
your own unique and elegant porcelain jug. In this 2 & ½ hr workshop you will learn
techniques on how to handle the porcelain, rolling out/slab building techniques and forming and joining the
porcelain including handles, impressing and incising using found and manmade textures.
The jugs will be fired and glazed with the glaze of your own choice and can be
collected within 4 weeks.

Maximum 6 per workshop age 18 +
duration 2 ½ hrs

Wonky Whippets Workshop 12th April

NOW FULL – Ever wanted to make your own Wonky Whippet or even your own pet? well come and have a go with me down at Fired Up North Studios. Using stoneware and using hand building techniques following step by step instructions we will create your own whippet/sighthound/dog/cat or even guinea pig. We can decorate with natural colours and each individual creation will be unique to you.

New Date for another Wonky Whippet workshop on the 3rd May – places available now

Maximum 6 per workshop age 18 +
duration 2 ½-3 hrs

Prices include materials and firing £70 per person

to book please email info@juliemiles.co.uk

Tea, coffee and biscuits are included, as is a relaxing, friendly atmosphere!

Please bring your own apron, notebook and pen.

All workshops will be at my studios within my dedicated teaching space at Fired Up North Studios on Lomeshaye Business Centre, Junction 12 off the M65 we are down the side of Giddy Kippers (use their postcode for Sat Nav directions BB9 7DU) with free parking. Please note the disabled access is limited due to the nature of the historic mill as there is steps into the studio.

New half day workshops for Summer 2024

Porcelain Mugs – 13th July

Create your own porcelain mug using
slab building techniques with porcelain using impressed techniques to create
your own unique drinking vessel. In this 2 & ½ hr workshop you will learn
techniques on how to handle the porcelain, rolling out/slab building techniques
and forming and joining the porcelain including handles, impressing and
incising using found and manmade textures. Mugs will be fired and glazed with
the glaze of your own choice and can be collected within 4 weeks.

Maximum 6 per workshop age 18 +
duration 2 ½ hrs

Porcelain Tealights – Oct 12th

Maximum 6 per workshop age 18 +
duration 2 ½ hrs

Porcelain jugs – Aug 10th

Maximum 6 per workshop age 18 +
duration 2 ½ hrs

Decorative Stoneware wall sconces – Oct 12th

Create your individual wall sconces using
slab building techniques with stoneware using impressed techniques to create your own
unique decorative wall light. In this 2 & ½ hr workshop you will learn
techniques on how to handle the clay,
rolling out/slab building techniques and
forming and joining the porcelain including handles, impressing and incising
using found and manmade textures. The
wall sconces will be fired and glazed with the glaze of your own choice and can
be collected within 4 weeks.

Maximum 6 per workshop age 18 +
duration 2 ½ hrs

Porcelain tiles – TBC

Tiles impressed with natural objects in porcelain using natural material such as grasses,
flowers and leaves.
You will create a set of four tiles that can be used as coasters or wall
plaques, door numbers etc using colour and oxide to bring them to life.
Participants will learn the basic skills involved in creating clay tiles. We
will be using a porcelain clay suitable for displaying outdoors once fired.
Creating decoration with collected natural materials ie grasses, seed heads,
flowers and leaves to create patterns and pictures on the surface. We will
introduce a splash of colour using underglaze and oxides to pick up the details
on the surfaces once fired.

Maximum 6 per
workshop age 18 + duration 2 ½ hrs

Dates to be confirmed

Prices include
materials and firing £65 per person to book please email info@juliemiles.co.uk

So we are a little late opening our doors this year for Christmas but we will be open this Sunday 3rd December 2023 from 2-4pm then every Saturday from 1-4pm through December

Do come and say hello

So in September this year I will have been in business as Julie Miles Ceramics for 25 year! eek! So I’m looking for ideas to help celebrate this over the next year so I am asking if you have any ideas to help me with this let me know. There may be a sale or two and some ‘Special Editions’ of 25 somethings e.g.special wonky whippets or podencos…….

Hi the ‘Out of the Office’ sign will be up from Saturday 10th June till Saturday 17th June. I will be off on my holidays so I will have limited service so any orders placed from the 10th will be dealt with on my return.

Thank you

New workshop dates for 6 week Beginners Class – Thursday 23rd March 7-9pm at Fired Up North Studios there is a couple of places left so send me an email to book.

The first week of the Wednesday night class we worked with porcelain to create a tealight holder. cme and join us to create your own.

Well we are nearly at the end of our first block of workshops and the work the students have made has been brilliant. Here is a sample of the mugs we worked on from the second week after starting in porcelain and creating a tea light holder and learning slab building techniques and impressing textures and joining techniques. A new block of workshops are being launched soon.

Workshops

At last l am launching my workshops in the new year. Well its about time! So if you fancy having a go at playing with clay or refreshing skills or you’ve just watched the Throw Down and are itching to get your hands dirty .

Starting on the 11th January come and banish the January Blues with Morning or evening classes.

Come and have a go on one of my 6 week beginner courses. What it will do is introduce you to the studio, clay and equiptment on offer. You will learn new skills and basic techniques and then if you like it you can carry on attending on a rolling programme still learning new techniques or creating your own self directed projects.

For Beginners and Intermediates

On our 6 week course, Julie will guide you through a range of techniques to get you started on your clay journey from pinch pots, coiling and slab work to decoration techniques using underglaze, oxides and glazes.

Suitable for beginners to those with intermediate experience working at a steady and relaxed pace in a supportive atmosphere you will create pottery to be proud of.

Once you have completed your 6 week course you can continue your journey after your initial introduction to clay and keep attending the weekly class paid in blocks of 4 weeks.

Wednesday Mornings: 10.30am – 12.30pm

Wednesday Evening : 7-9 pm

Adults over the age of 18 only for this course thank you.

Price: 6 week course £180 Booking is by email info@juliemiles.co.uk

Places will only be confirmed after full payment has been received as places are limited to 6-8 participants.

If you need to cancel for any reason within 7 days before the start of the course refunds will only be available if your place can be filled.

What’s included in the price?

Expert tuition in a professional ceramic studio, clay, decorating materials and firing costs are included in the initial 6 week course.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are included, as is a relaxing, friendly atmosphere!

Please bring your own apron, notebook and pen and any ideas of what you would like to achieve.

Quotes from previous workshop participants of workshops run by Julie:

‘Julie brings bags of inspiration to every workshop but she is always ready to support you in exploring your own ideas as well.’

‘Julie is an amazing teacher with huge amounts of patience luckily for me!’

‘Julie manages to share her wide range of skills with plenty of humour thrown in. Her workshops are great for beginners but with her years of technical expertise she has a lot to offer to more experienced potters as well.’

‘Julie’s workshops are a fantastic, fun and sociable experience with expert teaching of a range of ceramics skills.’

Gift Guides

Christmas is coming

So we are getting close to Christmas and with the impending postal strikes I am starting to promote some pieces on social media so get your orders in early just in case.

I have some new products including these illuminated bell jar winter wonderland scenes and some new porcelain christmas trees too. Check out the latest additions in the shop.

Update for Clare Drill again in Australia The basset has fired and been mounted

size: 24x26x16cms

AUTUMNAL NEWS

Well I have been playing and produced some pumpkins with twirly wirly stalks as most get cut off on the ones you buy for Halloween .

https://www.juliemiles.co.uk/product/handmade-ceramic-pumpkins/

This is another update for my lovely customer in Australia Clare Drill these three are all wrapped and packed up ready to send

This is an update for my lovely customer in Australia Clare Drill.

Work in progress on a basset hound and wall fox head pre firing

Well its been a while! sorry I’ve been a bit busy and covid got me in the end so its taken me a bit to recover.

Anyway we are having a bit of a refit as Karen left us for her fabulous new studio at the end of March so once the painting and moving stuff about we will reopen. Here’s a sneak peak at the entrance and hallway to the gallery space.

Happy New Year or is that a bit late? oops I have been back at work but from home finishing a couple of comissions raising money for Hope for Podencos with my portraits. Order book is now open if you fancy one of your pet.

We have a poorly Leela so the studio will have to wait till my studio assistant is feeling a little better. I’ve got some new products for Valentines I will upload to the shop soon and hopefully announce dates for a studio sale which I will try and do online some how too.

Hope you are safe and had a lovely festive season. Updates to the shop soon

So this week we are celebrating JUST A CARD – Indie Week 2021 the colourful alternative to Black Friday, a week long celebration of artists, makers, independant shops and small businesses. Theres 10% off with the code VF2021

I’ll be using the prompts from Instagram and Just a Card and

Christmas at Fired Up North Studios We are now having mulled wine and minced pies every Saturday 11am – 3pm down at the gallery. Do bob in and say hello. We are open Wednesday to Saturday 11-3 or other times by appointment.

We have gifts to suit all pockets. From stocking fillers to pieces of original artwork, paintings and watercolours.

Launching our Christmas Exhibition at Fired Up North Studios in person at the gallery this Friday 5th November. We are open 11am – 3pm Wednesday to Saturday until 18th December. Other times by appointment so do get in touch if you’d like a private shopping experience. We will of course be sharing on social media so we can post out anything directly to you too. #christmasgifts #christmasiscoming #santaselves #buyhandmade #handmadechristmas #supportsmallbusiness #shopsmall #fusedglass #porcelain #ceramics #redcurrantglass #juliemilesceramics #firedupnorthstudios #artslancashire #lancashirearts #pendle

So I have been selected for the Visibility Fair with Tressle and Just a Card with Handmade Hour

https://tresstle.com/events/visibility-fair/

Monday, 27th September 2021 – Friday, 1st October 2021

10:00AM – 10:00PM

I will add a 10% discount to my website and Etsy with thr code VF2021

Visibility Fair is a collaborative fair brought to you by HandmadeHour and JUST A CARD. Needless to say … it’s going to be fab! We’re also celebrating JUST A CARD’s 6th birthday so it’s all going to be so much fun!

August Bank Holiday discount code AUGUST15 in both my Esty and web shops will give you 15%

off you shopping this holiday weekend

Please be aware before ordering that the last posting dates before Christmas is the 18th December otherwise we are operating a click and collect service from the studio. It normally takes me up to 5 days to process orders mainly because I am shielding and am going to the studio in the evenings. I will endeavour to fulfill your orders as soon as possible.

Private Christmas Shoping Experience

at Fired Up North Studios

So we are going to open our gallery shop at last by appointment from 3rd to 20th Dec here at the studios with mulled wine and mince pies.

Visit our well stocked Covid secure shop with beautifully handcrafted and unique works from Julie Miles Ceramics, Redcurrant Glass & Redwood Designs Co.

Products include ceramics, glass, wood, original watercolour paintings, drawings, greetings cards and festive Christmas decorations. All products are handmade by our artists at the studio in Pendle, Lancashire. We will also be operating a click and collect service from Thursday so if there is something you have seen on our posts please do message us.

Each session can be booked for 30 minutes via messenger, direct message or email. Please be aware we want to protect our artists and customers so please do not book if you feel unwell and have a persistent cough and or a high temperature. Parties of no more that 4 including family bubbles. You must follow covid rules of wearing a face mask unless exempt and temperatures maybe checked at the door.

So I am taking part in the Hopeful & Glorious Winter Fair Online https://hopefulandglorious.co.uk/

From 20th -22nd November I will off 10% off both my website shop and my etsy shop with the code WINTER

https://www.hopeforpodencos.com/

So at the moment Pendle is in lockdown with parts with harsher restrictions than others and I am still shielding due to suppressing my immune system and still at home. Whilst at home I am not idle and have offered A4 coloured pencil dog portraits for £45 with £35 of that going to Hope for Podencos the amazing charity that saved our Leela the pod. I have mainly offered this to podenco owners but am offering it out to others if you are interested? here are a few samples. I want to create a range or greetings cards or postcards even with profits going to Hope for Podencos who sadly this week lost their inspirational cofounder Irene Allan.

Contact me on info@juliemiles.co.uk for details

Covid Update for Fired Up North Studios

May 14th 2020

We are trying to unpack all the
information available to us to find a safe way to continue with our
teaching practice in our workshop rooms and will update as soon as
possible. We are hoping to resume our activities in the near future
crossing fingers this may be July.

We hope everyone of our customers are
well and coping as best they can with the situation during these strange
times with this pandemic

If you have a gift voucher from
Redcurrant Glass the time limit will be extended to make sure you can
come and have an enjoyable craft experience without risk. If you have a
craft courses voucher nearing its expiry date please contact Karen on
Redcurrant@ntlworld.com and she will guide you through what can be done.

So in the light of current news with
Corvid-19 virus we are taking the necessary precautions here at Fired Up
North Studios. We have hand sanitizer on desks and antibacterial soap
and wipes available. As one of our members, Julie, has a suppressed
immune system we do take extra precautions anyway.

We hope to see you all very soon

So after our very successful studio sale I am slowly restocking my website and ETSY shop These were taken with the last of the snow drops from the garden and a few of the Hellebores from the garden yesterday.

I have restocked my etsy shop first as I can do that via my phone and will restock here too soon.

Link in each picture caption.

https://etsy.me/2TfGUYw

https://etsy.me/3abvImz

I have discounted some items on my website in conjunction with our sale at the studios. check out the products tab along the top of the home page

Annual Studio Sale

Jan 30th – 16th Feb 11am – 5pm Thursday – Saturday and Sundays 1-4pm

at Fired Up North Studios, Unit 25 Lomeshaye Business Village off the M65 follow the signs to Giddy Kippers BB9 7DU follow the car park down the left hand side to the bottom and we are through the archway of the stone built mill on the left.

Grand Opening of my new Studios

If you follow my website, fb or Insta you’ll know after 19yrs 17 of those in my old studio I have moved. From Sept 2019 I moved to Lomeshaye Business Village to a larger space with a dedicated workshop room.
My new studios are at
Fired Up North Studios Unit 25 Lomeshaye Business Village Turner Road, Nelson, BB9 7DR

Porcelain Tiles Workshops

Tiles impressed natural objects in porcelain using natural material such as grasses, flowers and leaves.
You will create a set of four tiles that can be used as coasters or wall plaques, door numbers etc using colour and oxide to bring them to life. Participants will learn the basic skills involved in creating clay tiles. We will be using a porcelain clay suitable for displaying outdoors once fired. Creating decoration with collected natural materials ie grasses, seed heads, flowers and leaves to create patterns and pictures on the surface. We will introduce a splash of colour using underglaze and oxides to pick up the details on the surfaces once fired. Maximum 6 per workshop age 16 + duration 2 ½ hrs

Dates for 2019 Prices include materials and firing £45 Thurs 28^th November 1pm -3.30pm or 6.30-9pm Thurs 5^th December 1pm -3.30pm or 6.30-9pm

Porcelain tea light holders

Create your own tea light holders using slab building techniques with porcelain. In this 2 & ½ hr workshop you will learn techniques on how to handle the porcelain, rolling out techniques and forming and joining the porcelain, impressing and incising using textures to exploit its beautiful translucent qualities to create your very own tea light holder. At the end of the workshop you will have created at least one porcelain tea light holder to be fired. Maximum 6 per workshop age 16 + duration 2 ½ hrs

Dates for 2019 Price includes materials and firing £45 Saturday 23^rd November 1pm -3.30pm Sunday 1^st December 1pm -3.30pm Wednesday 4^th Dec 6.30-9pm Wednesday 11^th Dec 6.30-9pm

Christmas decorations in Porcelain

Come and make your own personalised Christmas tags, tree decorations. Learn how to roll out porcelain to 2mm thick, how to handle the material, impressing and incising techniques using textures to exploit its beautiful translucent qualities. You can leave your creations white or using underglazes to print or stain the imprints to coordinate your Christmas presents. Julie is an experienced teacher in ceramics with a degree in Design Craft & an MA in Ceramics. She has taught since graduating in 1998 in various settings from art galleries to a disused quarry, all ages and abilities. Bring an apron, enthusiasm and anything that you would like to use to impress including leaves, fabric, flowers etc and you will be able to achieve with step by step tuition some amazing creations. Go on have a go and get creative. Refreshments offered on arrival whilst going through housekeeping & health & safety for each workshop. Maximum 6 per workshop age 16 + duration 2 ½ hrs

Dates for 2019 Prices include materials and firing £45 Sunday 8^th Dec 1.30-4pm

Save the date………. We are having our grand opening here at our new studios on Sunday 17th November 1-4pm

All welcome here Fired Up North Studios, Unit 25, Lomeshaye Village, Turner Road, Nelson, BB9 7DR

Staithes Fesitval

So I am exhibiting again at Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage from 6th Sept – 8th Sept at Rockpool Cottage venue 34 on the Cowbar side of the harbour next to the lifeboat station. There is parking at the top of the hill. We will be under the banner of our new studios Fired Up North Studios along side Redcurrant Glass.

Rockpool Cottage

View or the Cottage

We will be opening for the preview evening from 7pm to 8.30pm on Friday then Saturday & Sunday 10am – 5.30pm

NEWS! STUDIO NEWS! NEW STUDIO NEWS

So I have news which is the worst kept secret that after 17 years at
Higherford Mill and moving to Lomeshaye Business Village from Sept 1st.
It’s a bigger space and doesn’t leak!

We will be having an opening in October so if you want an invite sign up to my mailchimp newsletter by sending me your email address to info@juliemiles.co.uk

I am currently working on some new works so bare with me as I work my way through it they will be included in the next exhibition down at Higherford Mill.

Welcome to my new website! please bear with me as I play with mud for a living and well this IT malarkey is a little confusing but I am hoping we are getting there.

Let me know if there are any glaring mistakes spelling or otherwise and I will jump to correcting them immediately. So I will keep on sorting my shop and other things and I will let you all know when I think I am finished *crosses fingers