Trudy Staines

I first handled clay when I was a school and I still have the slab pot I made. I never dreamed that you could have a career in pottery back then. When my children were young like many of us I attended a pottery evening class where I was asked if I’d like to be a technician. This was a big learning curve. I was encouraged by my line manager to attend teacher training; I also attended Hackney Community College to do City and Guilds in Ceramics. I also attended many workshops including Ian Gregory, Deborah Baynes and John Wheeldon. I taught adult education which included special needs through to C&G, GCSE A level 3D art and design and private raku workshops. Along side this I would try and make my own ceramics. After 21 years I moved to Norfolk and hoped to be able to concentrate on my own ceramics however fate had other ideas. I became a kinship carer to my grandsons which gave me little time to make. They are growing up now and I’m hoping to find more time to make my ceramics!