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Alan Gaff
Posted by Hannah McAndrew on 14 October 2008
I met Alan a couple or three years ago at the Scottish Potters annual Kindrogan workshop, I didn't know anyone and was back then a very shy and not very good at mixing type of person. For some reason, probably pot related, we started nattering and before long were deep in discussion about wood and kilns and pots in general, you can imagine. He decided to take me under his wing and made me get up and dance and I think took great pleasure at trying to swing me as far and as fast as he could across the room during the evening at the ceilidh. It became an annual event that I would come home with bruised arms from the crazy wild dancing. I don't know what it'll be like this next time at Kindrogan. It'll still go on and there will still be much fun and laughter at the event but it will certainly have sadness for me as I associate Alan so much with the place. I have only started I think to register the fact that Alan is no longer here since I got home from London, my brain couldn't cope with it I don't think while I was in such an unfamiliar place. I hadn't realised how much I'd come to rely on getting at least a couple of cheeky emails each week from him gently, or not so gently sometimes, taking the mickey out of something I'd said or done. It was always done in friendship, even though he'd leave comments on the blog being a bit scathing of the old red clay and the lead he secretly loved what the earthenware gaggle were up to. Alan said some very kind things about my pots which I will keep in my head for those down days that come round every now and again. Knowing how good he was at what he did and knowing the sort of potters he knew the comments are even more special.
(extract from blog 25th September 2008) |
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