On the wheel at Baan Celadon

This weekend we had yet another visitor and I had another excuse to head out to the Chiangmai Celadon studios outside of Doi Saket. It is one of my favorite handcraft centers and is certainly one of the most interesting ones to visit for anybody that has the time to make the trek. Along with the wonderful showroom displays of their most recent work, you can actually watch all the steps involved in making these beautiful products.

As you park your car at the main lot, you will probably be greeted by one of the women that will take you through the studios. Everything is wide open to the public and it is really interesting to be able to see the workers producing and decorating the many wonderful items that are for sale in the showroom. I am always amazed at the finely detailed under glaze brushwork and carving that is applied to many of the products before the firings take place.

Recently, there was a separation of ways of the original partners. I will not proceed to give all the private details here but suffice it to say that the two Baan Celadon locations that are still currently found on most internet sites and tourist maps are now totally independent companies. The Doi Saket studios are now known as Chiangmai Celadon. It was originally the manufacturing site for the entire Baan Celadon business and houses the kilns, workshops, molds, wheels and all the other paraphernalia that accompanies any large pottery business. All of this will stay, along with their beautiful retail gallery that has all their current products on display.

The Baan Celadon showroom located halfway between the inner and outer ring roads on Charoen Muang Road will continue under the old name but will now have its own manufacturing facility. I’m not sure if this will be on the same premises or be in another location.

In a different lifetime, many years ago, I worked for several years as a full-time production potter. During my several visits to the workshops, I have had the opportunity to chat with many of the people involved. They have always been very interested in my past life as a potter and always give us the “royal treatment” when we visit. On this visit, I asked if I could commandeer one of the pottery wheels and attempt to make something. It has been over twenty years since I had my studio and about ten years since I last sat down at a pottery wheel. I was also really interested in the feel of the clay that they use and have always wanted to give it a try. They were more than willing to let me have a go.

The funny thing is that when I started to center the clay, I thought the wheel was moving in the opposite direction to what I was used to. However, I now realize that it was the same as my old wheel. It only makes sense. I have no idea what I was thinking! There would have been no way I could have been able to make anything if it was going the wrong direction so just ignore all the comments about it lol. But I do know that most Asian wheels do go in the opposite direction of those used in the Western world.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the pics of the old me (back in the early 80s) along with the new ones!