Peter Arscott Ceramics

glass of Orange Blossom

all fingers and thumbs

It was Sir Isaac Newton who stated that, in the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone convinced him of God’s existence. And belatrova, stoically recovering from an injured left thumb after an unfortunate encounter with a kiln door, could not help but think of the usefulness of those five appendages that grow out […]

ceramic mural

weekend openings, many visitors

A big thank you to all our visitors who dropped by these last two weekends – it is always good to see new faces as well as the regular ones. Many of you took part in our “mini mural” competition which used an assortment of glazed ceramic pieces to very individual effect. And do they […]

another close-up of mural

Muralista

Adaptable as ever, belatrova, as well as designing and making handmade ceramic birdbaths, lamps, bowls and tables, has developed another skill that uses clay to great effect – we also make ceramic murals. A mural, from the Latin murus meaning wall, is any piece of artwork applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large […]

pathway in the woods

the belatrova look

This is a photograph of one of the paths that lead us to work at No9 Bankside. As you can imagine, the colours and environment change considerably throughout the year, and even the birds sound different – hardly a tweet in January but a choir in May. The walk is soothing and helps focus ones […]

Michaelmas daisies

vulcanology

There is a saying that “winter comes in on the tail of the last horse home in the St Leger”, one of the oldest classic horse races and held at Doncaster every September. On the other hand, we at belatrova would like to banish any winter blues by pointing out that the Romans believed the […]

eagle superimposed on belatrova birdbath

beat the heat

Driving through Andalusia’s spectacular landscape last week, belatrova’s workshop and its kilns came to mind. It was a heat so fierce that, when getting out of the air-conditioned car, it felt you were being hit by a freight train. However, previous visits show that it is possible to adapt and deal with the problem by drinking […]

tweet of the month

Imagine you are a garden bird. It is hot, the sun is shining, worms have been eaten and you need a drink. Perched on the very top of your favourite tree, probably a Lawson cypress, you have been singing away the early morning and your throat is dry (perhaps you are a greenfinch whose song […]

The Ashes, Wimbledon – and our Open Workshop Weekend!

If the spectacle of the Ashes is not for you, nor the thrills from Centre Court of Federer versus Djokovic and you are looking for something else to do this weekend, then you will be very welcome at our Open Workshop on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th July from 10.00am to 5.00pm! We can’t promise you a Joe […]

belatrova’s Tales of the Alhambra

belatrova has often been drawn to Granada (blog August 2014) in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and specially to the Alhambra, the great sprawling hilltop fortress encompassing royal palaces from the Nasrid dynasty, as well as the fountains and orchards of the Generalife gardens. It first became a palace in the 14th century under […]