{"id":10698,"date":"2016-01-27T16:21:49","date_gmt":"2016-01-27T16:21:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/?p=10698"},"modified":"2019-11-05T20:13:35","modified_gmt":"2019-11-05T20:13:35","slug":"the-wall-of-shame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame","title":{"rendered":"The wall of shame"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>That\u2019s Ed, our ceramicist\u2019s name for this collection of failed attempts at making a Belfast sink. If you watched the recent pottery program \u201cThe Great British Throw-down\u201d you will have seen that people get really emotional about things they create out of wet mud.<br \/>\n<div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10715\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_6797.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_6797\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_6797.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_6797.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10711\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7333.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_7333\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7333.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7333.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p>Robin and I were visiting the Art College degree shows in the summer and were taken by how helpful and polite this young man was and whilst we were looking round all the other departments, I said to Robin, can we go back into 3D design afterwards and if he is still there, let\u2019s ask to see his work. That\u2019s what we did and we liked his slip cast porcelain pendant lights and asked if he would consider becoming a kitchen designer. He was gracious but non-committal. I\u2019m used to this; art graduates don\u2019t know how tough it is to find a job that utilises any of the skills that have been put to use on their course. Often they are heading down to The New Designers exhibition in Islington and imagine that something amazing is just round the corner. It isn\u2019t. So we bide our time and wait for the penny to drop. True to form Ed eventually rang and accepted the offer.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10717\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_6791.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_6791\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_6791.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_6791.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><br \/>\nIn the time it had taken him to think about it Helen and I had had yet another excitable evening imagining a whole new adventure with a new material. We had decided that we really liked the idea of making our own sinks. I\u2019m a product designer and I\u2019ve learnt a lot about wood and cabinet making in the 30 years since I graduated, but I\u2019m still a product designer in my head and now that I have two underwear businesses too I have learnt a lot about fabric. Fabric is a tough material to design with, it\u2019s floppy, it stretches, it shrinks, it rucks and the industry is in the dark ages. The average hosiery factory, the few that are left, are mayhem and their customer service leaves you dumbstruck. So as usual we end up making everything ourselves. Which is great, lots of new staff busily making underwear in the Mill house chatting away with the radio on. Yes, fabric was tricky, but it was fun.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10703\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7792.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_7792\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7792.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7792.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10707\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7757.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_7757\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7757.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7757.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p>The idea of getting to grips with a new material was exciting, I was going to relish the steep learning curve with never a doubt in my mind that our problem solving skills would conquer anything nature\u2019s materials had to throw at us. Ed was way too confident; I had estimated 10 failures before a success, but Ed was pretty sure he\u2019d crack it first or second time round. Well he was kind of right, if it wasn\u2019t warped, it was cracked. Some didn\u2019t even make the wall of shame because you would need 50 sticks for your glue gun to piece them back together. Ed has suffered, but it\u2019s been good for him. He\u2019s now a realist and now none of us underestimate just how hard it is to make a rectangular-ish sink.<br \/>\n<div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10713\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7311.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_7311\" width=\"667\" height=\"1000\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7311.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7311.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><br \/>\nEvery time you open the kiln door you have to be prepared for complete failure, and we have learnt that any progress is something reassuring. I watched a great film recently,\u201d I Origins\u201d and one statement stuck in my mind: \u201cTurning over rocks and finding nothing is progress\u201d. I think it\u2019s a good motto, mistakes are to be learnt from and accepting them and dissecting them leads you to your eventual goal.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10702\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7711.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_7711\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7711.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7711.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10708\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7751.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_7751\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7751.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7751.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><br \/>\nSo for me it isn\u2019t a wall of shame, it\u2019s a voyage of discovery, and with every rock turned over I understand that shady little world a bit more. Clay is the Gorgon of all of nature\u2019s materials, and firing it in a gnarly old kiln off ebay is like being asked to cut off Medusa\u2019s head with a rusty shield and a spatula. But we are on a mission and we are really nearly there. I think it\u2019s about 12 or maybe 14 sinks down the road and here we are with a sink that would hold water and touch the worktop in at least 3 places. One thing\u2019s for sure, when we finally announce the deVOL sink is for sale, you can guarantee you\u2019ll be getting a sink which has plenty of character.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10706\" src=\"\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7760.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_7760\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame?img=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7760.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&text=The wall of shame\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/the-wall-of-shame&media=\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC_7760.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p>Of course, you can\u2019t live with constant failure, so whilst we\u2019re waiting for stuff to dry out, Ed gets on with something he absolutely excels at, throwing. His bowls are so lovely and Hannah\u2019s tiles are going to be exquisite. We will have up to 4 ceramicists in our studio by this July and our customers can look forward to beautiful sinks, tiles, pots and kitchen jars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>That\u2019s Ed, our ceramicist\u2019s name for this collection of failed attempts at making a Belfast sink. If you watched the recent pottery program \u201cThe&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":21357,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[789],"tags":[551,139,4,46],"class_list":["post-10698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-design-make","tag-art-college","tag-belfast","tag-new","tag-product"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10698"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10698\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14945,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10698\/revisions\/14945"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}