A chat with resident artist and Pottery Thrown Down's Cáit Gould!

Cáit Gould is one of our Resident Artists at The Base, who also featured on Series Two of Channel 4's The Great Pottery Throw Down. With the new series starting up again tonight (8 January), we asked Cáit a few questions to find out a bit more about her time on the show.

Can you tell us about your experience on Series 2 of The Great Pottery Throw Down?

Being a contestant on GPTD was a surreal, educational, and hugely fun experience. I loved making life-long pottery friends, seeing how a TV programme is filmed and created, and gaining support and advice from internationally-recognised ceramic artists.

What did you learn during your time on the show?

So many things, but the main one was the value of perseverance. Ceramics is a very process-based art form, and repetition helps hone making techniques, so, don't give up too early! The varied and challenging throwing tasks we were given really improved my throwing skills also.

What was your most memorable moment?

I loved camping in the countryside for our pit-firing, raku-firing on the canal-side, discovering Clover had also been successful (having met at all our auditions), but the main thing that still stands out is walking into the studio for the first time, being confronted with all the cameras, crew, judges, and then throwing a 16 piece dinner-set in 4 and half hours!

Tell us what inspired you to work with clay?

I got my first battery operated potters' wheel when I was 8 years old from my Nan and fell in love with clay. So, my mum was then very supportive when I chose to study Ceramics at Art School.

Did the experience influence or change your direction as an artist?

Yes, I hadn't worked with clay for several years before being chosen as a contestant, so, I bought my own full-size pottery wheel in order to practice. This investment was a major incentive to return to pottery, and the friends I made on the show inspired me to chase my neglected pottery dream. I would never have made owl clocks and other owl-themed pieces were it not for the show!

What advice would you give to contestants in the new series?

Enjoy the experience, don't take yourself or others too seriously, and take all comments with a healthy pinch of salt. Use this chance as a springboard to follow your clay dreams!