Aberdeen creative AJ Simpson has been doing what they “otter” by winning over The Great Pottery Throw Down judges with a stunning creation for the show’s Wildlife Week.
Their table light, sculpted in the shape of a sea otter – inspired by AJ’s love of north-east nature – was described as “genius” and “beautiful” by Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller.
“It’s very playful and very characterful,” said Keith, during the show which aired on Sunday, saying AJ was firing on all cylinders,
They were so impressed it earned AJ Potter Of The Week for a second time and safely through to the quarter-final of the popular show.
A clearly stunned AJ said: “What a confidence boost. I came into this week thinking I was going home, not that I was going to be Potter Of The Week. It’s quarter-finals next week. How did that happen?”
W-otter brilliant animal lamp from AJ, which displayed incredible character and playfulness. #potterythrowdown pic.twitter.com/ygK06ZMk7x
— The Great Pottery Throw Down (@PotteryThrow) February 13, 2022
The challenge for Wildlife Week was for the six remaining potters to create a table light on a theme from the natural world.
The judges were looking for creatures that were as realistic and detailed as possible, such as fur or scales, using a precise clay scratching technique known as sgraffito. The piece also had to include a light bulb.
Otter Nonsense was a nervous work for AJ
AJ initially told viewers that they thought hedgehogs were “really cute”, but instead decided to go with a sea-otter reclining on its back with a bulb in its claws, calling their piece “Otter Nonsense”.
“You get sea otters in Scotland and they hold things, like clams and things, on their bellies. I just need to put a bulb in there,” said AJ.
The Robert Gordon University graduate confessed to being nervous as they started working as it was such a big piece and involved the centuries-old sgraffito technique.
“For things like fur and scale and feathers it is going to look really nice … if we can pull it off,” said AJ, the youngest contestant in the show at 21.
“But it’s going to be difficult to get the face to be cute and not creepy,” said AJ, in a callback to their “creepy gnomes” of Gardening Week.
All didn’t go according to plan as AJ’s piece headed for the drying room, as they hadn’t had time to finish the face properly.
“It looks horrendous… I’ve got a lot of things to fix,” they said.
Facelift was needed for AJ’s otter table lamp
However, they had a chance to put things right – by cutting the face off completely and sticking it back on again, before tackling the “tricky” sgraffito, but were still nervy as the otter headed for the kiln with the other potters’ pieces.
“I don’t think I’m feeling confident… I have done everything I can, but looking around the room, I’m shaking in my boots.”
Confidence is just self-belief. ⭐ #potterythrowdown pic.twitter.com/Fvo3nDvXS1
— The Great Pottery Throw Down (@PotteryThrow) February 13, 2022
AJ needn’t have worried as the end result was acclaimed as a beautiful work, with a lovely realised sea otter lying on its back holding a bulb, that once lit illuminated stunning detail throughout the piece.
Rich said AJ had a fantastic week, loving the circular shape of the finished lamp and the way it looked when lit up.
What next for AJ in The Great Pottery Throw Down?
Otter Nonsense wasn’t AJ’s only success for Wildlife Week.
For the fourth time in this series, AJ won the second challenge which saw the potters asked to create a set of whatever they wanted – on a theme of wildlife – using six kilos of clay.
AJ’s three pieces, on the theme of animals of the sea, sky and earth – with AJ’s trademark googly eyes – were loved by Keith and Rich as fun and playful.
That's AJ's FOURTH second challenge win. 👏👏👏 #potterythrowdown pic.twitter.com/TH65CM9L77
— The Great Pottery Throw Down (@PotteryThrow) February 13, 2022
Keith said the design concept was typical of AJ’s style while Rich added the work had AJ’s character written all over it.
The Great Pottery Throw Down will move into its quarter-final stage next week. The five remaining potters – including AJ – will be challenged to create a self-sculpture and build their own sawdust kilns.
You can follow see AJ in The Great Pottery Throw Down on All 4.
