What an unusual week it’s been here in BC’s Lower Mainland. We’re told that the snowfall is the first for over 1,000 days so we got dumped on to make up for two mild winters. But I was able to do a bisque, then glaze and fire the kiln again without the power going out. Yesterday I emptied the kiln after shovelling the walkways yet again but we didn’t take photos until today. And no, my husband isn’t sufficiently recovered from his heart surgery to even think about shovelling snow!

Mina and Marlene braved the challenging road conditions to come out to Port Moody. Both had hoped to paint some more work for the next pair of firings I’m planning, and take the finished work in to town. Marlene brought out another plate Eric has been working on in the quiet of his own studio this week, but after finding road conditions here rather more horrible than in Vancouver she wisely opted for an above-freezing drive back home right away. Mina found the chance to get four more pieces painted too good to miss and did stay until after dark. By then the melting snow, and cleared paths and road had turned to sheer ice and the deep snow under her parked car almost had her staying here overnight! I’m sure Hastings street will have been clear once she left our side streets.

After a delicious lunch of pot au boeuf brought by Mina, and while she painted, Alan took his usual photos of everything in the kiln. With larger plates and my use of stilts on lots of them (thank you for those Ysy!) there seems to be lots of wasted space and two more had to be left out of the glaze firing. So I am happy to be loading more again tomorrow. My Raiders will be anxious to see their finished work. Mina has taken it all back to Vancouver for pick-up or delivery tomorrow but I’m posting some photos now.

Garry Neill Kennedy painted two platters and a smaller coupe in yellow and black only. He says they relate to his current show at VAG, so we’ll need to check that out.

Cathy Busby painted two larger platters on their Raid day but only one has been fired so far. Front and back say ‘Stand’ and ‘Land Protectors’.

Eric’s standard rimmed oval plate is another in his recognizable collection.

I’ll post photos of the other plates and platters in another blog or two, tomorrow.