Now I’m a ‘Raider’

 

What a great day! The last day of January and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky so of course it was chilly. But with a small space heater in the studio it was perfect for three of us to paint plates all day. Just Eric and his old friend Rick Ross were here this time. Rick hasn’t joined us for, as it turned out, seven years, so he’s one of the original ‘Raiders’.

My bisque firing finished yesterday afternoon so the kiln was still too hot to empty today – but Rick and I managed to have a little peek at the hot pots.

Eric had made a splendid Manhattan Clam Chowder for the four of us, and brought a tasty fresh baguette, so with a nice selection of cheeses we had a really good lunch.

Rick Ross

Rick had planned a theme for his work today and finished two ‘faux cart’ (get it?) plates, using splooshes of the Tang Dynasty pottery colours under some hand-made carts. And he painted a third squarish plate ‘plate full’.

Eric Metcalfe

Eric worked on two of his standard lunch-size plates, with graphic lines and shapes, creating optical surprises. He has taken a large rimmed platter home to work on more slowly.

And it has been decided that I should be one of the artists who paint and donate one plate each for the upcoming Western Front Auction. I am honoured! Probably influenced by the artists who ‘raid’ my studio, I chose to paint angular shapes on my plate rather than anything realistic. It follows the kind of painting I’ve been using on my yunomis lately. I can hardly wait to see how the different shades of green, cream and blues work together.

my plate

When I finished mine I spent the afternoon making up some more platters for the next Raiders, who have just let me know that they will be out next Wednesday. We need to get the fundraiser plates painted and fired by mid-February.

Here are the six plates painted today. They’ll look much brighter after the two firings of course.

moi

Gillian McMillan

Gillian writes blogs about ceramics in and around Vancouver and sometimes talks about other Art, her garden, travels and family.

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Bill T.

    When I grow up I want to be a raider too!

  2. Gillian McMillan

    Of course you have raided my studio, Bill!

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