One of the highlights of our recent holiday on Vancouver Island was being invited to lunch with Cheryl Rimmer and Robert Mewburn at their splendid Samuel Maclure-designed house in the Oak Bay area. Cheryl has, bless her, being watching my explorations in salt-firing and owns a couple of my favourites. After a number of years she has persuaded me to part with my one and only salty Rooster. So he flew over on the ferry with us and now lives in Victoria.
Cheryl pointed out that she has been a potter for years – she trained in Tasmania, and then spent a fine few weeks at a workshop with England’s famed potter Mick Casson. So she likes traditional finishes and firings, and it turns out, she rather likes birds too. I understand that she is really hoping to get back in to making pots again before too long.
Their house was designed and built in the first decade of the twentieth century, and is a ‘chalet-style’ Arts and Crafts house, set in a landscaped acre on a hill, with those sculptural rocks that one envies in Victoria, and fine local Garry Oaks and Arbutus trees. The inside is beautifully restored with a modern kitchen and garage, but with all the original wood panelling, an upper walkway in the great hall and is much enhanced by fine Canadian art. After drinks on the patio we were given a delicious summer seafood salad and fine pastries. What a treat in return for delivering a piece of my work to its new home!
I took a photo of my two earlier jugbirds, both salty, which are nestled next to a Mick Casson jug and a large lidded jar by Australian potter Ben Richardson. Soon after they were joined by my old friend from Medalta days, the Rooster. 
Several of Cheryl’s pots are displayed around the house, along with big photos of some that were in a show.
Here is a vase with Puffin heads, and a pot with faces and additions. One kept noticing pots by her other favourite artists, mainly Denman Island potter Gordon Hutchens. Here is a little group of his red pieces. Knowing that we were headed up-island later that week and planned to visit ‘The Potters’ Place’ in Courtney, Cheryl mentioned that she was one of the founding members of that group and that some of them might remember her.
Thank you for your kind welcome to me and Alan, Cheryl and Robert, and thanks for giving a home to yet another Gillian pot!
When we left we found ourselves on nearby Oak Bay Avenue so I checked to see how many of my jugbirds are in stock there. I see there are some duplicates so I must make sure they get some different jugbirds next time.
Also nearby is the currently closed Winchester Gallery, but the super Joe Fafard calf waits patiently for it to reopen.
