Yesterday I unloaded a full kiln load of painted plates, Alan took photos and I loaded the kiln again, this time with pots for bisque-firing. Some plates didn’t get into the earlier firings, my jugbirds weren’t finished and Renée brought two more round dinner plates that she’d painted at home. That firing ended this morning so tomorrow will be another glazing day.

The finished plates are from two recent ‘Raids’. Eric Metcalfe, Monique Fouquet and Renée van Halm came to the earlier one.

Renée spent most of the day experimenting with applying underglazes to some new sculptural forms. All but one are in this photo. Parts are glazed and some are left matt. I believe there will be more of these..

The two lunch-size coupes are by Monique and I think she’ll be pleased with them. Her third coupe will be in tomorrow’s firing.

Eric’s two rimmed lunch plates complete the work from that Raid. He’s continuing with a series featuring mainly straight lines with only the occasional curve, using or breaking up the plate’s form. I like the spots!

The second Raid was comprised of Mina Totino, Michelle Normoyle and Kate Metten. Mina worked on a very large round plate which was so big that it requires a whole kiln shelf for itself so will be in this next firing.

She also painted a large platter which will certainly be serving food over the Christmas season, as will the boat-shaped dish she chose.

Michelle somehow managed to complete lots of work that day. There were the commercially made bisque forms, most of which are in this photo.

The colours and glaze worked well on whatever Italian clay was used! Then she painted a large platter with gentle green tartan shapes, and a sombre lunch plate.

I think Kate enjoyed her first painting day with us and now has three colourful pieces to consider. She chose a square dish for a yellow and red design, an oval dish and a tiny triangular dish.

Hilary Hunt Letwin joined us for a while on the most recent Raid and in spite of insisting she ‘doesn’t paint’ she did.  I’m sure her two daughters will be delighted with her starry image.

After that day my collection of prepared bone dry forms is depleted so it’s time to get some more Wonder White clay and make lots more plates. I’m not doing well at juggling time between working on my own wheel-thrown, slip-painted work, making plates for Raids and the everyday things like cooking and gardening!

If there’s time after glazing tomorrow I’d like to post some photos of early Canadian pottery that I found at Vancouver Art Gallery on Saturday. The show considers Scandinavian influence on Canadian design in the twentieth century and now. Pots! in VAG. Is this a trend? I also found paintings by some recent Raiders.

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