When we were in Victoria last week Alan and I decided to drive out to Metchosin. After a fine hike down to nearby Witty’s Lagoon we stopped to see if ‘Chosin Pottery was open. It’s many years since we were there and bought a standard Hopper jug and sugar bowl. The yellow set is still in regular rotation in my kitchen.

Judy Dyelle was minding the gallery and the garden was busy with several gardeners including Robin’s son, landscaping expert John. I am posting the photos we took in the gallery, mostly as an act of respect for one of Canada’s best-known and loved potters/teachers/writers.

Judy said I could take photos and told us that Robin was relaxing in the garden, supervising the gardeners.

He kindly invited us to join him in the inner, private part of the garden beside the pond. I told him that I, like thousands of other potters, have been enjoying his Facebook posts and he gently told us that he would be writing his last one shortly. He is gravely ill and we’ve now read his moving words with song titles and seen the charming photo of himself and Judy, and another of several family members who’ve gathered to spend time with him.

We did enjoy meeting his son John, a professional environmental engineer based in Terrace, who has taken his holiday to join with other gardeners to fulfill Robin’s hope of getting his world-famous AngloJapanadian garden ship-shape.

Thank you for welcoming a visiting potter, Robin. I’m honoured that you included a photo of my work in ‘Making Marks’ your 2004 book on Ceramic surfaces and I’m happy to have been a guest in your long-established ‘Fired-Up’ clay show and sale some years ago. As a fellow Brit making my way in the Canadian ceramic community I have been grateful for you as an example, and for your wonderfully informative books.