Our scheduled Spring soda firing was obviously postponed and we, TriCity Potters, were pleased to learn that Jay MacLennan was organizing one for our group in October but that it would be run very differently from before.
When I’d sent my parcels of pots off to London, Ontario, in late September I quickly changed gear and threw a group of stoneware pots for the soda firing. Then, one day last week, I took my bisque-fired and glaze-lined pots to the kiln, up the hill from Shadbolt Centre. Some members did their slip spraying, glazing and wadding there, on tables set outside on the grass but all I had to do was place my pots on the shelves next to the kiln. We were not invited to help with the kiln loading the next day or to join in the exciting soda-spraying session on the third day. All we could do was wait, enjoy Canadian Thanksgiving weekend and show up yesterday morning to see what the techs had achieved for us.
The area around the kiln was fenced off and Fredi was policing the numbers. Only ten people are allowed there and even then we needed to stand well apart. One at a time we entered the kiln shed itself where Tony supervised us removing our own pots, and he reached for ones higher up. No touching each other’s ware at all. Then we headed back to our own table to leave the pots and rejoin the line.
Take a look at the photos of the front and back shelves and some closer shots. I didn’t manage to take photos of work on the tables. Rain and wind threatened so folks packed up their pots speedily. But you’ll see Kay Bonathon’s big cat and birds with super orange peel on the top back shelves. You might find two or three of my pieces on the other close-up.
After the front shelves were removed we took turns scraping off all that crunchy glass, and Grace and Eliza wiped off the dust and applied fresh kiln wash for the next firing. When the kiln was empty and all pots were claimed we repeated that job, packed up and left. Even though brief, it was a rare treat to exchange news with our pottery friends, check how we’re all coping with the shut-down and not seeing enough or any of our loved ones, and discussed how craftspeople plan to sell their work when fairs, galleries and markets are closed.
I looked over to Eliza Wang’s table and was sorry to see that she’d packed up all her remarkable creations already. But she kindly took one large and very successful piece out again and allowed me to photograph it and a matching little dish. She has made some more prize-winning pieces! Thanks Eliza.
As I was unpacking my own work later in the afternoon the sun was just going down so I decided to take a couple of pots outside to catch that lovely low light. Here one jugbird and a green-banded groovy jar are much enhanced by the last sunshine.
This afternoon Alan took more professional photos in our little photo booth out in the kiln shed and I’ll post pics of the rest of my work tomorrow. But as we came in I noticed that the ‘Blair’s Red’ and ‘Lorna Meaden yellow’ slips on another jugbird exactly match the newly fallen cedar needles so he’s here too.
