Deadlines are good! I booked myself in to join a soda firing at Shadbolt Centre’s Vault kiln on May 22nd. So, at the beginning of May, I cleaned the red earthenware out of my wheel and started work with Plainsman H555 and Georgie’s Umpqua cone 10 stoneware clay. I made my two cubic feet quota of ware, including carved bowls, jugbirds and more, and bisque-fired my earthenware and stoneware pieces all at once.
When the soda pieces were liner-glazed and wadded I switched back to glazing the red clay pieces, and they were firing as I delivered my stoneware pots to Shadbolt this week. I popped back there on Thursday as the techs were loading the kiln (I’d missed unloading one yunomi the day before) so was able to watch Tony Wilson’s incredible skill in finding spots for every single piece left for this firing, plus have a chance to chat with Dave Dobie, Cheryl Stapleton, Jay and others.
When I returned home it was time to unload the newly glazed earthenware pieces. All this effort is so that I can have some new work on hand for visitors to my studio on SHUFFLE day June 14th!
The next day, as several keeners helped with inserting soda into the Vault kiln towards the end of the firing, I took photos of my new jolly electric-fired ware. My production is pathetically low these days so know that each piece is a one-off, for what may be my last year to join the SHUFFLE. Click on the link to see the other artists and find a map.
When I was happily carving my favourite parallel grooves in a vase recently I stopped to take a little video. I explained that I first carved lines like that when making a lemon squeezer at a Douglas Phillips workshop in Somerset, England in 1984! I shared the video on social media and it became a ‘reel’ . The latest news shows that said reel has been seen by over 11K people! Amazing.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6iBvN3rdwp/?igsh=aW10Ymd0cGI3ejZn
Here are the colourful earthenware pieces: some jugbirds, three slab plates (each shows a different decorating process), six wee thrown side plates and three yunomi.
I enjoyed myself slip-painting this slab plate with overlapping shapes. It’s always fascinating to imagine how the colours will work together.
The sgraffitoed one was inspired by the City of Port Moody offering free trees for residents to plant. I wish now that I had selected a paler shade of green to get more contrast.
The third plate shows paper resist, spongeing and brush strokes in a random effect.
Teeny little plates are always useful, and making them gives me much pleasure. I’ve given myself permission to be silly with these.
Finally, here are three yunomi. I love throwing, trimming and decorating these guys but don’t use them for drinking. They can hold sugar, nuts and trinkets. My current favourite is the middle green one.
Now I am looking forward to joining others for the opening of the soda kiln next Tuesday. I’ll be showing any good pots at the SHUFFLE along with these earthenware pieces. My studio is #1 on the map, at the far Western end of the ArtWalk. Starting at 4pm I’m looking forward to showing my work and studio to old friends and new. Perhaps this year’s wild flower seeds will have covered that problematic area of old lawn with colour and scent by then.
I’m really impressed with the Emperor penguins! And the little plates are wonderful!
I’ll be sure to send some locals your way.
Hi Gillian, I love your jugbirds & the other pieces are so interesting too. Hope to see you & Alan on Sat.
Hugs, Dianne.
We missed you at the Stanley last Saturday Dianne.