After spending the summer getting ourselves settled into our new townhouse, and enjoying a Vancouver Island holiday with family, I was delighted to start making pots again. The little downstairs bedroom now has a vinyl floor and houses my wheel, a work table and the slab roller and makes a fine studio.
Thanks to TriCity Potter Max Yang’s Coquitlam kiln I was able to bisque fire September’s group of earthenware pieces and my allowed 2 cu ft of stoneware pots for soda firing. With a little more time available I quickly made a couple of planters for my expanding jade plants and another round vase. I had such a good time figuring out a detailed carved design. My inspiration comes from the amazing hand-built pots of Wyandot artist Richard Zane Smith.
So when Max was firing my earthenware pieces to cone 05 for a glaze firing I snuck three more stoneware Umpqua clay pieces in for bisquing.
Above are some of the cheerful earthenware pieces that I’ll be taking in to Circle Craft shop on Granville Island tomorrow.
But last Tuesday was the day I’ve been waiting for all year. I had delivered my pots to the Vault kiln at Shadbolt Centre the previous Wednesday. Others had helped the technicians to load it and spray soda before the weekend and then it was just waiting time for kiln cooling. When I got there, on probably the last sunny Autumnal day, unloading was already under way. Below is a photo of the back shelves waiting to be carefully unloaded, and one of the goodies from the front shelves.
As usual, tech Cheryl Stapleton demonstrated the safe methods of cleaning the glassy shelves (using masks, eye protection and gloves of course) and we each took care of them, and applied kiln wash ready for the next Vault kiln firers.
Once all the pots have been passed down a line of us potters there’s a great time for looking at all of them. Hints, slips, glazes, clays are shared. We agreed that the firing was very good, giving us lots of colour, orange peel, surprizing glazes here and there and interesting pot designs. Now I’m on a long waiting list for a possible firing in the New Year.
Here are my pots, all toasty. Fellow potter Jen took this photo of me with two of my carved vases.
Now I have taken proper photos of all the pots and have priced and packed most of them, ready for our drive in to Granville Island tomorrow.
We also plan to pop in to the famous Western Front to join friends for a birthday tea party to celebrate the 90th birthday of our local Bernard Leach apprentice Glenn Lewis!
I like to make squared lidded jars like this. Richard Batterham made hundreds, but I choose to carve a design into the lid of mine.
In my next blog I’ll share proper photos of most of my new soda-fired pots. Dare I repeat my request for an invitation to join any, preferably reasonably local, salt firings? I’ll never be tired of making pots and then seeing how flames and salt or soda affect the surfaces.
Your work is beautiful as always. I’m glad you’re settling in and have your new studio space all ready for your amazing work.
It’s great to see you working, making beautiful pots again. So glad your studio is now set up as you want it.