birds – Gillian McMillan — Rara Avis

Wild Things

Gillian McMillan — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:43:58 +0000

Saturday October 14th was spent in Central London. I’d had an idea of contacting Lisa Hammond and trundling out to Greenwich to meet her, but decided instead to go to the Gallery of Contemporary Ceramics on Great Russel Street (as I always do when in London). I was sure to see the very best of many different kinds of ceramic work, including some of Lisa’s.

My hosts Mel and Molly chose to come along with me and were such enthusiastic company. The featured artists just now are Jill Fanshawe Kato and Susan O’Byrne in a two-person exhibition titled ‘Wild Things’.

https://www.contemporaryceramics.uk/exhibitions/wild-things/

With my fascination with all things birdlike I enjoyed the work of both these artists. Jill’s pots and plates are all nature-inspired, probably because she lives amongst forests and ‘wild’erness in Devon. Susan’s creatures reflect her initial training in textiles. The surfaces are achieved with printed porcelain paper clay. Amazing! They resemble mosaics.

Here are photos of the pieces that we liked most. For information on the artists’ training, experience and influences I think it better to click on the gallery’s link above than for me to try to condense their stories here.

Jill’s pieces are made with a coarse, groggy clay and may all have been hand-built. Her whimsical designs have been applied with slips, using stencils and sgraffito. Unglazed areas give the work a comfortable, natural feeling.

There are fewer of Susan’s animals and that is clearly because each one must have taken many hours to complete. One could study those surfaces, appreciating the many historical references, for ages.

I am pleased to have visited Contemporary Ceramics while the work of these two artists is featured. The show will be in the gallery space until November 4th.

We then studied all the other shelves throughout the gallery, and I was unable to resist taking photos of the work that appeals to me. I think those warrant another blog.

Solstice Sign-off

Gillian McMillan — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 03:44:32 +0000

December has brought us record-breaking cold and snow. Today I’ve been thoroughly enjoying watching the many local birds who are grateful for seeds, nectar and suet. The sun popped over the Chines to our south for its shortest spell, from 11am to 1pm today. I spotted a Hairy Woodpecker clinging to an icicle while waiting for a turn at the seed-feeder and I grabbed my iPhone. You can see snow-covered Golden Ears mountains in the distance.

I was just going to write about pots..

Just before this second wollop of snow arrived I was able to fetch my new pots from the PGBC kiln on Saturday. At the same time I quickly loaded and fired a glaze kiln here at home so that I could have grandson whistles done in time to take to them for Christmas, and also finish firing Raider’s plates. Renée van Halm had come here to touch up her newest big platter. It’s really striking.

In the same firing I had two more Raiders’ plates being re-fired. I felt these two would be improved by a little more glaze. My kiln had been showing its age and had fired unevenly. Clive Tucker fixed it for me.

We’re all distressed to learn from Karen Henry that our good friend, ‘Raiders’ founder and Western Front artist, Eric Metcalfe has suffered a stroke and is now recovering and receiving rehabilitation. I know he won’t mind my mentioning this as he permitted artist Oraf Orafsson to take this fine photo while he was in hospital. Our best wishes, Eric, as you learn how to manage changes. We look forward to having you join the Raiders for more Raids in the future.

The other items in my half-full electric glaze firing were the things made by boys. Lucas and Rodrigo tackled the whistle technology, Bennett made many pinch pots with the idea of giving at least one to his teacher and Caleb made a green pinch pot. Here also are the whistles I made with TriCity Potters.

It’s always good to receive photos of how my pots settle into their new homes. I mailed this Loon tea-pot to a couple in England who had been living in Ontario and wanted to remember our loons. He does look Christmassy!

I believe this is the last blog I shall write this year, so as the days get longer I wish you happy times with friends and family for the holidays. Let’s all agree on and put in place climate control measures so that we can avoid catastrophic heat, drought, ‘atmospheric rivers’ and record-breaking snow and cold, not only in 2023 but in the years to come. Seeing an end to Covid would be good too.

Below is a panorama of our street this afternoon, as the last sunshine caught the snowy branches of the huge Bigleaf Maple tree.

Gill’s Soda Pots

Gillian McMillan — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 05:31:31 +0000

At last I found time to take some photos to document my twenty or so pots that made up the two cubic feet of ware we can each bring to a soda firing. I shall be packing up some for Jonathon’s Gallery in London, Ontario, some will go in to Circle Craft shop on Granville Island and I may well keep this first carved bowl for us. It feels comfortable with the grooves underneath and a luscious Tesha glaze inside.

There were five salty mugs and this beaker with sgraffito birds.

I’m rather pleased with this lidded jar which was inspired by a similarly-shaped Richard Batterham one we own. Mine was sprayed with Lorna Meaden’s yellow flashing slip. The Bird Vase is similar to two earlier ones I’ve made.

Sometimes a piece turns out just right. I didn’t have great expectations for this wee yunomi but isn’t it delicious?! The pouring bowl has the grooves I enjoy carving.

Finally, these jolly birds have no function at all except to make you smile.

We went in to Vancouver to catch some of the East Side Culture Crawl today but I was much more restrained about taking photos. Best thing was spending time talking to SO MANY potters!