On Friday evening Linda took June and me over to the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts for the latest in the NorthWest Ceramic Foundation’s series of lectures. Nora Vaillant had studied Leach apprentice and sometime BC resident John Reeve and his influence on West Coast potters for her MA thesis. This talk was a somewhat extended version of the presentation she made at the most recent NCECA conference. 

Many of the evening’s large audience had worked with  John Reeve. Nora gave a fascinating account of his journey in clay and how he’d been a teacher at Vancouver School of Art here and shared studio space at times with Martin Peters, Tam Irving, Ron Vallis and Herman Venema – all of whom were there on Friday evening. The lecture was presented as part of the current Canada-wide ‘Culture Days’ so there were refreshments and balloons for attendees of several events that night. It was such fun to catch up with many of my clay colleagues. Some of Tam Irving’s extensive collection of Reeve pots were on display. We also were able to see work by Shadbolt’s ceramics instructors.

Saturday and Sunday were totally taken up with our long-planned Clay Day in my studio and garden. The weather was iffy and there were lots of other Culture Days activities planned for three days. But faithful members brought tents and tables and some of their work and we set up displays inside and out. The idea was to show visitors some of the many ways we use clay, so members demonstrated hand-building, carving, decorating and wheel-throwing as well as providing a very happy area where children were encouraged to play with clay, with guidance. 

I am sorry I didn’t take many photos. I seemed to find myself talking to visitors, explaining where they can take pottery classes, making sure my pottery friends were comfortable in the rather chilly weather and generally discussing our passion. The 2nd hand art books and a draw were popular and some pottery was purchased. The latter wasn’t really the point of the event but is encouraging! 

Thank you so much to all the TCP members who showed up for far more than their suggested 3 hour stints, some on both days, brought goodies for us all, banners, hand-made signs and information sheets. You know who you are and I am pleased to have provided a venue for us to spend time together and meet more local supporters. The garden even looked rather nice in spite of some rain on Saturday. I hope we have encouraged people to check out pottery classes in the Tri-Cities and that children are taken to the current show at Port Moody Arts Centre which is aimed specifically at youngsters.

Now I must pack jugbirds ready to be hand-luggage for my flight to England on Wednesday. I plan to visit galleries in Cambridge and London over the next little while.

I do enjoy the drive out to Matsqui Prairie for these occasional salt firings at Herman Venema’s country studio. The mountains you see to the North as you drive over the Pitt River bridge, reflected in the river, are spectacular. And further on, near Ruskin, there’s Mount Baker, seemingly just across the Fraser River.

When I arrived Herman and Dave were ready to start work, and by the time Nora, Jana (Zylich) and Cathi drove in from Vancouver we were clearing shelves ready for us all to unload our ware.

Ted Driediger joined us and had a small group of pots to add to the firing. He had been invited to demonstrate some of his throwing tricks to Herman’s pottery students this evening. Most people had some glazing and wad application to do, so with chatting and painting the kiln shelves with kiln wash suddenly it was time for lunch. Joyce’s kitchen greeted us with the smell of umpteen freshly baked cookies!

We took most of the afternoon to load the 30 cu’ kiln, with its three-deep 24″x12″ shelves. As usual Dave did the lion’s share of positioning the posts, with Cathi rolling ‘worms’ of wadding to stabilize the posts and the rest of us bringing the right height pots for each shelf. We have lots of mug-height work in this kiln and only Cathi had brought taller pieces so it’ll be interesting to see how the salt gets distributed all through the ware.

Another visitor was Arlynn Nobel. From Thunder Bay, Ontario. Arlynn was an artist-in-residence at the Shadbolt Centre last year, working next to the Ombu kiln. She gives classes there occasionally, and today drove out from seeing the salt firing happening there today. Some of TriCity Potters have work in that kiln. Why don’t I join firings there, much nearer to my home? I’m afraid my experience is that there won’t be enough salt introduced and thus, not enough orange peel. I am hoping that our firing tomorrow will produce surfaces that make us all happy. Cathi has her work on the front upper levels so that it will receive somewhat less salt which is her preference.

Arlynn was invited to put one of her assembled, energetic forms in our firing too. The photo shows Arlynn holding it. Her forms just beg for luscious wood or salt finishes.

By about 4pm we were done, the cone packs and draw-rings were in place and Cathi and Herman closed the door. Suddenly I realized that we had been working virtually outside all day and that I was cold! But it was a treat to work alongside other potters and discuss all the things we like to do, comparing our methods of making, glazing and firing. Can’t wait for salting tomorrow and opening the kiln on Sunday.

Cathi will stay with Herman and Joyce until Sunday, spending Saturday giving her workshop there.

It was worth the wait! Alan came out with me to Abbotsford for the kiln opening and most of today’s photos were taken by him. Sadly Nora’s daughter Isla developed a strep throat so Nora couldn’t join us. I’ve brought her pieces home and she’ll get them soon.

The photos into the kiln show three stages of the opening. They’re useful for us to have a record of what was where so that we can choose what would suit each pot next time. Top front was not very salted, bottom back got lots. Dave’s tall vases, with Helmer and then sprayed with other slips, are lovely. Herman was happy with his little stoppered oil or vinegar pourers and with his impressed bowls. Gorgeous colours!

Nora experimented with some plates and bowls. She will probably want to spray some of her pieces with slips next time as the bare clay wound up rather white. The refired spotted mugs are much livelier. It seems that something about salt firing makes plates warp.

After all the pieces were set on the workshop tables we spent a while comparing effects and we all have more ideas to experiment with next time.

I am very happy with my results. My ten pieces made with Rod’s Bod are awfully dark so I just won’t use that again. The grog and dark-firing body just don’t suit what I’m aiming for. There is one little vase that has a little too much glass on one side but all others have the orange peel and colour I like.

As mentioned in the blog about the firing, we used 28 lbs of salt and it would appear that that is enough. Interestingly we chose not to dip the burritos in water before inserting them and there seems not to be any problem with that.

So now we’ll plan for another salt firing in the Fall. Herman says we can do that whenever we like as it doesn’t interfere with the firing of his students’ work. That is done in the vast 40-yr-old gas kiln nearby.

Al took good photos of many of my pieces, especially the jugbirds, so you can see the good colours and surfaces we achieved. I only included one Rod’s Bod piece so that you can see how it looks. The others are here in my studio, as well as some mugs, little cappuccino cups and some bowls. Pop in to visit if you’d like to see what salting does.

https://picasaweb.google.com/112208740085943894765/NewSaltPotsJuly2013?noredirect=1

At least one jugbird is off to Europe and I must check with Circle Craft and the Gallery of BC Ceramics to see what they’d like.

Now, after all the excitement of the last week I must get back to assembling more earthenware jugbirds. I hope you enjoy reading my account of it all.