This title was chosen for TriCity Potters’ upcoming juried show as a way to include a variety of pottery techniques. Who knew what juror, David Lloyd, would select? We were each invited to enter up to ten pieces and no fewer than two, with the understanding that each entrant would have at least one piece in the show. (This has been the system used by Fraser Valley Potters Guild for many years, it’s inclusive but does give the juror pause sometimes).

I’m happy to have had six of my seven entries included in our show, and also that two of my images have been used in PoMoArts invitations. Make a note in your calendar to join us at Port Moody Arts Centre on Thursday evening, 6-8pm, when three shows will be opened. Our show has been timed to coincide with the now-sold-out Canadian Clay Symposium which takes place at Shadbolt Centre on March 21st. It is hoped that attendees will take the time to travel around the Lower Mainland to see all the current ceramics shows, from the block-buster show of non-functional ceramics at MOA, UBC, Masaomi Yasunaga at ECUAD, to past Port Moody Ceramics Artist-in-residence Otto Kamansek’s show at Amelia Douglas Gallery in New Westminster and Fredi Rahn and Sarah Pike’s work in Maple Ridge AG, as well as ours.

https://pomoarts.ca/upcoming-exhibitions

Just recently the Arts Centre has overhauled its image, with the intention of letting more people know about this thriving venue for taking classes, visiting the art galleries and shopping for local art and crafts in Blackberry gift shop. It has a colourful new logo and a totally upgraded website. Local artists who teach there, or who are in current gallery shows or who are members of the Port Moody Arts Society have been invited to submit a bio and photos for their ‘artists’ gallery’. Click this link if you’d like to see what I have given them.

https://pomoarts.ca/artists/McMillan-Gillian-1

I’ll finish this blog by letting you see which jugbirds I had in my recent glaze firing. There are already several more under way. Today I made a list of which birds I’ve dreamed up as jugbirds and there have been over thirty! I hope to have a good selection ready for the June 19-20 ArtWalk here.

Just a couple of paper resist plates to show you. I find the process interesting but I need to think carefully about the intensity of the slip colours that I choose. For the little triangular dishes I simply reversed the order of slips to see which works best.

https://picasaweb.google.com/112208740085943894765/My3rdVenemaSaltFiring

Now I’ve had a chance to see them all. Al has taken some photos and I’ve put the main pieces in a little Picasa album. I’d like to have a chat with the others and see what they thought of their results. I hope they’re happy. It was a surprise when we found that the first draw-ring already had orange peel after twelve lbs of salt. We added two more lbs after that and then agreed to clear the atmosphere for half an hour and then turn off the burners. It was the right decision. Just one or two of my pieces have too much glaze, causing the blue to run, but I’m pretty sure they were the ones placed on the bag wall. So I won’t do that again. Also I see that the titanium dioxide that usually produces pretty green areas when sprayed over blue slip, didn’t do that much this time. Any ideas why not?

Mainly I’m very happy with the results. It’s an ever fascinating process and I do enjoy the collaborative days spent with other salt enthusiasts. Again, thanks to you all and let’s plan another firing later in the Spring.