What an extraordinary few weeks we have had since I last put together a blog. In early March there were numerous clay-related events coming up, with TriCity Potters' juried show 'Earth, Form,Fire' scheduled to open on March 5th. It was organized to be one of many clay shows and workshops planned to coincide with the much-anticipated Canadian Clay Symposium at Shadbolt Centre on March 20th. As…
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…
Before I headed out with fellow TriCity Potters Shelley Bondheim and Gay Mitchell last Tuesday I loaded glazed plates and jugbirds into their electric firing and turned the kiln on to heat slowly. We three arrived at the Shadbolt Centre's 'Steam Plant' for 3pm and were quickly joined by nearly all of the other participants in last week's soda firing. Jay and Tony finally opened…
Yesterday turned out to be a really wonderful day. I've been working towards two firings for the last month or more so began my Friday by getting out to my kiln shed and glazing all the earthenware pieces that I'd waxed the night before. It turns out that Greenbarn's acrylic-type wax resist needs to rest overnight anyway (and even then doesn't really repel glaze like…
In spite of a little overnight snowfall five Raiders showed up in Port Moody on Wednesday. The sun was shining so the ice on the road and walkways was quickly melted. I just managed to get another group of plates bisque-fired and cool enough to take out of the kiln that morning and I didn't want to slip while carrying them from the kiln shed…