Yesterday was another of those busy but productive days when the ‘Raiders’ turn up. My guests were Eric Metcalfe, Mina Totino, Monique Fouquet, Renée Van Halm, Elizabeth McIntosh and later Marlene Madison.    

It was a rainy day so we ate our splendid potluck lunch inside. Al and I thank you all for Monique’s home-baked quiche, cheeses, cold cuts, salads, breads and Mina’s home-baked Black Forest/Eton mess cake for Elizabeth’s birthday (the day before). What a feast!  

Luckily I had managed to have enough bone-dry slab plates prepared for them, and they quickly settled in to their work.

Al took a few shots of the work party and I have a photo of the assembly of finished work at the end of the day.

Why didn’t I have any work in the previous firing? After the last raid Al and I had taken the little holiday to Victoria and Ucluelet, and then I’d gouged my hand with a silly trip-up while over there, so I hadn’t been able to get new work started. But while the plates were firing I did get started on just three new little jugbirds, made a few flower pots to be donated to an Amnesty International fundraiser and finally made a start on a new design, a Wood Duck. During the last few days I’ve managed to get the birds, pots and the Wood Duck painted so yesterday I was able to get them terra sigged while my visitors were here.

So now, today, I have loaded the kiln with a full pack for bisquing and am ready for a busy week of waxing, glazing and re-firing the load. My goal is to have it all finished by the end of the week so that I can send the best off to England for Cambridge’s ‘Innovations in Ceramic Art’ Oct 10 & 11.

Meanwhile Al and I will be welcoming Ontario potter Tony Clennell to stay chez nous while he gives various workshops at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Sept 23 – 27. I hope to find time to pop in to see some of his presentations.