New Zealand potter Chris Weaver has been here in BC for the last week. Local salt potters Jackie Frioud and Cathi Jefferson invited him to give a couple of workshops while he is on a working trip to North America. Last week he gave a workshop and salt firing at Cathi’s kiln in the Cowichan Valley and this weekend he did a demo-only workshop at Gleneagles Community Centre in West Vancouver. In between those two tempting opportunities the Fraser Valley Potters’ Guild was able to arrange for Chris to give an evening lecture at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby last Thursday.

So June, Dorothy, Ysabella and I were able to attend the opening at Gallery of BC Ceramics from 5-6pm and then drive over to Burnaby for 7pm. It was great to see so many longtime clay friends, from Fraser Valley and Shadbolt Centre before settling down to see Chris’ slides. As ever the projecting technology is a challenge but Ysy was able to lend a hand.

Chris is a well-known potter in New Zealand, having trained back in the seventies and established his pottery on the remote West Coast of South Island. He is also a keen carpenter who enjoys repurposing drift-wood for clay tools and fabricating sturdy curved handles from Kiwi hardwood. In fact it would appear that making the handles can take just as long to make as the jars, teapots and dishes that they are made for! But the work is well-designed and finely made, and the wooden attachments are a major part of his practice. And of course the fact that some of it is salt-fired is what grabbed my attention when his visit here began to be advertised.

Here are just a few images from the slide show.

Better photos are available at Chris’ website:

http://www.chrisweaver.co.nz

Thank-you Fraser Valley Potters and Shadbolt Centre for organizing this evening. Burnaby is so much more convenient for me than Kwantlen College (FVPG’s usual meeting place)!