Our guest at Wednesday’s monthly meeting of TriCity Potters was Linda Doherty. We had a full agenda because it was time for our AGM and we had also asked members to bring in their completed flower pot donations.
I have known Linda for a great many years and have always admired her gas-fired production work. I was one of the proof-readers when she, Carol Mayer and Deborah Tibbel assembled and published the splendid ‘Made of Clay’ 1998, a BC Potters Guild endeavour.
Linda has been working in clay for many years and her fascination has been fed by many interesting workshops and fabulous travels. She has been one of the invaluable technicians and an instructor at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts so is always around to help and make good connections when visiting artists are invited to give workshops or build and fire kilns. So her work is also often wood-fired or soda-fired. She has made the fabrication of baskets with extruded elements one of her signature forms, along with other vases and baking dishes that utilize extruded parts.
Linda and her sister have had several shows of their collaborative work, with Linda’s thrown lower part finished with woven sections using pine needles by Lynnette Gullackson. Linda says she really enjoys working collaboratively and has also done so with fellow Shadbolters Sharon Reay and Jay MacLennan.
There was far too much information for Linda to tell us in the time allocated. She could well have given presentations on each of the amazing ceramic adventures she’s had in China, Germany and Australia to name just three countries she’s worked in, and then there are the myriad of techniques she has learnt and used extensively.
I would suggest that the TriCity Potters executive might keep Linda’s name on the list for further informative evenings and perhaps some demonstrations. For further details on Linda Doherty’s career check her website below.
The AGM was a necessary part of this evening. We’ve had a successful year with several most interesting presentations, group making times, a Christmas party and a couple of group critique sessions. The most recent ‘challenge’ was for members to make flower pots. Amnesty International representative and TriCity Potter Myrta Hayes has been growing Thyme plants and will pot them up in our various flower pots. They’ll then be a ‘timely’ donation from our group for purchase at December’s Amnesty International fundraiser.
Here are some of the almost sixty flower pots that were brought to the meeting and I expect some more will appear next month. Some will be displayed in the Coquitlam Public library for a couple of weeks after Remembrance Day.
One item on the AGM agenda was to welcome member Carlene Akester as a new board member. I am stepping down from the board after eight years as our Events Coordinator. I plan to keep myself much involved and will offer suggestions when I can and I’m sure programming will be ably organized by the ongoing board. I have been most happy to be a part of getting our organization on its feet, establishing a pattern of social gatherings, educational challenges and inspiring guests, and the chance to become friends with like-minded clay enthusiasts. Good luck!
