When Alan and I returned from a recent trip to Tacoma, Wash. (where Al attended the North-West Anthropological Conference) it was time to empty the glaze kiln. I had managed to remove two of my bird-feeders while they were still warm, to take down to the States with us for a friend who’d ordered them.

Now the rest have been photographed and, apart from two plates of mine, all the work has been distributed. I’ll post pics of the latest Raiders plates soon but today I wanted to record which birds I’ve just made.

Eclectic Gallery on Oak Bay Avenue, in Victoria, had been anxiously waiting for me to top up their group of jugbirds so they got first dibs – five regular-sized ones and four miniature guys that they like.

I kept back four for the Gallery of BC Ceramics and took them in last Thursday when the Carole Epp show opened. Happily, two of the four were snapped up by a North Vancouver collector before they could be placed on the gallery shelves! He chose the colourful Scarlet Macaw and an Eagle. So that gallery needs more, and on the same evening I promised Circle Craft that they’re next on the list. Since then I have thrown the bodies for twelve new jugbirds but with theatre tickets, a grandson birthday, pottery packing and mailing, gardening, grocery shopping etc it seems impossible to grab two studio working days in a row!

Also in that last firing were two silly Scarlet Macaw mugs, a special order from a collector in Indiana. He asked me to add names and I guess I don’t mind. He already has two Woodpecker mugs!

The Yellow-Billed Kingfisher, which I chose as my favourite this time, has been mailed to Alcheringa Gallery, also in Victoria. They are hoping for more exotic tropical birds for the Summer..

Finally here are two plates that I enjoyed painting with abstract designs. They’re the only pieces left in my studio now that I spent most of today packing up the Eclectic Gallery group of jugbirds and delivering them to Coquitlam Greyhound depot. Apparently they should be delivered tomorrow (under 10 lb box, $20+, free delivery to a business from Victoria depot).

Comments on the plates would be appreciated. I think I’ll do more.