The clocks went back last night, the sun is shining today, the Fall colours are perfect, the salmon are spawning in Noon’s Creek and my bisque kiln turned itself off a couple of hours ago. It’s been a busy week as I endeavoured to get all my jugbirds and other pots painted and, yesterday, terra sigged. The last few were fast-dried in my convection oven on warm. The kiln is really full, what with some more candlesticks of mine and Kay Bonathan’s to donate to Amnesty International, some special orders, the jugbirds and also some plates from a fun day last Thursday.

Eric Metcalfe brought out his ex-student, Blanket Gallery artist and writer Eli Bornowsky, SFU Contemporary Arts professor Allyson Clay and her Newfoundland friend, performance artist Colette Urban to spend the day painting on slab-built oval plates I’d made. It’s always fun to have artists who are used to another medium experience painting on a somewhat 3D surface. The plates were bone dry and I supplied them with underglazes. If I do this some more I will buy more colours. Colette and Allyson also experimented with some leather-hard tiles I’d prepared for them, using my larger palette of slip colours. I shall enjoy seeing their results – all so different. They’re lucky that I shall be able to get them glazed in days. Here are the artists – sorry Sally (Allyson) I moved as I took your photo. The finished plates and tiles will be posted here next week.