For the June meeting of TriCity Potters on Wednesday night we celebrated six years of activity with the traditional T&T birthday cake.
Several members were over at Shadbolt Centre at the unloading of the FVPG Ombu Wood kiln firing so we had a smaller group than usual.
Kay Bonathon and Carlene Akester rushed over from the opening to show us their hot-from-the-kiln wood-fired pieces.
It was a lovely evening of conversation as we discussed what our group has done and can do.
Then most people showed a ceramic piece for us to admire. I’ll just post photos of members and their contribution even though some are blurred.
Madeleine showed us a method she has invented for glazing the exterior of mugs without leaving finger marks. After the inside is glazed and dried somewhat she lowers a magnet cushioned with a little cone box foam in a twist of plastic into the mug. The mug can then be lifted with another magnet on a bolt and dipped upside down in glaze.
Christine was inspired to make a slab cow by seeing a similar one in the Symposium’s Ceramic Road Show in March. Fun!
Corkey Hartley brought her white neti pot, for the ‘woman who has everything!’ I gather it is used for clearing nasal passages! Her little temmoku tray has a delightful pattern impressed from wallpaper.
Gay Mitchell brought in a wildly colourful little dish from Turkey and we marvelled at the intricacy of the decoration.
Then I have a happy photo of Monica Viola and Joyce Gillespie laughing at Joyce’s birdy fence topper. What a fun idea!
Sue Griese had attended a glazing workshop with Don Hutchinson and showed us her painted satin-glazed vase form. She also was pleased with a mug that serendipitously endured a long ‘soak’ in the glaze firing and is now juicy syrupy colour.
Susan Gorris then amused us, first with the tale of leaving a very hot bisque-fired foot on a wooden shelf. The burning has produced good colour on said foot, and luckily the school didn’t burn down!
Her other tale was of getting her good friend Santo Mignosa to make her a burial urn. We hope she’ll have to store it for many years before it is used!
I showed the splendid Mexican pot I was given for my birthday. I’ll post some more information on that in another post.
The last to show a pot was June who brought back a cheerfully coloured garlic, nutmeg or ginger scraper dish from her recent trip to Spain. What a clever idea!
Thank you all for bringing in such a variety of ceramic pieces. It made for a friendly conversation. See you all at our September meeting, same location for next year. And do tell your friends that all are welcome to join TriCity Potters for our monthly gatherings. Happy summer of inspiration and creativity!
