Now that the Port Moody Solstice Shuffle is history it’s time to get back to my usual routine. The three ‘Raiders’ who showed up here last Friday asked if we could please, please have another Raid soon. So after delivering those jugbirds to Crafthouse YVR on Monday I shelved my remaining pots and fished out Wonder White earthenware clay. Even though it’s summertime slab-formed plates take a few days to become bone dry so I warned Pierre Coupey that the large round plate he hoped to paint would still be ‘leather hard’. It means that sgraffito is a nice option so he was pleased to be able to add that to his experiments. 
Yesterday Vancouverites Mina, Cindy and Michelle returned to my studio and they were joined by Pierre from West Vancouver.
I’ve found it difficult to get mobilized to start more work so it was good to have fellow artists here all day, and I made some red clay plates for myself. Mina is encouraging me to do more plate painting, but I do prefer my red clay and the quality and opacity of my own coloured slips on leather hard forms, rather than using underglazes on bone dry ware.
Potluck lunch was a hit as usual, with a bowl of home-made bean soup, a creative salad and lots of different cheeses. Later on we spoiled ourselves with a delicious gluten-free lemon tart from ‘Lemonade’. Thanks Raiders for always making Raid refreshments interesting!
Pierre painted his large plate with his current selection of black and white. It’ll be interesting to see the results of his wax resist and sgraffito. He also painted a somewhat smaller round plate (a tondo) in a similar style.
Mina had a couple of plates she’d started painting underneath last time, and then spent her day applying bold colour all over and then painting more delicate trails and spots. The concentration is fascinating to watch.
Michelle worked away with colour and masking tape on several pieces and finished one commercial bisque beaker.
Cindy hasn’t joined the painting group for a while but quickly found her confidence. I saw lots of layers being applied but the colours are quiet, certainly in my photos of the work taken last night. But I expect to see the details much more once the plates have had their two firings.
My Summer project is to be making more jugbirds. I don’t mind rainy days. The temperature suits me and I don’t have to water the garden. Happy Canada Day everyone!
