TriCity Potters invited Pat Schendel to be our guest for last week’s January meeting. We had an excellent turn-out for Pat’s interesting talk about her work with Crystalline glazes. Some of Pat’s fans came all the way from Richmond for her presentation. I think folks were very happy to get together again after the holidays. Fearful snow caused the closing of the Arts Centre, and everything else, the week before but postponing wasn’t a problem.
Alan and I were in Mexico on the earlier date so I’m pleased that I was able to attend!
Pat gave us a brief summary of her journey in clay while she showed us slides of her work. She has fond memories of starting pottery classes in Kamloops, then in Abbotsford with Joe Priestley’s Mission Potters guild and Herman Venema, time spent in Prince George with their potters guild and then classes with David Lloyd at KPU in Surrey from 1992-95. Pat has had a full-time career as a nurse meanwhile. More recently, since moving to Surrey, she served as President of Fraser Valley Potters Guild for many years. She insists that she isn’t an ‘expert’ in crystal glazing but that the technique has been her exclusive path for a while. Books, workshops and Youtube videos fuel her passion.
These photos of her slides illustrate the variety of crystalline effects she loves.
I first saw Pat’s beautifully-thrown and astonishingly-glazed work as she won awards in Fraser Valley Potters Guild juried shows.
Pat had brought along some pieces for us to see and feel, to appreciate the crystal effects on the elegant forms. There were little sample dishes of possible colours she can use. For those interested in experimenting with this process there were glaze hand-outs. Let us know if you’d like a copy. Kay has sent out a minor correction for those who have the notes. “a correction for the recipe for Peter’s Glaze #2 ..The colorants for Pale Blue on Tan should read: Cobalt Carb. 0.1gm and Manganese Dioxide: 0.2gm”.
After we’d seen the photos Pat then showed us some aspects of the crystal-glazing process. She explained how a ring of wadding is glued to the base of the piece before it is placed in its catch-dish for the runny glaze before the firing. She even had a recent piece still attached to its dish so that she could demonstrate how the pot is detached with heat, and gentle hammering. Then it is carefully ground smooth.
Thank you Pat, for a very well-prepared presentation. I know that members really enjoyed learning about the process and some will have been inspired to explore the demanding firing schedules and glaze recipes for themselves.
For our February 21st meeting we have planned a collaborative group activity. Members are asked to bring along a leather hard or bone dry pot and some underglazes if you have them. Be prepared to enjoy yourself working on other artists’ pieces! More details to come.
A great article about a super potter!