During 2022 I've been following the news about firings in the Potters' Guild of BC gas kiln. Funding was secured and the current board purchased a big Bailey kiln from Emily Carr U. Thanks to the enthusiastic manager of the Mergatroid Artists Studio building, Morley Faber, it has now been installed on a levelled, covered concrete pad next to the building. Technicians have been trained,…
While my latest earthenware pieces were being glaze-fired I cleaned all the red clay from my wheel and tools and wedged up a bag of stoneware clay. I must prepare some pots for the soda firing next week. The small kiln load fired nicely and I have these new pots to show you. Fiddlehead Ferns sgraffito slab lunch plate As usual, my pieces are almost…
It may be because Spring is finally here and we're noticing woodpeckers drumming for a mate, goldfinches cavorting at the feeder and hummingbirds dancing nearby, that I found I'd made a good number of jugbirds for my recent firing, as well as another Egg box. I see three of these around here but clearly not the Puffin! I was determined to get a kiln load…
It took most of January to get my kiln filled. My second successful cataract operation was two weeks ago today and I'm delighted that my two eyes now see the same colours, distant vision is great and in a couple more weeks I'll get a prescription for near vision. Al and I popped in to Vancouver one day when the pervasive fog had lifted and…
A special request had me researching duck shapes again. The Harlequin Duck doesn't lend itself to being a tall jug so I opted to make him with three wheel-thrown parts, plus a teeny cone for his bill. These shapes wind up imitating the way a duck walks or swims. Then what is the best way to fill him? I decided to put a filling hole…