Saturday was not a good day to deliver new pots to Granville Island! It was a cold but beautifully sunny day and all of Vancouver decided to check out the market and most drove there! We were lucky to find a pay parking spot. Staff at Circle Craft didn't mind my coming in then, and in fact they were pleased to be able to tell…
There was just enough room in my latest glaze firing for all the plates, my latest jugbirds, some grandson artwork, bowls to be donated and TriCity Potters' collaborations. Phew! Yesterday's blog showed the platters and plates made by Raiders so today I'll show you everything else. My island-dwelling cousin requested some seagulls to keep him company in his writer's cabin. I hope he'll enjoy these…
My title sounds a bit like a risqué petticoat, but no, it refers to the special, very liquid slips that are sprayed onto bone dry or bisqued stoneware pieces prior to a soda or salt or wood firing. They react to the surrounding flames and will lend a delicious opaque colour, often red-brown, orange or blue, or will encourage orange peeling. There's so much to…
Last Wednesday we, the Soda Workshop people, were invited to show up at the Shadbolt kiln for the big reveal. We waited until everybody was there before removing any of the delicious new ware. Perhaps because we were only eight participants (due to a couple of last-minute drop-outs) there was lots of space around each pot and there seemed to be orange peeling or warm…
Some months ago retired Langara College ceramics instructor Don Hutchinson phoned to invite me to give a workshop to Semiahmoo Potters in South Surrey. Since retirement Don has been active with this group of potters and he explained to me that he thought I could talk to them about earthenware, the making of silly birds and the use of colourful slips. These are all things…