A Matter of Clay III

Yeesh - can you believe it's been 4 months since I last posted? I've done 9 shows since then and it's been a crazy year so far.

So - I did my last show on the weekend of July 8-9 for Art in the Park in Petrolia. It was a scorching 2 days sitting under a tent in a beautiful park in the lovely Victorian Oil Town of Petrolia.

And since then - our weather has been scorching hot - in the 90's many days - and with the humidex - many days over 100 degrees farenheit. Too hot for my blood.

I've had plans to get into the studio - but it's just been way too hot. I open the door - walk in, walk out and close the door - just too hot.

Last week - my DH bought me an air conditioner - so - I now have a cool studio. So - I figure I should be able to get out there and start throwing - just as soon as I clean the place up a bit.

This weekend - I gave myself a treat. I attended 3 workshops with the London Potters Guild - "A Matter of Clay III". It was a great weekend with 3 of Canada's great Potters: John Chalke,
Gordon Hutchens and Valerie Metcalfe. It was capped off with a visit to Jonathons in London, which is a ceramics gallery, and Johnathon Bancroft-Snell carries pottery from many wonderful Canadian Artists (well worth a visit if you are ever in London).


My Only regrets - I didn't take more pictures and
video. I didn't get my video camera out today until my regular camera died.

This first picture here - shows some of John Chalke's Test Plates. He works with a lot of slips and glazes that crawl, giving very interesting textures on the surface. John is originally from England, and currently resides in Calgary.







This second picture is of Gordon Hutchens, who presented on Saturday. Man - this guy has energy. Give him a coffee and he actually bounces. I REALLY, REALLY wish that I had taken more photos of his property in Beautiful British Columbia.
Gordon works with crystalline glazes and also does a lot of wood firing.






This last picture is actually a picture taken during
a slide show. I was kind of off to the side - so
my picture looks a bit funny. It's of a teapot
by Valerie Metcalfe of Winnipeg.


Today - Valerie demonstrated her throwing techniques, and then we all spent some time at the wheel practicing our own throwing.



It was - without a doubt - a fabulous weekend.
Very tiring - but fabulous.

I can't wait to get back to the wheel.


But first........... A trip to Newfoundland.