EXPERIENCES

My favourite memory of teaching pottery comes from
the class which | feared would be my worst. It was part
of my job at the Burnaby Arts Centre (1974) to teach
beginners classes, but I didn't teach children and had
never had anything to do with handicapped people.
For one Saturday morning | faced a dozen handi-
capped youths, each with an able-bodied helper of
about the same age (young teens). Their problems
were varied, made obvious by limbs that were hard to
control and disjointed speech, And they all wanted to
throw.

We had mostly kick wheels, which accentuated their
difficulties. | was taught a very moving lesson in
respect by a young lady whose head was always on one
side, and whose better leg was not the one she needed
to kick with. Her fingers splayed away from the clay
as she tried to grip it. I was trying ineffectively to help
her when she decided to explain that she was having
trouble because she had cerebral palsy (perhaps I
hadn't noticed). Her understatement stunned me as
| realized that she accepted herselfas a normal person
far more than I had. And she was having fum, messing
about with clay.

There's more, A boy of ten or so was getting frustrated
with trying to center. He looked fairly co-ordinated
but was deaf to my explanations. Really deafl My
@esticulations beside the wheel head were't getting
through. I think he was too caught up in the whole
spinning mass to really pay attention.

In frustration, and acting without forethought, I forei-
bly wrapped my hands over his and centered both him
and the clay in seconds, The look of joy and clarity
when he turned to meet my eyes was rivetting (and the
first time that he had really acknowledged my pres-
ence). I thought that he was saying “So that’s what
you warited!” The magic of feeling the clay transform
from whirling monster to Mowing partner had formed
a communication link between us.

From fears to fond memories!

Phyllis Argyle

WORESHOPS & SUMMER SCHOOLS

The Langham Cultural Society ts calling for propos-
als from visual and performing artists wishing to
present workshops at their KASLO-on-the-Lake
Summer School of the Arts. The school is located on
Kootenay Lake and the workshops will be held August
12-August 25, 1989. Contact Langham Centre, Box
1000, Kaslo, B.C., VOG IMO, or phone 353-2661,

From the Ontario Clay and Glass Association, via
FUSION and Peta Hall, their Education and Work-
shop Chairman, comes an announcement of their
WORKSHOP IN THE CITY to be held May 26-28, at
New College, University of Toronto, with internation-
ally-known guest ceramic artists Everette Busbee and
Jelf Oestreich. For further information, check the
Guild bulletin board or phone on Fridays. Toronto
info. number is 416-923-7406,

RAKU WORESHOP with GORDON HUTCHENS,
sponsored by the Eagle Har-

bour Community Centre, 5575 Marine Drive, West
Vancouver, 921-7425, will be held on Saturday, April
15, from 10to4 pm. Fee is $25.00 and includes lunch
and participant firing. Contact Ronda Green at 921-
96858 for further information. Preregistration recom-
mended.

THE BURNABY ARTS CENTRE presents a throwing
workshop, “Form and Function”, with SAM KWAN, on
4 consecutive evenings, April 10-13, 7-10 pm. at 6450
Deer Lake Avernue in Burnaby, Fee is $50.00. Phone
291-6864.

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UNCLASSIFIED

For Sale: Wooden Potter's Kickwheel, excellent con-
dition, $125.00, 461-9992.

Wanted: Electric wheel, prefer Podmore or English.
Phone Cheryl, 655-3193, Collect, Evenings.

Wanted: Vancouver potter looking for studio: will
share or upgrade space. Call Nathan at 253-0254,

Wanted to Rent: Gas kiln for infrequent firing. Call
Mary Fox at 435-9184.

For Sale: 24" Estrin slab roller, brand new, never
been used, $1900, Call Claude at 533-5101, or 530-
0361, at home,

Wanted: a second-hand electric pottery wheel,
Please phone 732-6766.

For Sale: Estrin Kiln, 8cu_ft., top loading, kiln sitter,
shelf kit, 45 amp, up to Cone 10, never been fired.
$1850 OBO. Call James at 251-3040,