Comox Valley Potter’s Club

(Formerly “Island Potters”)

The “Island Potters” as the club was first called, met in mem-
bers’ homes in the mid and late sixties. The first written minutes
we can find were from 1971 & 1972. We had the use of a small
room at the Courtenay Recreation Centre, where we met every
Wednesday. We paid a membership fee to the CRA, and a por-
tion went to our Club.

Somehow we managed to acquire two electric kilns, and two
kick /electric wheels. The wheels with seats and tables were built
by an elderly Belgian man and cost $80.00.

The CRA even covered our electricity costs! Times have certain-
ly changed. Records show that M 92 & M 95 clay cost $2.75
for 25 Ibs, while white # 100 was $3.00 for 25 lbs.

The list of names we can find for 1971 are: Saxon Welsh,
Marjorie Roberts, Jean Lust, Lisa Jensen, Peg Patrick, Nancy
Allen, Nina Anderson, Jean Henderson, Kaye Hansen, Frankie
Mitchell, Bonnie Rogers, Cora Quin and Marjorie Lever. By
1972 and 1973 there were at least a dozen new members and
we had to expand to working on the stage at the CRA. When
the CRA rebuilt and expanded, our little room was torn down
and. our supplies were stored temporarily at members’ homes. At
this time we found there was often confusion with the name
“Island. Potters” and the potters from Denman and Hornby
Island, so the decision was made to change our name to “The
Comox Valley Potters Club”.

Eventually, we rented a small space that was not very suitable,
but soon after had the offer to rent a large workshop from Marg
and. Chris Hansen on Leighton Ave. in Courtenay. This gave us
the space to sponsor many workshops and. we had. some great
ones.

Our club’s first workshop while still at the CRA was with
Wayne Ngan as well as Allan Burgess and Donna McLaren.
Because of the tremendous interest, our workshop with Don
Reitz was held at North Island College. Robin Hopper gave us a
great workshop at the Native Son’s Hall.

Cathy Gailloux’s beach property was a perfect place for a saw-
dust-firing workshop with Bob Kingsmill. We had our first
Raku workshop also at Cathy’s beach, and Jim Thornsbury used.
an oil drip and a vacuum cleaner blower for the fuel! Our next
Raku workshop was at Lynn Johnson's with Laura Wee Lay Laq.

While we were at Leighton Ave, we enjoyed workshops given by
Jim Etzkorn, Denys James, Frank Boyden, Christine Husson,
and Glenys Marshal-Inman.

Angela Meeson gave us a varied workshop at Sue Taylor's, where

we built and fired a “down under” kiln and experimented with
Raku, smoke firing and crystalline glazes.

Walter Ostrom came for 5 days and made us one of his famous
turtles. We made and tested low fire glazes on this and made
chickens and fish from a live chicken model. (The fish was

dead.)

Because the Club had grown in numbers, we were able to hold
workshops at North Island College and had Jeff Oestreich, Sam
Kwan, Yukio Yamamato, Darrel Hancock, Laurie Rolland, as
well as many others. We also attended. down island workshops
whenever possible. Can you imagine the incredible potlucks
we've had at these workshops!

During the last few years we have had an arrangement with
N.LC. for the use of the Ceramic Dept. every Wednesday. We
have made a four by eight foot mosaic mural of the four seasons
in the Valley, and donated it for installation at the new airport.
It was designed by Ev Johnston.

We give a bursary every year to a N.LC. ceramic student, and
the students are able to come to our workshops free of charge.

As a result of all these workshops, and an obsession with clay,
there have to be some sales involved. We have held a Christmas
sale at the end of November every year since at least 1971, and a
“seconds” sale in January for the last few years. Spring sales were
tried, and the last 3 years we have held a “plants and pots” sale
at Meg Burgess’ house, (followed by another fabulous “Pot
Luck”).

Every fourth year we have been invited guests, as a club, to take
in the Filberg Festival in Comox.

A “spill over” from the club, was the formation of a retail outlet
called “The Potters Place.” Although it is quite separate from
the CVPC, the majority of the members belong to both. It is
run on a co-op basis.

We must have done something right to promote such an inter-
est in clay, because our small group from the 60’s and 70’s has
swelled to over 60 members!

See you at the next workshop.

Also, please note that The Comox Valley Club will display
works at the Muir Gallery in Courtenay from May 6 to 28th.
This is in conjunction with celebrations of the B.C. Potters
Guild Anniversay Project. Each member will display a couple
of special pieces.

Kaye Hansen for the CV.PC

lab fee for glaze materials and firings.

JOHN CHALKE at Emily Carr, Summer 2005
“How to talk about pots and make them better.”
CRAM 204, August 1-19

The Ceramics program at Emily Carr intends to make all its three credit courses easily accessible to the larger community. This
summer, from August 1 to 19, Calgary Potter John Chalke will teach a three week course on “how to talk about pots and make
them better”. To register for this course, phone the Registrar Laurence Lowe at 604 844 3800 ext. 3822 and ask for the ceram-
ics course CRAM 204. Register after May 2nd until start of course on August 1st to secure a place. The cost is $323.11 + $40

This is a not to be missed opportunity to work with one of Canada’s best and most original potters.

Paul Mathieu

April 2005

Potters Guild of British Columbia Newsletter