COLUMBIA

articipants were given a clear outline
of Cindy’s plans and a shopping list

of items to bring as there would be a

hands-on portion of the day, a very attractive

feature to potters, a species who like to get

their hands into the muck.

Cindy spent the morning demonstrating
and explaining some of her techniques and
secrets. She has a huge repertoire of methods
she uses to achieve very handsome and artistic
results,

She is interested in using her pieces as
canvas and applying images to them. Since
she is a professional potter she works at an
idea until it is perfect and she has found the
most efficient way to achieve it.

Cindy often works on dry leather-hard
ware, creating the images in a variety of ways,
applying under glazes and slips, firing to cone
04 and then cone 10 clear glazes to finish. She
also paints on top of a (raw) white gaze, with
commercial under glazes.

Here is a short outline of some of the
techniques we explored :

* Saral Paper - a wax free graphite transfer
paper that allows you to trace any image and
transfer it to a number of surfaces including
ceramic, much as carbon paper was used.
A fairly detailed piece of flocked wallpaper
was used to demonstrate the possibilities
for creating tiles. The tiles could have an
application of white glaze first. Coloured
underglazes are then used to fill the design
in (on top of the white glaze.) A clear glaze
may / or may not be applied, then final
firing. (An advantage of Saral Paper, over
graphite or traditional carbon paper is that
graphite sometimes acts as a resist, leaving
unwanted gaps in painting, but Saral can be

Cindy Gibson...a Potter’s Potter

By Roger Champagne

Cindy Gibson gave two workshops
on underglaze and slips last March
and April at St Michaels Church
hall in Saanich. It is a measure
of the interest in, and respect for,
Cindy Gibsons work that we ended
up holding two workshops instead

of the one, as initially expected.

painted over easily, can easily be washed off,
and burns out.)

* Acetate stencils can be used to repeat an
image that you've perfected. The acetate
stands up to repeated use. (I also make
stencils out of latex for curved pieces.)

¢ Axner underglaze pens are used to create
fine outlines, which can then be coloured
in a similar way with underglazes. (She also
does it the other way around — paint first,
then outline with the pen.)

e

Slip bulbs were used to create raised lines on
the tiles, This created contained areas that
could then be flooded with colour. (This
traditional technique is known as tube-
lining)

‘The following is an alternative to slip bulb

trailing to create a raised line:

* Using a ball tool create a design on a flat
piece of Styrofoam from a meat tray.

* Press the tool repeatedly over the line until
it is fairly deep.

« A thin slab of clay can then be pressed onto
the tray.

* The slab will have a raised design, into
which underglaze (or glaze) can be pooled.
Spons is a traditional technique using a

“spon” or “pricked stencil” to produce repeats

of the same design. A line design is created

on see through paper. Using a safety pin the
line is repeatedly punctured. When the line is
completely punctured it is fastened to the tile.

A small nylon stocking bag filled with graphite

powder is tamped over the design resulting in

the transfer of the outline to the tile.

Cindy is a master of her materials and
techniques. Throughout the workshop she
dropped details of how she works, finds
materials and trouble shoots problems...all
gold to potters.

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - June 2009

We had a rare opportunity to test out many

new techniques under her watchful eye. With
all our pottery mates available to ask all the
tight questions and bounce ideas off, it was a
perfect workshop.

For more information about Cindy visit her
website at:
http://www.gobc.ca/victoria-travel/belle-
and-dragon-pottery-cindy-gibson_899

SCULPTURE WORKSHOP

with
Sandra Dolph

¢ AtSandra’s studio, Cedar Grove Pottery
¢ Five days, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day
* Cost, $300
¢ Early morning meditation offered,
with instruction if desired.

Spend afternoons

exploring abundant,
beautiful beaches
and forest trails.

Inspire ideas and

For more information: encourage quiet

sldolph@telus.net presence of mind,