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,