Mural

Pat Forst has a degrev in Recreation Education
from LBC, studied pottery and sculpeure at
Emily Carr College of Ant & Desegn, as well
as plese development with internationally
known patter Robin hopper. She also spene a
year m England stuchying at South End Callege
of Art & Desi. Pat has exhibited bath her
pattery and wal! murals mm many solo and
croup shows. She caughe pottery for muzney
years and now teaches out of her Gubyons
studio, She enjoys the excitement of teaching,
and appreciates the fresh approach her seudenes
bring to the subject,

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“One of my favourite methods of building a
mural uses a ‘soft-sculpture’ technique.
After che initial design is decided upor and
time is taken deciding where the cuts will
be made to separate the piece into tiles, a
1/20" chick slab of Fairey’s 7&G clay is
rolled owt. The pieces of the mural are laid
out ona cloth covered board and coil or
slab ribs are built up to create the design.
Some of the areas can be raised as much as
4-6 inches to creare very high relief in che
finiahed mural. Onee the ribs are in place
creating the design, chen more ribs are
added to support areas where cuts are made
to divide the mural into tiles as well as a
wall all the way around che outside of the
mural. These tiles do not need to be
square, and the cut lines can be
incorporated inco che design to add a
further dimension to the overall mural.

When the ribs are completed another 1/20"
slab che size of the first is made. With the
help of another person, this slab is rolled
onto a cardboard tube and chen unrolled
over the ribs, which have been scored and
wetted with a toothbrush. The second slab
of clay completely covers the design. [
carefully work all over che whale piece,
gencly patting the ribs to make sure the clay
adheres to them. Then gradually
smoothing the clay with a dampened
sponge, it stretched between the ribs. The
design begins to appear as if by magic. As!
press the sponge che relief becomes more
and more apparent, [tis very exciting. As
soon as the design is what [ was aiming for,
I cut the pieces ince tiles. Within minutes
the spaces berween the pieces grow,
showing the incredible stress the mural is
under as it shrinks about 10 percent while
drying. Each tile will now have a wall all
the way around it as support. After the clay
dries co leather hard, use a sureform to

smooth any areas [ feel need ie. As soon
as | can pick up che pieces, holes are cut
in the back co lighten it as much as
possible, while leaving enough co glue it
to a plywood backing afver firing.

When the mural is dry | spray ic from an
angle with a mixture of burne umber and
water using an old electrolux vacuum
cleaner. The piece is once fired in a
propane gad kiln eo cone LO, The burne
umber accentuates the sculptural qualicy
of the piece and seems to give it some
monumental sense, When ] am ceaching
students to make murals, | arn
consistencly amazed by the wonderful
designs they make.”

The Forse Sawmmer School of the Arts, near
Gabroms on the Sunshine Coast, is offering a
wall mural and handbuilding course eaughe
by Par Forst, and a portrazt panting course
taught by Pat Loge, The ceramic class wall
include slab and coil comstnuction as well @s a
class mural wsing Laminated clay designs.

Pat wall also teach a wheelthrowiny course
suitable for begining and mtermediate
students.

See page 1] for registration deals.

Bill & Pat Forse

A Potter’s Social
How do they do that?!

Come to the pottery studio at Capilano
College on Wednesday, May 27th, 7 PM.
See Cathi Jefferson build her three point
teapots with those teeny-tiny spouts, Julia
Maika execute her beautiful brush work
on majolica glazed pots, Darrel Hancock
place 'chousands' of fine oxide
brushstrokes, Gillian McMillan brush on
her elaborate tapestry-like slip
decoration, Ron Vallis construct the
infamous 70's juice squeezer, and find cut
if Sam Kwan will throw forms upon
request!

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\_ How oo get there: on che North Shore
end of the Second Narrows Bridge,

proceed up the hill on Lilloet Road. Pass

by the main entrance at Purcell Way,
then cum right into the parking lors, The
studio is in the Maple Building.
Refreshments. Being a mug.

at Che door co offset expenses.

ations

Ronda Green

puge 3

t's Only Clay”:

Randy Brodnax, Potter,
Educator, Fisher and Cook

Just south of Dallas, Texas there is a
genceel, decaying fishing camp buils
sometime in the thirties. The fishing
camp was built around a shallow lake fed
by che Trinity River. Randy Brodnax
lives here along with a few old-timers who
have fished here all of their lives. It is the
perfect spot for Brodnax, who is a natural
born Cajun -which means he loves to
hunt ducks, fish for almost anything chat
swims, and cook (his specialties are
blackened crappie and dark gumbkea}.

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In addition to this life of a Cajun porer,
Randy heads up che art department ae
Cedar Valley College. Randy's
educational philosophies include
challenging his students, as well as
helping conmecc cheir making co chueir life.
To achieve these goals, he often gives
quirky assignments, such as having his
whole class loudly say che word ART ten
times in rapid succession. The effect of
this is to cum che class room inco a kennel
and, as an aside, demystify the three letter
word ART,

Randy's clay work runs from large vase
forms to small, anthropomorphic
creatures. He fires all his work in a raku
kiln -che very same kiln he will be
bringing to the workshop in July.

His workshop promises a chance at some
serious play, as well as some tips om raku
from an expert. The five day workshop
will cover throwing techniques and
proceed towards glazing and raku firing
en the final day. Lunch is included daily
and [ am sure, that with some subtle
hints, Randy could be persuaded to cook
up some gumbo during the week!

Aaron Nelson

Randy's workshop is co-sponsored by the
Potters’ Guild of BC and the Shadbole
(Centre and will cake place from Monday,
July 20 - Friday, July 24 at the Shadbott
Centre for the Arts in Bumaby.
Registration deadline is May 31.
$267.50. Call (604) 291 - 6864 two register.