LETTERS bes J

NEWS FROM THE NORTH PEACE POTTERS' CUILD
IN FORT ST. JOHN

Hire 18 quite tmaietant that someone send news from this
area, so here goes.

Thought I'd etart with a bit about our guild. It wae
organized tn 1969 aa a co-operative group of pottera to share
knowledge and to provide studio space. With help from several
community organizations and from individuals a amall shack,
not well insulated, was equipped with a single Featrin wheel
and a amall, homebuilt electric kiln capable of reaching earth-
ware temperatures. One member only, knew much about potting,
but_work, nevertheless, got under way. We read and we taught
ourselves. We dug and prepared local earthemare elay, glazed
it with prepared 'Duncan' glazes and soon began our annual
Chrtstmas Sales. Work had to stop in coldest winter. We
couldn't keep ourselves warm.

Over the yeara the guild has graduated through a ctty
oumed recreation space to our preaent sharing arrangement with
Northern Lights College. This involves their use of our equip-
ment (two eleetrte kiting, 4-6 wheele, a slab roller and
vartous other equipment acecwnmilated over the years) and in
return our use of studio space when classes are not in session.
This te a relatively small communtty and the agreement makes
good uae of the avattable apace. The guild operates a supplies
store and owns an expanding itbrary.

In the early days we were desperate for tuition and it
Was a great day when we hoated our firat workshop leader
(Sally Michener) in 1975, Since then we have been well served
fer workshops by the Arte Council, the B.C. Pottere Guild and
by Emily Carr College. We usually manage a couple of weekend
workehops a year. At the beginning of April we were thrilled
to have Htro come. For those of us used to the concept of
becoming master of the clay hte philosophy of aseieting it,
only, to produce the form was refreshing. On the second
morning we learned Hiro's "glaze calculation made stmple"
(super easy) and in the afternoon looked at sitdes both of
Hiro's work and others. Lots from B.C. and we discussed
form, decoration, etc.

O