The Persian and Hispano-Moresque potters achieved superb lustres
Tich with skilfully brushed decoration. Joan Lowndes, in her review
of the exhibition - Province, Nov.10, 1966, noted that Miss Wood had
been “initiated by a friend of the great painter Miro into the secrets of
Spanish lusterware which she admires above all others". However, it
should be noted that brushwork was as important as the lustre in
Spanish ware. Miss Wood, on the other hand, has used lustre per se
with no attempt at brushwork. Bernard Leach admired the brushwork
of the Moors and some of his decorative treatment is strongly reminis-
cent of the Moorish tradition - see A Potter's Book plate 21 - but in
contrast to Miss Wood he ignored the lustre.

Miss Wood's forms recalled ancient Egyptian glass and Islamic pottery.
Some of her smaller pieces took on jewel-like qualitics and could well
have been the precious scent bottles of some forgotten culture. Her
approach to throwing is slightly primitive and no doubt she would be the
first to admit lack of skill in this direction. In gencral she appeared to
be most successful in her miniscule pieces. The larger bowls with
applied figures showed some lack of Competence in the decorative ficld.
The tea service, while quite spectacular from the colour viewpoint, was
of dubious functional value with handles slumping into saucers and very
shallow cups.

Modern examples of lusterware are rare. The English potter Alan
Caiger-Smith, firing with wood, is one of the few who specialize in this
type of work. However, it is perhaps worthwhile to draw a parallel
between lusters and the crystalline glazes perfected by the Natzlers in
California. The concern, namely a pre-occupation with surface, is
essentially the same.

DISTRICT NEWS
The Kootenay School of Art has had its largest evening class enrolment
in its history. Twenty-five cager students regularly crowd the studio
Spaceevery week. For the first time a number of teenagers are
attending the evening classes.

Bob BOZAIK, a Nelsonite and a former K,5,A, student, is one of two
| Canadian Potters whose work was selected to tour the U.8.A. at the
A recent Syracuse show. He also received the best write-up in Craft

ee for a Canadian craftsman, It does hurt a little to find cut
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