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li s In

[ve been working with clay for 9 years,
since | first moved to Williams Lake and
took an evening course pur on by the
(ariboo Potters’ Guild.

| am a full-time employee of the provincial
government, and fit my pottery into spare
time, along with all my arher interests, [
have a amall resem in my basement which |
use as a studio, I have ashimpo and a
kickwhecl, a work table and a couple of
shelving units squeezed onto the space.
Usually, every surface is covered with stuff,
so [often go to the Guild's studie no work. |
have a raku kiln made from a garbage can
and a tiger torch, but to bisque or high-tire
my pots [ take them to the guild's scudio,
which has an electric and a gas kiln.

I make some pottery on the wheel, which |
fire in the Guild's gas kiln. 1 haven't really
spent the time te become very proficient on
the wheel, so mast of che work [ do is
handbuile. I specialize in oversize raku fruit
and vegetables, arranged in bowls. I also
make raku wall plagues and hand-buile
terra-corta plangers, again decorated on a
fruit amd vegetable theme. I also make raku
vases decorated with black and white
designs.

| ike raku firing fer all che usual reasons;
the action, che sponcancicy, and che glirry
glazes chat attract people's artention.

Basically, I'm in the position of selling my
work co supplement my hobby at this point.
I could probably sell more work if | made
more, but it seems there is so much in life oo
do, and never enough time. The Guild
holds cwo sales a year, ome in spring and
one in November, We also rent a booth ar
the Medieval Marker, the local Christmas
eraft fair. 1] also sell poes through the gift
shop of the local community art gallery,

The best part about working in this
eommuctizy is the Cariboo Potters’ Guild,
The members of the guild taught me
everything ] know, We have che wie of an
old portable where we keep electric wheels
and kick wheels, as well as an electric kiln.
We get together for potlucks and for raku
firings. Usually two ro three members fire
the guild's gas kiln together. Depending on

the weather and che results ic can be eicher
a cooperative celebrarion or a cooperative
ordeal. Lile che time we fired fer
twenty-four hours on a blustery day and
didn't reach temperature. People who move
away from Williams Lake commence on how
they miss che friendliness of the Guild, and
all the things we do together.

The Guild gives beginner classes twice a
year, and this provides new blood for che
group. Usually che beginners will join full of
enthusiasm after the course and then find
they don't have to the time co commic, bur
there's always a few new members who do
continue on. There's abou fifty members
in the Guild, wich abour cen eo fifteen hard-
core members. C4 these, only two or chree
are production potters,

The disadvantage of living in a small
cormmunnicy is chat if you want to ger
something done, you have to de it yourself.
There tends to be volunteer burnout, as
we're also being asked to volunceer for other
organizations in town. The marker is small,
especially for one of a kind pieces.
Somecimes it seems like the five people in
town who like your work bey a piece and
then you can't sell any more. On che other
hand, you're a big fish in a small sea here.
I've had my work in three or four shows at
the cown's art gallery, whereas | don't think
I'd have the opportunity in a city..

I'm mainly a member of che Pornera Guild af
BC to support the guild, and to get my
newsletter, 0] can see what's going on and
feel like a member of a larger community of
artists. I don't get to Vancouver often
enough to take advantage of the guild’s
services. The last time | visired the gallery
was four years ago and I've never attended a
guild workshop. I don't produce enough
work to worry about selling anything
through the gallery or the guild's annual
sale. What the guild could do for us in
Wiliams Lake is provide a list of porters
who would be interested in giving
workshops in our community. The demise
of che Emily Carr Qutreach program has left
a big gap here.

Comedia replied wo a Lost minute plea for a
article, despae having just returned from a trip.
Her helpful generousicy surely refleces the spirit
of her clay community. Thanks, Comelia.

Karen.

Cornelia Haeussler

Hagi Ware Ceramic Event

Hagi Ware, a type of ash-glazed stoneware,
was, like many other wares in western
Japan, made by potters taken from Korea
during the Japanese invasions of the
peninsula in the 1590's. Toyoromi
Hideyoshi, who united Japan during the
Warring States Period, made two
expeditions to Korea and rerurmed to |apan
with a number of Korean potters who made
Korean style tea wares in Karatsu, Kyush
and in Hast (Yamaguchi Prefecture}.
Originally peasanes’ pormery, Hagn Ware was
much admired by Sen Rikyu, the founder of
the complete art ef che tea ceremony
(chanoyw), as exemplifying the “wali”
aesthetic of virtuous simplicicy, and came to
be prized throughout Japan, especially
among tea people,

In this Korean tradition, the decoracion
relies on the simplest of effects —perhaps
just a casval and irregular application of ash
glaze over a coarse reddish-brown clay body,
The glaze is composed of organic matrer
such ss the ash of rice straw, bark and
bamboo. The ash, which is high in silica, is
mixed with water, before being applied to
the pot. This is an applied or incentional
ash glaze, as opposed to a natural, or
accidental, deposit of ash as a result of firing
in a wood-burning kiln.

The Urasenke Foundation, Seactle branch is
hosting an exhibition, slide lecture and sale
of work featuring the work of five Hagi
Ware artis, Ohne Takaharu, Sakara Keizo,
Shinjo Sukeemon XIV, Sakakura Shinbei
XV and Tahara Tobei XIII. This will take
place from November 21 co November 23 at
Searle Art Museurn.

Using the Hagi tradition as a point of
inspiration, the five artists presented in
Seattle extend che tradition to give a shape
to their own individual and sculpeural
expressions. All are members of mulei-
generational porting families, highly
established, and che recipients of many
honors and prizes, Deeply rooted in the
Eorean tradition, the work nevertheless
represents a departure from tradition.

To attend Tahoe Toties slide lecture aud

subsequent chanoys tea gathering, call Bonnie
Mitchell at 206 / 324 - 1483. Editor.