page 4 The BC Potters Bed & k¢f. rk Lase year we had a 3 monch trip to New Zealand and Japan focused on pass. Overall we averaged about 80% of our days with pot connections. In Japan it was virtually everyday - it was summer in New Zealand and there were chese beaches... Like most posters we're not able to travel 5 star and without “Lonely Planet", people we knew and Youth Hostels our 6 weeks in Japan would have been impossible, New Zealand on the other hand was facilitaced by the loan of a WW van which allowed us to travel from beach co beach like a couple of aging hippies! We camped, but could also have used the excellent network of Backpacker Hosrels. What we did use in New Zealand was the “Studio Potter Bed & Breakfast Network" and ic was a fabulous way of combining pots and people. [+’s run by Boh Compcron, a Vermone potter, through the “Studio Potter” Magazine (the Guild gets a copy, available to members for $5 each). [c cose $5 to join and get the latest list which is primarily all over the Seares bur includes Canada, Europe and Down-under. It's based on the “what goes around comes around” principle and no money changes hands though you might like to give a gift (poe?) - as long as it doesn't get out of hand. We just phoned up and arranged a visit, “Hello, we understand you're on the Studio Potter's Bed & Breakfast Network - so are we and we're visiting from Canada. Could we crash?” We had 3 widely varied and enotmously interesting experiences, Steve Fulmer was a past Fletcher Challenge Award winner and worked at Earthenware, reflective of his southwest States heritage. We joined a dinner party with another potter couple and the (rather large) cask of wine we had on board made a good contribution to a great evening. Lindsey Baines in Taihape also worked in Earthenware but was very much a hobbyist. He and his wife actually ran their place as a bed & breakfast bur didn't have anyone else when we called. In Wanganui we stayed with Ross Mischel- Anyon whose pots we had admired in a Wellington Gallery. His real hippie background (and 1 don’t mean this in any sort of derogatory way) was reflected in his rambling house and studio on the edge of the Wanganui River, and his laid-back manner. Ross teaches at the college where they'd had major workshop visits from the likes of Svend Bayer and Byron Temple whe both stayed with Ross and fired in his 40 cu. fe. wood/sale kiln. Now, how about the BC Porter's Bed & Breakfase Network? Originally the idea was to develop a billeting list in che Lower Mainland to facilitate out of town members who want to attend workshops and other guild funccions. The logical extension of this is to base our BC directory also on the “what goes around comes around” principle and co have it work both ways to encourage all sorts of connections outside specific formal arrangements for evencs like Made Of Clay or Toran firings. Accommodation doesn’t have to be formal or fancy (a deseripeion not applicable to most potters!). Mast people are just grateful for a place co crash and co visit and talk pots is a bonus. The idea would be that you could phone up anyone else on the list and ask to stay. This would generally be an overnight or maybe up to 2 nights stay. No money would be involved and it would be optional eo include any other meals, As a visitor you might like to arrive with a small gift, but again chat would be optional. If you call us to stay in Burnaby, we might call you in Vernon, or someone else when we're on our way through McKenzie ... You must be a host in order to be a Guest Potter. Send in your information like the example along with a $2 registration to cover printing costs and mailing of a directory to Keith Rice-Jones c/o Potrers Guild of BC. Put yourself and the Guild on the map! If you are also interested in joining the Studio Potter's B&B Network, send $5 to Bob Compton, RD 3, Box 3600, Bristol, Vermont 05443 USA. Telephone: (802) 453-3778. Keith Rice-Jones Example Listing: Keith & Celia Rice-jones 8072 Lieh Avenue Burnaby, BC V3N 2N7 (604) 522-8803 Urban family of 2 - Kids OF, Pets MAYBE, Smoking NO, Have a guest room. 2 double & 1 single. Overnight or longer for workshop, esc. Full-time potters, studio om site. Gas fired stoneware & porcelain - domestic and sculptural. Personal - books, music, the garden & outdoors. Example from the Studio Potter B&D Network: Mr. John Calver 23 Silverdale Road Yealand, Redmayne Carnford, Lancashire, Great Britain LAS STA 0524 781362 Craft Potters Association Village - Family of 3 - Kids OK, Pets NO Smoking NO Will host 2 for overnighc. Full time potter, studio at home doing functional stoneware reduction fired using a variety of decorative techniques Personal - Hill Walking Ongoing Fundraising Needed! “Too Good For the Shard Pile Sale” The board of directors has decided that this fundraising event should be ongoing. Donations of ‘seconds’ (items that you can't quite throw away but don't wish to sell either!) are welcome al any time. Every ewo or three monchs, when enough items have been collected, the sale will be set up outside the Gallery of BC Ceramics on Granville Island. Next Newsletter Deadline: Wednesday, December 16.