Our latest workshop, held April 23-26, with Frances Hatfield
as instructor, was over-subscribed member-wise. It was on
local clays and slip glazes. To give an example of the en-
thusiasm, two potters came from Canim Lake 90 miles away,
driving here and back each day. Another came from Bella
Coola, 300 miles west on a gravel road - have you ever driven
three hundred miles on a gravel road during break-up? With
such eager interest, and Frances as instructor, needless to
say we had an extraordinarily good workshop.

We are fortunate in this area in having easy access to many
good clay seams. In fact the abundance and variety of good
clays is more apt to confuse inexperienced potters than to
delight them. With Frances' help we found that the clays from
the southern area of the Cariboo - Williams Lake, Kleena Kleen,
Alexis Creek, Soda Creek - were all about Cone 2 earthenware
firing from a beautiful red to a rich mahogany color. The clay
from the Quesnel area was much more plastic, firing a light
buff and from cone 4 to cone 8. Frances helped each potter
work out a mixture of his favourite local clay with a percen-
tage of Quesnel clay so that a richly coloured cone 4 clay
was attained.

Next, under her guidance, we developed clay slips made of the
cone 2 local clays to be used on the higher-firing bodies.
Some beautiful effects were obtained, mixing local hardwood
ashes, local clay and, in some cases, local metal ores.

The day after Frances left, no less than seven out of the 15
members who took the workshop, drove the 80 miles to Quesnel
to load up with Quesnel clay. We're "all fired up" to say the
least. Thanks, Frances, for an enjoyable, informative workshop.

Our next project is an “Open Air Pottery Market". Williams
Lake's Centennial project is an open air amphitheatre in the
newly opened "Boltanio Park" in the middle of town. The first
event falls to the lot of the potters. We are planning an old-
fashioned "market" where the potters go in at 10 a.m. with
their wares, set up their stalls - much Like the old farmer's
market - and sell their pots. We plan to dress in bright peas-
ant garb, perhaps have a wheel or two in operation, some
beach umbrellas, and hope the sun will shine that day. When
we are sold out we will pack up and go home.

4.