After a lifetime of traveling from one end
of Canada to the other in my sales &
marketing work, it was a nice peaceful
change to retire to Nanoose Bay on Van-
couver Island. This change enabled me to
get back to my passion — pottery!

| had learned how to paint in oils and to
draw, but I found my ‘love’ im clay at
Vancouver Community College in the late
60s, | was fortunate to have Wayne Ngan
as my first pottery teacher. He imbued me
with a devotion and respect for clay and
the craft of making forms with clay. On
retirement, | was fortunate to get another
great teacher in the person of Algis Bubnys
of Nighthawk Pottery in Coombs, BC, Naot
only did Al help me get back my feel for
clay. but became my mentor by convinc-
ing me | could do most anything in pottery
by just working af it,

At the time I also started to go to any
pottery workshops near Parksville, | met
many people that I now consider close
friends. Al these workshops the conversu-
tion often tumed to the remarks, “Why is
it we only seem to mect al a workshop
every six months or so?" With this m
mind, | started phoning many of the work-
shop altendees to see if there was any
interest in meeting on amore regular basis.
The reaction was very positive and the
Arrowsmith Potters Guild was born, Qur
Guild is im its eighth year and growing. We
have progressed from working in an inter-
nally demolished CPR Railway Station to
agreat building with a functioning teach-
ing studio and a well patronized Pottery
Gallery.

Since starting back in clay I have met
many potters, both locally and intemation-
ally. I have taken workshops with John
Leach, Takeshi Yasuda, Micki
Schloessingk, Bruce Cochrane, Linda
Christianson, Svend Bayer and several of
our great BC potters. All these people have
given me & stronger commitment to mak-
ing pottery. My potlery associations in-
¢lude the Potters Guild of BC, the Crafts
Association of RC, Arrowsmith Potters
Guild, Comox Valley Potters Club, The
Potters Place in Courtenay and The Pyro-
mama Pottery Gallery in Coombs.

November/December 20005

Les Crimp
Studio Potter
My work is primarily wood-fired fume-
tional stoneware and specialty raku pot-
tery. Wood-firing is my passion, The whale
process from making the pottery pieces,
bisquing, decorating and glazing is great.

But the labour of Jove is lighting the fire in
afire chamber and stoking it until it reaches
the proper temperature. This may be work,
but the end results are worth it. The hardest
part of the whole process 1s waiting for the
kiln to cool, Then, the excitement of
unbricking the door is always there. It is
instant gratification to see all the beautiful
pots with their rich glazes and the wonder-
ful flashing where the flames have “kissed”
the pots. At this pomnt the work is forgotten
and remains totally worthwhile. My pot-
tery has given me great satisfaction. Why
didn’t I do it sooner!

Very recently, on July 1, a group of five of
us, all members of the Arrowsmith Potters
Guild, were invited by Algis Bubnys to
work with him in the formation of a small
co-op partnership in his retail store in
Coombs. The store is behind the Old Coun-
wy Market (the Goats on the Roof) which
is an all-year-round prime location. Our
new group of six has been named Pyroma-
nia Pottery Gallery and is working very
well, The members are Donna Rankin,
Linda Phillips, Trudy Menzel, Jane Murray
Smith, Algis Bubnys and me.

Les Crimp

See more of Les’ work at website
hit: www.arrowamilhpottersguild be.ca

Les Crimp Sushi Ser 2001 Plainsman $50clay,
wood-fired to cone 10. Blue set (foreground) is
an opal glase; brown set is gold Shano &
Tenmoku. 10.0cm x 10.0 om,

Powers Guild of British Columbia Newsletter

Les Crimp, Pitcher 2001 Plainsman 550
clay, wheel thrown, Stuno glaze, wood-fired
to cone 10, H, 21.0cm

increase your production
speed during busy
season |!!

stamp your own
designs on

clay

soft or hard
polymer

stamps

=,
= =F he
—+ et _

Purple Orange Arts
(604)6624148 fax (604)662.4104
wew.punleorangearts.com* t+. 27
A208-1288 W. Cordova St.
Vancouver BC VBC ao ales

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