TRIALS OF FIRING coniinmea ina mage | ene 4 diferent, That first firing was hurd and dirty, bring and most of all frustrating. We achieved come 10 peadily in the degre and ihe first chamber was goed bur it would mol muvee upin Lhe Sain. Yuko Yamumet our KL master and mentor was very calm and stued that it will come, just relax ond it wrll flow. Years of working with these Sailns had tempered his attitude: these bi Silns de need a lot of patience. | was so used io loading anediy, inne the nextalay and opening a couple of days later, On average iLlakes us atleast bwodays to hod wilh 20 people and live io seven davs lo firtund a whele unforgiving week tocod, two Weeks Of antlicipation dying i look - pust a lithe peek. Oh the agony! Well it has been veurs now and mun finings later. We haveall become old bonds at this now. We ao longer run around asking if it's ght, fs there enough flow? We now jwetdoltus second nature. [t has al] become very foutine. Every six months oF 50 we see euch other and reminisce about the lost fining and what we have learned from it, even joke about the disas- ters and pruse the trae gems thal come along. We go about setting the shelves and miuking the wadding for our pots while we stand and laugh about what happened tc John's pois when they fell over but boy wasn't that greenone beautiful. You know [ think that is the port in all of this. You lose a few and ves sometimes you do wish it went a dilferent wav but that would be boring, What makes the truly beautiful pots all the more warthy of prise 1s 1G be subpected to all the tridds and emerge truly wonderful; not that they look OR bat re- ally wonderful. You know tt is all because vou worked so hard. Lam so proud ta be a partial this last finiag, We were down in people und pots becuse af the time of year but the spirit of those there could not be matched. Shorthanded and overworked is how some people go beyond their limits for the god of the pats, These who worked the hardest seemed to have the least to gain: some had 90 pots at all, bul on they worked almost as if the picees inside where all of their own mak- ing. The kiln rose well in the first few days and achieved a beautiful come 10. [In the Jiniary 204} dow the first chamber had risen nicely to une 7 und the aceond wire well ot sts Wis Sut ih refused to go on, Unlike the years belore munnming wound lost for answers, We decked to divine what was got on patiently proceeding with stokes and Watching the condition af the picees in- tide. Tt tmned aut im be a problem with a mew bu wall comiguration in vhamber iirc und it was bulfliag too much. We cleared some breks woth a steel bar amd son the temperature braun te rise. We fired sex days in total and finished the Last day al 70am, We were tired and spent. We went to bed amd dreamt of pets all agli, On opening day, we observed a minute of glence in memory of Yuloo Yamamow who passed away lastsummer. We thanked him for his guidance and his wisdom in helpane us understand whut il was we had in this kaln. Over the vears Yukio stated that vie iin isa teaciiing kiln vet only aa fhe weaves of fring bur in the wares of fevered. ity and patience fe accep! the failures and TOZAN tehenmnbrace the wickiies ey fly ivaa ceerenninin renny cand HE Tere at essed ofits erence Omer jen Ly fo ected 108 Sheape es dots cared Wve AD sein a Lvl, | wr very prom to Oe a part at Chas kiln’s Instory. | have many icasurcd items | will never purt with because of iL [am sad- dened thal others have wot found the same joe in learning what it really takes to fire this kind of kiln. The fmends and knuvwi- cule passed on by this cxpenence ts incal- elable. [would net eve thal up even it meant that! never 2otanother pot through gaan. This Last fining Wis specticular and the pieces are ercal, mice Cushing, seed colour and a few surprises and of course the requisite disasters. Ailin ull, [ have w sav 1 Was a great fring. The one and only constiunt that the Towsan seems bo be wble to achieve is that feeling [ get every time itis al) over. | can't wait until aext time, Aevin Wright's studio is Braemar Pottery < braemarpoltery @ home con > TRAVEL MEXICO CLAY WORKSHOPS with Denys James OAXACA January LS - February 6, 2001 workshop/exeursion language/art Also construction and woodfiring of an adobe battle dain, ancient pottery village visitations. Hamestay with Mexican fam- ily. Fee $1795 - 1995 Cdn. Includes airfare from Vancouver, accommedation, tuition, mattenals. Deposat $100 Can, BARRA DE POTOSI February 13 - 26, 7001 workshop/clay meditation’ massage/ yoga Denys James: awareness and meditaien; Valene Hamill: massage and accupressure: Celeste Mallette: yoga. Also available are boat excursions, horseback nding. ocean sports, etc, Pee $1950 Cen, Includes airfare from Vancouver, ooeant rontaccommoda- von, 2 massages, daily yoga, clay medita- tion expenences. Deposit $100 Cdn Potters Guild of British Columbia Denys James 182 Welbury Drive, Saltspring Island, BC VR&K 2L8 phone or fax 254),537,4906 email Website Go1ysjamesmexico. homepage.com ad i