Vancouver, B.C. W6H IRT (G04) 683-9623 Potters Guild of British Columbia 1389 Cartwright St., Granville Island NEWSLETTER APRIL 1989 ISSN 6319 812xX NOTES FROM VANCOUVER ISLAND There I was, in Port Alberni, to give a weekend work- shop for the Emily Carr College. | arrived to discover everything in place. I was shown a room in the basement of the local college campus to show slides; I found my motel complete with bed and shower for $40 a night; looked up the pottery room at the Echo Community Centre, noted the row of Estrin wheels, and discovered that 13 people had signed up. Every- thing was there, it was nearly perfect. The only thing that appeared to be missing was some clay. It was like arriving fora plano recital to learn that the only piano in town had been used the night before by the music teacher to commit suicide! So, no clay, no problem. I could sit at the wheel for 2 days throwing invisible pots. If 1 talked fast enough and moved my hands about with some vigour, they might not notice there was no clay on the wheelhead. Perhaps I would be really fortunate and all the stu- dents would be in a state of male or female menopause and thus be so distracted by their own confusion that they wouldn't remember the weekend - clay or no clay! Trimming and finishing pleces would demand some clever elocution and dance-like movements. No prab- lem. However, of course, I choked and panicked. And was lucky, Friends over at the Heritage Pottery in Parksville had some clay | could get. It would mean a short drive late Friday night or early Saturday from Port Alberm! to their studio. This was my insurance and now I could relax......... When I'm away from Vancouver I try to visit the local second-hand stores, hoping to find an old Ebring piece or maybe a Byron Johnstad Lanteville piece for sale. Many of the stores I've been in are fine; others have more activity and life in the floor coverings than they do in the sales staff. But you goto them anyway. because you've got to relax. [walked into the third shop, It felt fine. The owner was close to inflicting serious damage to her computerized cash register, Two native guys were chuckling as they starched for used machine tools,and some guy with a Surrey Auction Mart baseball cap blissfully looked over things others had long since lost interest in, It was there that | scored, for on the back shelves was a lO" by 16" rectangular tray that I wanted, and it was only $15.00. It was a 1967 David Lambert plece. So there went the dinner money. Isn't it Interesting how, in moments of perceived panic, old friends can intervene? David wandered about touching people, helping them and supporting the idea of making clay objects. He was like a shadow, a shadow with a twinkle in his eye. I'm writing this prior to the workshop—no longer concemed about clay and ready to carry on. Now there is anew concern. David wrote on the bottom of his tray, “The Great Grizzly Bear before his terrible battle with Mother Beaver”. What in the world does that mean? Bob Kingsmill GUILD NEWS Vancouver Community College, Langara Campus is holding its Fine Arts Awards presentation on April 6th an campus, Jean Fahrni will represent the Guild, making presentations of the David Lambert Incentive Award for first year students to this year’s winner, Andrea Gagel, and of the Olea Davis Memorial Award to Stephen Hanson, a second year student at the College. Thanks to Jean, and congratulations to Andrea and Stephen. Since January, we have been in touch with the Japanese Consulate in Vancouver who approached us with a proposal we could hardly refuse! The Consulate celebrates its one hundredth year in Vancouver officially in June, and in so doing, has invited a number of distinguished guests from Japan to take part in the festivities, More information, in fact [haope a lot of information.will be available in the May issue, but for the meantime, you should know that Yu Fujiwara, the Bizen master, and son of Kei Fujiwara, will be visiting. With the support of Emily CarrCollege and the Potters’ Guild, he will give a public demonstra- tion of his craft in the ECCAD Concourse Gallery on June Ith, 2-4 pm, and a workshop on Bizen throwing techniques on June l2th and 13th , 9:30 am - 4 pm, Inthe ROCAD Ceramic Department. I hope you will mark the dates on your calendar now towards taking part in this early summer celebration.