pare 2

Echicor's Nowe

***This morning | awake from a sleep
replere with dreams abour spinning clay.
‘This is mo surprise, as [ atrended the
BCPO's social mixer, “How Do They Do
Thar?* at Capilano College last night. [
want co Chank Ronda Green for organizing
the event. | learmed something at every
demonstration point, | had the chance to

see people | hads't seen for a long time and

I caught up on all sorts of juicy gossip. So,
thank you! Ronda has asked me to thank
Capilano College instructor Sam Kwan for
facilitating the use of the studio there, and
these of his students who helped make the
evening go well and broughr baked treats.
And, of course, thank yous to che
demonstrators, Cathi Jefferson, Ron Vallis,
Darrel Hanceck, Julia Maika, and Gillian
McMillan.

It was a bit like Techno tips redux. | made

my way around the room with some
difficulty, for | am rather rotund and the
room was very crowded. ] do a loc of work

in majolica and se, when [ stopped ar Julia's

spot, I was pleased to pick up a new trick.
To get her bright, egg-yolk yellow and a
very solid black, she uses commercial

underglazes on top of the majelica. The

clay in the underglaze gives a nice, sotr feel
to those colours. And these of you who are

frustrated by che tendency of your frit and
stain mixtures $9 turn into concrete blocks
may find some relief by adding a bit of

liquid laundry starch to the mixture.

[ mowed on to Gillian’s cable and warched
her deftly apely slip to the plates she
makes by pressing slubs into thrown,
bisqued, open-bottomed molds. She
leaves the plates in the mold form, so that
when slip is applied to them (on the dry
side of leather-hard), che resulting
reabsorption of water won't make them
sag out of shape. Her slip-work has a
depth and subtlery not always associated

with low-fire,

The crowd gathered around Darrel’s sire
were oohing over his fluid yet meticulous
brush strokes. He applies oxides no
bisqued percelain, using a pin tool co
scratch a dazzling, white line that adds
another dimension to the imagery. The
pots receive a clear glaze and are
reduction fired. His collection of brushes

was almost as impressive as his skill.

Ron Vallis’ juice sweeter was made in
two parts. He threw the collecting ring
on the wheel, left abour a nwo inch whole
in the center and chen carefully formed
the spout, thinning the rim to the wall
thickness before using his finger to stretch
the spout out. The ridged part of the
juicer is made in a plaster mold which
attached to a bar thar had owe pieces of
doweling that slotted into holes in the
mold's base. A lump of clay was pressed
in, the wheel spun, a finger was inserted

into the clay, which was turned as chinly
as posdible. When this form has set up a
bie, it is taken out and attached to the
main body of the juicer. A secret of che
seventies revealed!

I'd like to cell you whar Cachi Jefferson
was up co, but che crowds around her
wheel were so big duting the entire ewo
hours of the event that | wasn't able to
see much. | did catch a glimpse of her
making a mug, which she throws very
thing from top to bottom and then
squares off on the wheel head. She wed a
toal on the inside to delineate the comers
and then she gently paddled the sides to
get the square shape. She pulls her
handles, runs a finger on either side to get
that ridge in the middle, and presses the
handle of her fettling knife into che
handle’s point of attachment to get a
nice, tolled surface, Next time, I'm going
to be either a) earlier co arrive or 6) much
pushier!

This is a very brief overview, and any
errors in recounting are mine. Ronda
wants to hold another “How Do They Do
That” in the Fall, and asks that you call
her at 921 - 9888 with suggestions for
people you'd like to see at work.
Donations at the door were generous and
more than covered the expenses of che
evening - a good start for the next time.

Karen Opas

: Potter’s Guild of B.C. Newsletter Website: www.margaretdesign.com/pguild/

» The Newsletter is published 10 times yearly as an information link for members. Submissions of articles, letters and
® anything else of interest are happily received and should be submitted by the 2nd Wednesday of any month. Unclassifieds and

: articles may be edited for space needs. The fax number is 604/669 - 9627.

“ Editor: Karen pas General Manager: Jane Matthews Editorial Board: Rosemary Amon, Heather Cairrs, Gillian McMillan, Frank Turco
® Gallery Assistants: Julia Maika, Christina Loch, Monica Brisson-Arce, Sandra Ferguson, Sandra Ramos, Rebecca Robbins
a

s 1997 Membership Fees (Based on Calendar Year):

= Individual: $40

* Seniors/Full time Srudents: $25

st Inscicurions/ Groups / Corporanions: $80
« Family or Studio (max. 4 persons): $55

® Board of Directors: President: Ron Vallis; Treasurer: Jamet Turpin; Secretary: Gillian McMillan; Directors: Ron Feicht, Ronda
fe Green, Dona Nabata, Aaron Nelson, Bell Rennie, Celia Rice-Jones, Debra Sloan, Laura van der Linde, Frank Turco,

ISSN #: 6319 812X

L/4 Page: $40

Unclassified Rates {not including GST)
Members: FREE
Nonmembers: 3 fines $8 each additional line: $2

Email; bepguild@intouch.be.ca

Seeenpeepepepepeupeepaeaepeepepeueaweaeepeeeepeueameampeeueueeseeepeepeeeaeeepeueaeaepeperpaepeupeueaeepeeeepeeeuenreaeee

Advertising Rates (not including GST):
Full Page: $130

1/2 page: $65
Business Card Size $25