From Lund to Bali By Jan Lovewell Last March, my husband Ron and I took a five-week trip to Bali. We were based near Ubud, a cultural centre for the island. We stayed next door to our daughter and her husband, who were on sabbatical, and their three daughters, who were enrolled at the Green School. They had left their home in Yellowknife (-30°C) and a few days later found themselves in 80 plus percent humidity and 30°C heat. The contrast for Ronand me was less dramatic travelling from Lund on the Upper Sunshine Coast, then atabout 0°C. We did not expect to find much pottery being made on Bali. The traditional pottery we had heard about is made on the neighboring islands of Lombok or Java. We found reference to a few potteries in Bali, but they had been started by Australian or other international potters. So we were surprised to find that our inn was just a five-minute walk from Gaya Ceramics, which houses the only functioning high- fired wood kiln in Indonesia. And not only that: Art Studio Director Hillary Kane and potter-in-residence Brian Kakas were preparing to fire during our visit. In addition to the art studio, Gaya Ceramics produces custom work for hotels and wholesale, employing about 40 people. They produce raku and gas-fired pottery, including some beautiful blood-red copper- glazed pieces. We stopped by one Thursday morning, and ended up staying for the weekly drop-in pottery lessons followed by open studio in the afternoon. ‘The art studio is the upper floor of a beautiful bamboo building, open on all sides with a pleasant breeze keeping us comfortable. Brian Kakas demonstrated assembling his enormous thrown-and-coiled vessels. Afterward, Ron, who has been hand-building for 20 years, had his first throwing lesson from Hillary while I threw a few cups to add to the firing. The familiar company of potters and working with clay were very relaxing and enjoyable. ‘The following Sunday, Hillary and Brian began loading the kiln, and firing began at 6 p.m. on Monday. The small anagama has a main Brian Kakas' sculpture. Hillary feeds the fire. chamber in front and a smaller salt/soda chamber behind. Behind the firing chambers there is a small oven, which baked some of the best sourdough bread I’ve ever tasted (wood-firers take note!) Firing at 30°C and 80 percent humidity is like exercising in a sauna, fully dressed, with soot. Small pieces of coffee, jackfruic, mango, coconut, mahogany, and lychee woods were the fuel. The emergence of a scorpion from the woodpile added to the excitement. Ron and I passed a few pieces of wood, but mainly offered snacks and encouragement over the next few days. We were delighted to enjoy the conversations, stories and congenial atmosphere of wood-firing half- way around the world. Hillary and Brian each took 12-hour shifts. They fed the kiln continuously through an open hearth at the front, and added larger wood periodically through a higher door. Side stoking was done mid-way into the first and second chambers. The firing was finally completed three days later, on Thursday. After the weekend, the kiln was opened. Outside the kiln stood a large drum full of ash, something I’m not used to seeing with our train kiln. Some of the pieces, including mine, turned out rather dry, but Kakas’ sculptures were beautiful. In fact, he said this might have been the best result he'd ever had for his sculptures. Ron and I also visited our granddaughter’s Grade 3 art class at the Green School, an international school for environmental education, with a strong component of Balinese culture. Ava’s art teacher, Pak Susiawan, promptly invited us to teach a two-hour pottery class. I was so enthralled with the mans humourous, kindly demeanor and the quality of his teaching that I immediately agreed on behalf of both of us, even though the idea of teaching terrifies me. Fortunately Ron enjoys it. We came up with a plan, which was to have each child pinch a little bowl and then make something from it. When the day arrived, I calmed myself by making a bowl while Ron talked. The children listened! They were fascinated by what I was doing! They worked away on their projects, which occupied the whole period. We had a ski hill, Continued on Page 5, Just a small pottery RITISH COLUMBIA a Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - September 2011 4