Fall Fire ( last year ) Fantastic!
Click here for this year's flyer!
Click here to register for this year
Forty-five enthusiastic potters were treated to a wonderful weekend right after Labour Day.
The experience, engineered by Carol Badenoch, started off in the Anchor Lounge of the Morrisburg Training Centre, where we had a chance to meet (newbies like your reporter) and greet (those who knew each other already!) over a glass of Ontario wine and snacks. Soon after happy hour we were treated to slideshows from each of the weekend's star performers, Anne Chambers, Eric Serritella and Tim Storey.
 |
Each potter was so different in approach that the audience could hardly wait for Saturday morning. In a freeform open workshop format where you could come and go or stay in one place all day, we watched Anne Chambers throw and assemble a wonderful salt and pepper set (among other things) accompanied by great tips and, of course, stories.
(To view a complete slide show of the event, click here) |
 |
Tim Storey set up a portable studio among the heavy machinery (the Centre is used to train on construction vehicles) and showed us how to build teapots in the form of marvellous creatures complete with feathers and scales. While brandishing numerous homemade tools, he regaled us with tales of demolished studios on the 270-acre property he calls home. |
 |
Eric Serritella, all the way from Ithaca, N.Y., demonstrated Japanese tea bowls, throwing off the hump, and describing how he has been inspired by Buddhist wabi-sabi thought, dating from his trip to Taiwan. He brought his demonstration to a close by throwing a tiny teapot in about 5 minutes! |
Saturday evening brought several events: a potters' flea market side by side with Pottery Supply House, a mug exchange and an excellent banquet. Many of us retired early to recuperate after the busy day, but rumour has it that some continued to banquet into the wee hours. Sunday was raku day. The rain came and went as did we, for the area set aside for the raku events is a huge garage (more heavy equipment as you may have guessed) about 100 metres from the main building. Collette Beardall had brought her raku kilns and along with Eric set them up so that we were firing them alternately, with teams of six, armed with tongs, removing hot pieces and delivering them to other teams who completed the raku process. Observers stood by and shouted encouragement.
Meanwhile, in the same garage, Anne set up a station where she demonstrated glaze spraying and gave everyone(who had a bisque piece on hand) a chance to try it out. The garage was a busy place.
Around 4 we assembled back in the Centre and the pieces made during the demonstrations were raffled off with much noise. Carol thanked our three guests profusely and we, of course, thanked Carol, for without her vision and organization the workshop would not have been possible. Did I mention the volunteer jobs? Carol made us each pick a couple of jobs during the weekend. So as everyone was packing to leave several potters were seen assiduously cleaning up each of the venues. As for me, I got the job of reporting all of this-I hope you got a glimpse of what a great weekend we had!
Wendy Lowe
Events:
PO Box 4053
St. "E" Ottawa
Ontario, K1S 5B1
Canada
613-230-2446
Contact: guildwebmaster(at)
ottawaguildofpotters(dot)ca
Design by Phil Jones
All content © 2010
the Ottawa Guild of Potters
unless stated otherwise.