Pottery In Australia Vol 38 No 3 September 1999
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Hot to Pot<br />
A Summer School experience with Jane Crick at Pender Lea, Jindabyne.<br />
Article by SHELAGH GOWEN<br />
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an inexperienced potter (or should I say an<br />
nexperienced person who pots occassionally), the<br />
itle of Jane's course intrigued, not only my<br />
husband but myself. We were both keen to extend our<br />
knowledge, and a practical workshop specialising in<br />
primitive firing, with lots of 'hands on' was just what we<br />
were looking for.<br />
Jan'e natural approach to her own work is to use<br />
traditional handbuilding techniques of pinching, coiling<br />
and slab work. (although her finished, slab built, non<br />
functional white forms cannot be called primitive, but<br />
refined and elegant).<br />
Jane had the unenviable task of delivering, to a very mixed<br />
bag (in age, background and experience), enough<br />
information and technical expertise, to enable each of us to<br />
create, dry, burnish, have bisqued, glaze and fire pots using<br />
both raku and sawdust methods. All in the space of five days!<br />
The venue was tremendous, a chalet at Pender Lea<br />
where we talked, shared ideas, and were provided with<br />
excellent sustenance for both mind and body. <strong>In</strong>spiration<br />
came from videos, journals and books but also from<br />
within ourselves and from our surroundings.<br />
The nine of us produced various shapes, using all<br />
methods shown to us, from pinch pots to slab and coil<br />
work. There were the adventurous and the cautious, the<br />
large and the small. Organic forms , naturalistic and<br />
identifiable or functional, like Susie's garden light.<br />
The weather turned against us on the second and third<br />
day and made drying difficult. But, I soon found out why<br />
'hairdryer' was on the list of things to bring! <strong>In</strong><br />
conjunction with a plastic bag, it made a very effective<br />
drying capsule.<br />
Jane introduced us to at least one new skill, and most<br />
of us to many more, so the only questions that beg being<br />
asked are when is the next 'Hot to Pot' workshop and<br />
what do I do with a haird1yer in Queensland. oo<br />
Next Workshop: February 2000. Contact Jane Crick: 02 6281 2594<br />
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Left<br />
Loading the kiln.<br />
Above<br />
Lifting pots from the kiln.<br />
<strong>38</strong>/3 SEPTEMBER <strong>1999</strong> + POTTERY IN A USTRALIA 71
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