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eartharts/ tozan

updated thu 11 dec 97

 

L.Louise Lashambe on wed 10 dec 97

Hi Everyone:
It's me again. About EarthArts. We are a group of seven potters who have
come together in a studio above a wine store. The wine is made on premis.
The customers bottle, cork and label their own wine. As it happens, when my
business partner and I discovered the location for the store, we were
pleased to discover the building came with an old apartment above it. Well
it didn't take too long to decide what this space would be best used for.
For all you American clay people, wine making is very popular in some parts
of Canada because we pay a HUGE mark-up for the red (or white stuff).
Anyways, I selected a few potters from a list of a potters group. We painted
the place, had our first sale and have not looked back since. Carol Stanton
(one of my mentors) and myself work in the studio. The remainder of the
group work in their own studios. Boy this is getting looong! Carol and I
attended the Anagama women's workshop with Linda Chrisitianson this last
August. I must say Linda is a wonderful, kind, dedicated, warm, caring, and
likes "little hobbies". She is very knowledgeable about wood firings and
the firing was very successful. We learned a great deal that week. As it
turns out Carol and I discovered that the Tozan Cultural Society was short
on funds, so we ,at EarthArts, had a silent auction with each potter
donating a piece for the auction. Well, we had Ping-Kwong Wong (our chinese
master potter member) and all around wonderful person, create a story board
to explain exactly how a wood firing works. I had taken six rolls of film
(photography being another interest of mine) during the firing and Ping
assembled them to tell the story. We raised two hundred dollars, informed
the public about wood firings and feel pretty good about ourselves. I'm
trying to squeeze a bit more from the potters after they cash their BIG
cheques from the sale. I hope to send the Tozan Cultural Society as much as
we can give.
So now you know more about me and my clay buddies.
I wish you well. Have you taken the time to have tea with your cat or dog today?
Louise
lashambe@lynx.bc.ca