Ginger and Jane on CTV's Regional Contact

One of the places I sell my pots is a new shop called Hintonburg Pottery, one block west of Parkdale Market.  Ginger opened the doors in June and has discovered a community of pottery lovers in Hintonburg.  One of those customers suggested that CTV's Regional Contact show should visit and do a segment.  So they did.  The result was aired last night.  And despite the fact that it was shot on a cold, rainy day, the 2 or 3 minutes they pulled together manages to convey the warmth of the shop very nicely.  You can see it by clicking on this link:

http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.1005745

New Show "fireGifts" this week-end

fireGifts is a new show debuting this week-end at the centrally located RA Centre in Ottawa.  All pottery and glass!  I've been busy making pots in preparation for what I hope will be a busy holiday season.  There will be lots to choose from, as this is one of the first shows of the season.  After many years of thinking about it, I finally made some Christmas ornaments this year.  Here is a sampling:

Country Harvest Pottery Show and Sale

My display inside the greenhouse.

I've just set up my display in the greenhouse at Marlin Orchards for the annual Thanksgiving week-end Country Harvest Pottery Show and Sale.  There is an awesome variety of pottery, functional and sculptural, made by 20 or so potters from eastern Ontario and the Montreal area.

Marlin Orchards is in Summerstown, east of Cornwall on Hwy. #2, overlooking the St. Lawrence River.  You can find more info on their website www.marlinorchards.com  I believe the show is open from 10 a.m. til 5 p.m. each day, Saturday through Monday.  There will be pottery demonstrations throughout.

While the greenhouses have been emptied of plants, the store is full of apples, pumpkins, mums, tulip bulbs, and much much more.  Well worth a visit!

Pottery at Kazuri Beads in Kenya

Pottery made at Kazuri Beads is for a local market.  Beaded jewellery, on the other hand, is sold worldwide, including through fair trade networks.

After the clay is mixed, it is filter pressed (above) and then extruded through a pug mill.

Some pots are slipcast in plaster molds.

Some pots are formed by jigger jolly.

Glazing the pottery.

Some pots are made on Brent wheels (like mine!)

Kazuri Beads in Kenya

We spent some time in Kenya this summer visiting folks we used to work with.  One place we visited, Kazuri Beads, has expanded to employ 350 people making glazed clay beaded jewellery and pottery.  Thought I'd include a few of the many photos we took there.

Clay beads drying in the sun.

She's made 900 beads per day for 30 years!

One of hundreds of jars of glazed beads ready for stringing.

women stringing beads