Pretty pictures of the potters pottering about.

I meant to do this post back in January, but I got busy with all of the other things that January got full of. Two lovely photographers, Ester Bueno and our friend Adele Thomas both asked if they could come by while we were at the Kingsmill Shop and take pictures of us working. Ester is working on a project photographing all kinds of artists and artisans in their workspaces and Adele is doing a project called My 366 Project where she has challenged herself to post a picture a day for a year.
Here is Adele's picture of us, we were January 4th:

We met Adele and her partner Carlo Ricci through Keith's brother Carson who volunteered with them at Pisco Sin Fronteras in Peru. They both do wonderful photography and film. They made the video on the Pisco homepage. Carson thought we'd get along because we are all the kind of crazy that thinks living for months on the road in an intermittently reliable old orange VW is an excellent way to go travelling, and he was right! They did 50,000 kms from South America to Vancouver and documented it gorgeously on their sites as "The Long Way Up".

Ester Bueno came in over a couple of days and photographed both of us as we worked. It was a good way to get your picture taken, I thought. Just ignore the camera and keep working! It's interesting to see your process afterwards through someone else's eyes. I am so glad she caught that awesome trimming spiral and I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing her pictures of other artisans at work.

Keith working on a pierced vase form

 Keith attaching legs to a rocketship sugar jar.

Carole trimming a bowl.

Carole trimming a bowl.

We are at the Kingsmill Shop for a couple more days, until the 7th, please drop and say "hi" if you're down on Granville Island!

February Frenzy

February is usually pretty quiet, rainy, and contemplative. Not much happens saleswise and we bumble along slowly and start to contemplate which shows to apply for and to make production plans. This year looks like it's going to be a bit different. Granville Island where we work, teach, tech and sell, is one of the city's major Olympic "Celebration Sites" so things are promising to be quite lively. The False Creek Community Centre is almost completely given over to La Place de Francophonie, except for the weight room and pottery studio, so classes and studio time will continue, but I feel like I should polish up my barely remembered high school French a little.
"Bonjour," I will say, "bienvenue au l'atelier de poterie!"

We are at the Kingsmill shop this week, until the 7th, Keith will be working on some huge mixing bowls with spouts, cute little side-handled three-legged teapots and some of the new style of chopstick bowls, so do stop in and say "hi" and watch him at work if you are nearby!

I am fortunate to have been granted the February "emerging artist" spot at the Gallery of BC Ceramics this month. There is a veritable chorus line of cuddle cups on their front counter. It's very exciting to be in such good company! That is lovely gallery assistant Sarah, in the background.

Portobello West coming up soon!

Ware being glazed prior to glaze firing.

We are working like mad to get lots of stock ready for the holiday season! We are doing one holiday sale this year, namely Portobello West, which is a local art, craft and fashion show held in the spectacular Rocky Mountaineer train station. We will also be making sure there are lots of goodies on hand at Kingsmill Studio Pottery and The Gallery of BC Ceramics. As usual we will be at Kingsmill the first week of the month, so please drop in and say "hi".

Transporting green ware from Kingsmill to the Cartwright Studio in the back of the van.

Back at "The Mill".

Hi there, here's hoping you had a wild and wonderful Hallow'een!

I can't believe it's already November! And as it's the first week of the month, Keith and/or Carole will be in the Kingsmill Studio Pottery shop until the 7th. Shop hours are 10-5, please pop in and say "Hi" if you are down on Granville Island.

We are gearing up production for the holiday season, we will be stocking up at Kingsmill and the Gallery of BC Ceramics, and bringing a tasty selection of stylish pots to the Portobello West market on November 28th and 29th! (Oooh, that's coming up fast!!)

Our website is still under construction, but a lot further along. Check out the progress at poplarstudio.ca

The Net Loft on The Express

Johanna and Zach from Shaw Cable's program The Express, were down on Granville Island today doing a spotlight on the Net Loft Building. They did interviews at Edie's Hats, Little Dream, and The Kingsmill Studio! Keith threw bowls, and chatted with Johanna about the history of the shop and it's mandate of allowing the public to see artists at work. Carole acted as spotter for cameraman Zach to ensure that he didn't back over anything breakable in his quest for the perfect angle.
The segment will air on The Express, Shaw Cable, Channel 4 on Friday Sept 4 at 3pm, 6pm, and 10pm, and will repeat throughout the weekend and Monday.
We don't have a TV, so we'd love it if someone could record it for us!

Workin' at The Mill this week.

When I first started working on Granville Island, I worked at
Blackberry Books, I think I was maybe 19. I used to love going to
Bob Kingsmill's shop, watching him create his wonderful pieces, and chatting. When Keith and I started seeing each other, many years later, I commented I thought his work had a similar sensibility to Bob's and found that he was a fan too! It was such an honour to be asked to join the shop in 2004, and we feel so lucky to be a part of it.

The first week of the month is our week at the Kingsmill Studio Shop. The store is shared by four potters, Bob Kingsmill who has been on Granville Island since it began 30 years ago (!), Don Hutchinson, Darlene Nairne, and Keith. Each of them minds the shop and makes work there for one week of each month. Now that I am making some pieces I have them in Keith's space and I help out at the shop during his week.

We'll be at The Kingsmill Studio, 1620 Johnston St, from Sept 1-7, and the shop is open 10-5 every day-sometimes later. Please drop by and say "Hi!", watch some pots being made, and check out our newest work.

Carole.