The Cactus Lounge Flame Throwers
This band
of desperados started out as the Hamilton Potters Guild Mentorship group in
Sept 2014. It whittled down to a small pack of buzzards totaling 6 plus the
grand daddy of the buzzards little ole me.
Actually
come to think of it I am probably the grand daddy potter in Ontario that has been
firing with wood the longest. I have been at it now 40 years. Long before it seemed to become vogue. I’ve built fast
fires, Phoenix wood kilns, noborigamas, a train and now the sprung arch bourry
box. You would have thought I would have learned more. I should have embarked
on a steady diet of sardines. There was
potter Larry Davidson just home from his apprenticeship with Shimoaka in Japan
and me. We would take turns driving to each others potteries and firing the
noborigamas we had both built. We both managed a divorce out of that chaotic
scene.
Ruth
McKinley was at Sheridan, Harlan House built a wood kiln and a few others
popped up but nothing hard core like Larry and I did. Having been born with a
strong back and a weak mind I continue.
When I
started there were no computers. I would write to Steve Harrison in Australia
about his booklet “Laid Back Wood Firing” and I’d get an answer back in the
mail some 6 months later. Then I’d screw
up and write him again. There were no wood kiln books by Jack Troy, Log Books,
wood fired conferences and I don’t even remember kiln plans. It was a hard way
to learn.
So now wood
firing is spreading like a prairie fire and there are plans, conferences, books,
magazines, and clay bodies devoted to wood firing. It is a great time to be a
wood fire potter.
I am
totally thrilled not to be alone anymore. I have this band of banditos that I
love to hang out with and fire a wood kiln. Tradition has it that there is a
pot luck here at The Cactus Lounge after the kiln is loaded. We strike the
match at 6am so we can eat, drink and be merry the night before. To celebrate
our group I had my favourite closet artist DH do this drawing for a t-shirt for
the members. I love it DH and hope you will join us here at the lounge for some
tequila and good eats.
Here is a
pic of Duncan Aird and Emma Smith (founding members of TCLFT) in front of their
new ride. It is lit and firing as I type. Looks like they’re still talking-
that’s a good sign. Here's to another wood kiln- bottoms up, down the hatch, here's to ya and all that stuff.
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