Phil Rogers, the Guru of Ash Glazes Missed him when he was in Vancouver in 1998? Anxious to see him again? He'll be demonstrating at the Kelowna Clay Festival in August! This famous Welsh potter is known worldwide for his demonstrations and workshops, videos, books and articles in publications such as Ceramics Monthly, Ceramic Review and Clay Times. He is also known for his numerous awards, appointments and service in various associa- tions. His work is in more than thirty museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Phil has exhibited widely both in the UK and overseas with more than 30 solo shows together with many group exhibitions in places such as Boston, Tokyo and Seoul. Although a graduate of Swansea College of Art and a teacher of pottery for 5 years in England Phil considers himself a self-taught potter. Bernard Leach’s “A Potter’s Book” began his understanding of glaze making and heavily influenced him to return to Wales to start his own pottery busi- ness. Phil says, “My work is not highly decorated; my main concern is the com- plex relationships that exist within the form of a pot and the subtle dif- ferences that make two very similar pots very different. Most of my dec- orative technique takes place in the clay’s surface. Drawing, combing, faceting and Hakame are my most often used methods although I am drawn to wax resist between slips.” He uses many local materials for slips and glazes, particularly wood ash from the fires in his house and stone dust from local quarries. Many of the decorative treatments he developed for use with ash glazes are also suitable on salt-glazed work. Tall jug, 15” high, salt glazed with impressed line pattern. Ash glaze over vIn Phil’s firing is divided equally between two kilns. Half is salt-glazed in a 60 cu.ft. kiln that is fired with propane gas and the other half is reduc- tion-fired stoneware in his oil-fired 75 cu.ft. kiln. “One must experience his lifestyle and persona to grasp their essence”, says Minnesota potter Jeff Oestreich. “Phil’s pots are a reflection of his personality - quiet, unassuming and approachable. His environment is also mirrored in his work. Living and working in rural Wales in 16th-cen- tury stone buildings among rolling lush hills cannot help but imprint on his pots. The serenity of this environment is reflected in his work”. At the Kelowna Clay Festival Phil will be throwing a selection of pieces that he normally makes in his studio and then finishing and decorating them. He will be faceting, cutting, impressing and incising the clay sur- face. He will also be using a white slip through which he will draw vari- ous patterns. Finishing will include trimming various bottles and placing handles on tall pitchers. Check out Phil’s website at www.philrogerspottery.com for tons of infor- mation; then plan to see him at the Kelowna Clay Festival Friday August 19 and Saturday August 20. Phil’s books, Ash Glazes, Throwing Pots and Salt Glazing will be available for sale at the festival. You will also see demonstrations by Hank Murrow, Trudy Golley, Susy Siegele/Mike Haley and Linda Doherty. Stay for our free Sunday Fun Day; then hands-on workshops on Monday and Tuesday with Trudy and Linda. http://www.clayfesti- val.okanaganpotters.ca Lynda Jones Press-molded bottle, salt glazed, 11” tall Photos courtesy Phil Rogers Discovery Art Travel FEATURING Denys James ae UPCOMING CERAMICS EXCURSIONS TURKEY THAILAND LAOS/ANGKOR WAT September 15 - October 6, 2005 December 15, 2005 - January 3, 2006 January 27 - February 14, 2006 For details, please visit www.denysjames.com/excursions For moresinformation on Discovery Art Travel or Denys James, please contact us at: Phone/Fax: (250) 537-4906 182 Welbury Drive, Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada V8K 2L8 June 2005 Potters Guild of British Columbia Newsletter