DISTRICT NEWS

Report from the Okanagan

Summer weather saw the early completion of a large gas kiln built by
Walter Dexter. However, he hardly had time to take the growing pains
out of it before selling his studio-shop and moving to Nelson where he
will replace Santo Mignosa at the Kootenay School of Art. Best wishes
go with you from all potters of the Okanagan, Walter. We will miss you.

Also kiln building, Frances Hatfield received a Canada Council Short
Term Grant for study of gas kilns. On the strength of this a trip was
made to view the kiln Jack Sures has built at the University of
Saskatchewan, Regina. Thanks to both Mr.Sures and Mrs Levine
who kindly explained the kiln and showed me around their department.
An exciting side-trip in a Piper’ aircraft from Regina to Medicine
Hat landed me at the door of Luke Lindoe where I was given a very
careful and helpful description of gas kiln building and viewed Mr.
Lindoe's kin. The last portion of this grant was a week with Paul
Soldner in Seattle, building, with his class, a two-chamber, six
burner gas kiln, dimensions: 8'3" x 4'6", This kiln has a large
down draft chamber for glaze ware and a smaller bisque chamber
which doubles as the chimney.

The pottery department of the Okanagan Summer School has increased
yet again - this year Gillian Hodge nobly copes with numbers of eager
youngsters in a larger than ever department. Ruth Meecham has been
of great assistance to Frances Hatfield in the teen and adult areas.

At the time of writing we are moving into the last week: drying pots
surge out from the doorways across the school grounds, two kilns
smoulder on, and the Raku firings in the Schwenk pottery orchard

are calling for plenty of wood chopping on the part of all male students.

Frances Hatfield

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Report from the Kootenays

For the second straight year, the 25 International competition of
Ceramic Art held in Faenza, Italy, has awarded a Silver Medal to the
Kootenay School of Art of Nelson, B.C. This school was admitted to

the exhibition in the section specially reserved to art schools from the
15.