The Big Smoke 2011 - New Zealand's National Ceramic Conference

This is being held in Auckland this year - April 1st to 3rd.

http://www.unitec.ac.nz/unitec/conferences/the-big-smoke/en/the-big-smoke_home.cfm

I've decided that I'm going to the Conference
Yes I'm very excited

Ok, so now I know what Potters Heaven is really like .....
What a day!! Hundreds of potters all in the one place!
It was fantastic to be able to put faces of the potters to the pots that I know so well
It was a full on programme -

Demonstrations running concurrently by:
Mike O'Donnell, Gustavo Perez, Michael Doolan, Paul Maseyk, Linda Christianson and Carla Ruka.

Talks by Linda Christianson, Michael Doolan, Tavs Jorgensen and Gustavo Perez.

Academic Papers presented by Nicola Dench, Joy Bye and Lewis Rifkowitzw.
Moyra Elliott speech - Korero in Asia, New Zealand ceramists on a world stage.

A Makers and Talkers session with Brendan Adams, Peter Collis, Chuck Joseph, Louise Rive, Royce McGlashen, Charlie Seakins and Merilyn Wiseman.
This was hilarious, but serious as each of the potters worked on a piece and shared a hint with the crowd.

Peter Lange had a very unusual looking kiln firing away yesterday ..... bricks and ceramic fibre ... lots of smoke initially then it settled down to a steady fire being stoked by several helpers.

Duncan Shearer had the makings of a kiln in the courtyard, chicken wire and firebricks ... but I didn't see it underway... maybe it gets going today?

My personal highlights:
Mike O'Donnell is a living vessel, a national treasure, a fountain that flows .. a worker of clay and a beautiful human being. I could have stayed at his demonstration all day as I was so moved by his story, which was often filled with humour and sometimes made me want to cry. His demo was interspersed with his kettle that played a magic note when the water was ready and out would come his flute, then a haunting melody of kettle and flute prevailed.... Mike had recently had his first firing in his 35ft wood fired kiln and brought with him Navigational Stones from this firing that were given away. They had to be placed in the water carrier first with water that was blessed by the Kaumatua from the Hauraki. Mike works with young 'at risk' boys from his area using clay to help them on their journey.

Carla Ruka is a talented young sculptor who I have admired from the first time I ever saw her work. She worked away coiling her pieces quickly and cleverly making outstanding pieces with faces that are so tranquil and perfect!!

I got to meet my TradeMe Warren Tippett rival ..... Stuart Newby
He has around 70 to 80 pieces of Warren Tippett's work and wants to cover all of the twists and turns that Warren did with clay during his career. He also has about 70 pieces of Denis O'Connor's work in his collection!!!

All of the coffee and food was served in specially made mugs and bowls for the Conference. These were glazed in Shino and had The Big Smoke Conference motif of Rangitoto and the Skytower on them. They were really very nice and the mugs will be given away at the end of the Conference today.

Forgot to mention that I bought a copy of Playing With Fire - Auckland Studio Potters Society turns 50.
The book was launched a couple of weeks ago at the Gus Fisher Gallery.
Have only had a chance to read some of it so far ... but I'm keen to get back to it!