It’s been an amazing summer so far for the arts and culture in Flin Flon and area, even if the weather has not always cooperated.
NorVA Centre has just wrapped up another fantastic and successful artists’ retreat at the wonderful Denareplex at Denare Beach. The facility is incredible for the artists involved: bright, clean and spacious inside, with plenty of bushes outdoors for drying batik creations.
There were about 25 artists from all over Manitoba and Saskatchewan in residence at the retreat, practising painting, batik, puppet-making and video. Artists created collages from argyle-patterned socks and bedroom curtains for grandchildren.
A special event for this year was raku pottery under the big tent – necessary to keep the rain off the kiln at times.
Most artists from the Flin Flon area had an opportunity to make pots and other beautiful shapes in preparation for the week-long retreat, then with NorVA manager Mike Spencer working the long-handled tongs, fire their creations in the kiln and reduce them in various mediums to watch the colours emerge.
The process is absolutely wonderful to watch, as it follows scientific rules and principles but the fire is always somewhat unpredictable. There were many “oohs” and “ahs” as the pieces emerged from the final water bath stage with shiny, glazed metallic colours, smoky, crackled lines or stains reminiscent of the northern lights.
Mike is available to lead workshops in raku pottery throughout the year – perhaps not at 25 below – so watch out for the next opportunity to try this very old style of pottery yourself.
