UpCountry Kilns
Many potters live in pleasant but crowded
environments, where there is often pressure to hurry without
being aware of a quieter world often lying just beyond. If you
are one of those who would like to step outside your present
environment and be with like-minded others, then consider a
week-long escape to the eastern foothills of the Rocky
Mountains in Alberta, about an hour and a half northwest of
Calgary.
However, it is an escape with a slight
difference. Rather than sharing conventional amenities, there
is no running water and there is no electricity. Instead, you
are surrounded by nature at its most unblemished. You will live
in buildings that blend into the area. You will be cared for in
rustic, sublime surroundings by a crew of four, all experienced
potters, who will make sure that you are warm, well fed and
comfortable. There is a three-chambered kiln waiting to be
packed and fired with seasoned poplar.
One hundred and sixty acres of quiet
woodland to explore, overlooking the frontal ranges of the
Canadian Rockies outside the town of Sundre.
The lack of conventional facilities is not
seen as a drawback. Quite the reverse. In fact, people who have
visited here say that the absence is something that they
cherished. The place tenders toward the more independent
individual who would understand the reward of self direction
and be outside the madding crowd. We attempt to conserve,
without being over frugal. And we attempt to protect and
respect what was here before we were. You are guaranteed an
enriching physical and, quite possibly, spiritual experience.
* * *
Of our place: "A little bit of
heaven," says Greg Daly, Australian potter and glaze
author.