March 20, 2012 Day 2 of ceramics...yahooey!

We ate Chinese breakfasts at the hotel...some things i recognized..hard boiled eggs, rice and 'ham' slices but then was a large leaf wrapped rice and chicken dish, two different kinds of buns that were deep fried, one bland and one was sweet and some circular jelly. Packed up, caught a cab for a much shorter back streets ride to the Nangeng kilns. Saw a car accident (surprised we haven't seen more) between a bus and a big truck...just a fender bender. (If the street is 4 lanes, the Chinese will make it six lanes!) Started in the back alleys behind the kilns and visited many many ceramic shops. They are mass produced and massive! I found some small hand made vessels that were put on the sidewalks in the front of the shops as if they were seconds. There weren't many but I scooped up a few. Mary and I both bought some souvenirs and Martine and Roy bought a large pedestal sink (bowl and stand), a large T-pot and  very unusual planter which we had to carry home. We finally ended up back at the kiln. It's 50 metres long and was built in 1535. The sign says it's been used daily since then but it didn't seem hot. Fuelled by wood.The entire compound included the kiln, many little shops, a large classroom that could accomodate about 300 students, a large exhibition space that had housed an international Pottery exposition in 2011, as well as numerous decorative wall features. There was a large wall (15' x 25') of hanging clay pots ( 16" x 2') that served as a waterfall. There were numerous figurative sculptures of animals, religious figures and contemporary figures. There were many huge ceramic friezes ( 20' x 100') in all genres. There was an entire wall of the classroom of 6" x 6" tiles handmade by students. It was visually stunning. As we neared the gate the doors of a contemporary pottery gallery were partially open...it had been closed on two other occasions but I took advantage and headed in. I stopped at the table at the front and perused some pottery catalogues and magazines when a man approached me and pointed to a picture of a potter in the Foshan City ceramics catalogue and then pointed to himself.  In a short time I was able to understand that this was an exhibit of his work alone and that he was a distinguished potter in Foshan City.   We toured the gallery together, Mostly figurative and female these oversized voluptuous figures reminded me of a blend between Susan Low beers work and a sculptor we saw in Chicago (I think Botero!) You know me and names! I gesture to him that I wished I could talk to him about his concept as I could see there was so much going on. he was most generous...we talked a lot through the use of artists' names. he signed my book (His  name is Wei Hua) and I left fulfilled. Mary had gone out of the gallery first and was carrying ALL of our things...she stepped outside the gates to have a smoke and then had to lug everything back inside. a guard from the Nangeng Kilns saw her and offered her food and help. She summized that he thought she was homeless and had all of her worldly goods with her.Chinese people have been wonderful when we engage them! Took 3 hours on Transit to get home. (I loved the people watching!) We all carried alot more than we had brought with us and it was rush hour...Went to pizza Hut...yes PIZZA HUT. Roy and I split a large 10 item Pizza with cheese stuffed crust. Mary and I had wine. Martine and Mary had great pasta dishes. Came home, showered and wrote the blogs and fell into bed.