Cam, the Fisherman

The month of March is all about who's coming and who's going in our house. The same day I drove my sister and her kids to the airport, I picked up our great friend Cam Fisher and brought him back to Logan. Cam is here visiting from Ontario, Canada for a week. We're all super stoked to see him since it's been at least 7 years since we belly laughed like we do when Cam's around. 

The boys have been staying up late talking about pots and the past almost every night so far, then getting up early to get in some skiing before it all melts before our eyes. We're trying to get as much skiing in as we can before the season is truly over. Although today had all the signs of spring attached to it, and the activity of choice for Isla was jumping on the trampoline over at a friend's house.  Cam and Robin got in a walk along the shoreline trail at the base of the mountains that still have a bit of lingering snow left. 

Cam and Robin met in their undergraduate program at Alberta College of Art, and it's terrific that Cam is still doing the clay thing. Cam and Robin therefore come from the same stock and share many of the same influences from that time. After a year at the Banff Centre for the Arts, doing a self directed study as well as the co-production assistant the Banff New Media institute, Cam and his girlfriend Rita moved cross country back to their origins in Ontario. Cam recently built a wood fired kiln on the farm where he is living with another potter, Chris Lass,  and they have some exciting plans to hold an anagama workshop there in June. 

Cam and Chris have fired the kiln four times and they are getting to know it's nuances and personality, experimenting with forms and varying scales of work to fill it's belly. The farm where this kiln now lives is owned by Chris and her husband Mark, and it's been through their generosity and a select group of creative minds that have come together to inspire a collaborative space, and what may be the beginning of many great community firings to come. They have plans to incorporate a culinary aspect to the experience, having vetted interests in the slow food movement. Which shouldn't surprise the potters out there that so many of you also subscribe to. 

Cam's visit here has offered the added benefit of me not having to cook supper every night. Cam is a whiz in the kitchen and we've been all enjoying some of his signature dishes like Broiled pork tenderloin with a spicy bean with orange and cumin topping. Tonight we're having Rainbow Trout stuffed with toasted nut and breadcrumb filling. Yum! Too bad we can't convince him to just move in and help us write the cookbook.