At Large in Ballard by Peggy Sturdivant

Long before my daughter started taking pottery classes at Lily and the People on 32nd Northwest, I saw twilight evidence of their annual Summer Solstice party. As a visiting friend said, "now that looks like a great party." I have another acquaintance with a degree in social work who uses their solstice parties as an example of community-building as he leads workshops worldwide. That internationally-known model is right on Sunset Hill and this year's party is on Friday, June 22 at 6 p.m.

Lily and the People is a teaching pottery studio that offers classes for adults, children, teens ... my daughter started with a one week clay camp four summers ago and has been learning the wheel there ever since. This is Carrie Gustafson's studio and she has enough energy to occupy the whole block. In this storefront setting there are wheels, shelves and shelves of ceramics, boxes marked with the glaze names, big worktables and an upright piano. Kids take clay camp; adults participate in classes and open studio. Master Potter Regnor Reinholdtsen's studio is next door. Both Carrie and Regnor grew up in Ballard and Regnor has had his studio in Ballard since 1969. Between them they know everyone - but with Carrie no one is a stranger for more than 30 seconds anyway.

My favorite sign is already in window. "Dear People, the Raku clay is ready." Although the sign seems geared to those already in the know the event is open to everyone in the extended community of studio and neighborhood. Absolutely anyone can step through the door in the weeks beforehand, write down their name and pick up a bag of clay. Carrie gives instructions on the size limits, and tips to avoid breakage during firing. Children and adults hand-build pieces at home and then take them to the studio to be fired; this year they need to be in by June 15th. On party night people pour in from all over the city to glaze their piece, then eat and socialize as they watch it pass through the pyrotechnics of the Japanese firing process known as raku. As explained by a man while reaching into flames, raku can be translated as happiness through luck. It's impossible to predict how the end product will look; one must trust the fiery process.

So picture a wide street in the business section of a Ballard neighborhood on the longest day in Seattle; imagine the sidewalk overflowing with people as they watch artists who just can't resist flames. The potluck items are crammed on the worktables and are rapidly consumed and replaced. The event officially starts a 6 p.m., but it will go on for hours with the glazes and brushes set up on a table on the sidewalk. On a concrete parking space by the alley outdoor kilns are stacked full of just-glazed pottery and fired up to 1,850 degrees. A crew of fire-lovers feed more newspaper into flaming trashcans as they prepare to transfer the pottery directly from kiln into reduction chambers.

About 10 p.m. it's finally twilight and the process becomes even more dramatic. When the kilns are opened, the pieces glow orange and translucent. There's a gasp from the sidewalk crowd. Someone is playing jazz on the upright piano. Kids have gotten their hands on a microphone that's attached to speakers. The pieces are lifted out of the trashcans with tongs; the burning paper has depleted the oxygen and given the pieces the raku finish, in which no outcome is ever the same as another. The pieces are dipped into tubs of water and then deposited to the side to be claimed and then cleaned. It looks like the party could go on all night, but it's supposed to end by 11 p.m.

Three hundred sixty-four days of the year it's a teaching pottery studio, but on the 365th day; it's the best party in town: another great solstice at Lily and the People. The sign is already in the window. Dear People, Raku Clay is Ready. Remember, this year's party will be on Friday, June 22 and you're invited.

Lily and the People (www.lilyandthepeople.org) is located at 6415 NW 32nd Street (206.784.4168). The raku clay is provided free. As Carrie Gustafson says, "the clay is our gift." However, donations are gladly accepted, "and greatly appreciated" to help provide scholarships for the Children's Summer Clay Camps.

Peggy's email is atlargeinballard@yahoo.com She writes additional pieces for the P.I's Ballard Webtown at http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/ballard/