REGIONAL NEWS

Okanagan

A rather special era in Okanagan potter was terminated June 27th,
1968, with the death of Adolph Schwenk.

Mr. Schwenk, who laughingly referred to himself as the "oldest
hippie" brought to this area many of the original and challenging
attitudes embraced by the young people of today and frequently considered
to be unique to contemporary times.

Following service with the German army in the first world war,
young George Adolph, son of a well-known mural painter of Dresden,
turned his face to the new world with the dream of organizing a model
community for young men. Upon advertising his hopes in German
papers he was overwhelmed with responses from young men of similar
views. So he came to Canada and walked west from the prairies to
view the land prospects. Passing through the Okanagan Valley, he
chanced to climb up Munson Mountain, the lookout near Penticton. As he
looked at the inspiring view up the length of the lake he decided to explore
this area as a site for his "community". After doing so, he walked
through the Princeton to Hope Pass enroute to Victoria for governmental
advice. In one of those little twists of fate which do much to our lives,
he was given a lift from Hope and a night's lodging by a young Englishman
who subsequently introduced him to Louise, a Fraser Valley painter.
Though Adolph returned to Penticton to set up the community, he
couldn't forget the beautiful young girl he had met at the coast, so when
after a year of bachelorhood, several members of the community
announced that their sweethearts would be joining them from Germany,
Adolph decided to follow the trend. Part of the “community” orchard
was bought by various members for future private use and Adolph and
Louise settled on seven acres on their famous site at the foot of
Munson Mountain.

The couple built their picturesque log home and lived a vigorous
pioneer life with orchard, horses, cow and garden. Two daughters were
born, growing into the artists Barbara and Lorna who are still carrying
on the pottery and craft sales at their orchard home.

In the middle fifties, Louise took an extension course in pottery
from U, B,C. and followed this with a period at the Vancouver School of
Art with Reg. Dixon. From that time on, every spare moment was
16.