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Editor's Notes

** Would you like to come to a beautiful
location for fun and frolic once a month!
No, this is mot an ad for some kinky
getaway, it's a call for volunteers to help our
with the newsletter mailout! “We go from

1 pm to 4 pm, usually on the last Saturday
of the month, fold newsletters and scuff
envelopes and enjoy light refreshments.
Over che last few months three of our long-
time volunteers moved on to bigger (and
probably better if you count graduate
school, a house in Gibsons and marriage)
things. Please call 669 - 5645 if you are
interested. Merci.

**4 As | cyped Paul Mathieu's article into
the computer [ found myself modding in
agreement. [r wasn't long befare ] was
flying along on wings of outrage, as |
considered the prejudices that exiat against
our medium. So we make stuff with mud.
What is oil paint except far mixed with
coloured earths? The last time thar the
Vaneouver Art Gallery featured a ceramic
artist was over 15 years ago when Sally
Michener had a one woman show. It's hard
to believe that there hasn't been a single
artisc working in clay since thar date who is
worthy of an exhibition.

The work that Walter Dexter showed at the
BC Gallery of Ceramics incorporated the
history of modernism, while simultaneously
showing a fresh and personal vision.

Kinichi Shigeno’s floaring, carefully
painted forms combine painting and
sculpture in a way chat is inimical to clay.

Given the mandate of many government
funded galleries, I'm willing to concede
thar a functional tea set may mot fir inco
their collections. But to deny all ceramic
art exhibition is ridiculously Mind. Paint
is far more commonly used for functional
purposes than for art work, but we don't
see the Group of Seven being relegated to
craft museums. Yes, we in clay have co
cemquer certain technical comideracions
before we can fully realize our visions. but
so do artists in other mediums. Try
making a video with the lens cap on!
Publications chat calk about the “craft” of
film-making with reverence are dismissive
of eraft in clay, wood, fabric, ere. 1
suggest that curators are intellectually
lazy, unable to look beyond che few, au
courant ideas to be found in “(C" magazine
or Art Forum.

Through exclusion fram the gallery
system, people who work in clay become
effectively invisible in the art world.
Small loss, you might say, but there is a
huge financial cose. [s chere anyone
reading this who ever received a Canada
Council ‘A’ or “B' grant? Or even a‘
grant! There are perhaps 10 ceramises in
North America who can command over
$10,000 a piece.

There are literally thousands of painters
who can do the same.

We are undervalued and worst, many of
us (as evidenced by che last and upcoming
Biennale) have inrernalized chis sense of
unworthiness. Arghhh...

Lonce swore | would never get onto this
topic again, I juse pec to damned
tighteous. But there are times when it
just can’t be helped.

Next time you suppert an art gallery with
your admission fee, ask the ateendant why
there is no contemporary ceramic work in
the gallery. [f our tax dollars can buy a
painong, they can buy clay. Do all che
bad Sunday painters mean that all
painters pur no thought or analysis into
their work? Of course not. Bue the
assumption seems to be that the legion of
people who made ceramic Christmas trees
precludes the idea of ceramist with any
relevance to contemporary art.

***1'm off to Mexico on Denys James's
expedition, so expect to hear lots abour
that next issue. Hope you all have a good
holiday season.

Karen Opas

ee ee ee ee |

- Potter’s Guild of B.C. Newsletter Website: www-margaretdesign.com/pguild/

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; Editor: Karen Opes General Manager: Jane Matthews Editorial Board: Rosemary Amon, Heather Cairens, Gillian McMillan, Prank Turco
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= LUrco,
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