COLUMBIA

Joanne Copp: In Memoriam 4 sein varzkunm

I have written several articles about Joanne
Copp and her extraordinary work; it is with
great sadness that I now write to honour her
memory.

In the 1970s, Joanne was introduced to
working with clay at the Shadbolt Centre for
the Arts in Burnaby. Soon after, she began
her studies in sculpture at Capilano College
(now University.) Her instructor emphasized
quality craftsmanship and the importance
of surfaces—something that became para-
mount in her life's work. She went on to
the University of Victoria to study fine arts
and explored a wide variety of media, yet
the focus on concept did not align with her
sense of aesthetics and the importance of
touch. In 1988-89, she returned to Capilano,
enrolling in the ceramics program. Here she
found that her interest in sculptural forms
and compelling surfaces fit well with the
the

possibilities between and including glory and

excitement of experimentation—all
disaster emerging from various firings.
Her mature work is best represented by

her hand-built, burnished vessels. She fired

them in sawdust, so the exteriors had smoky

patterns over the warm glow of the clay. In
the late 1990s, she received a grant to learn to
apply gold leaf and produced a series of vessels
lined with delicate shades of gold. They really
seemed to generate their own light. The forms
are rounded, organic, with edges that swayed
like waves. Their surfaces are smooth, cool,
and irresistible. Her home on the Sunshine
Coast meant a great deal to her. The presence
of the stones and the ocean emerge as a
strong, rhythmic presence. She exhibited and
sold work in galleries across Canada and in
the U.S,

Leukemia presented unimaginable difficult-
ies, but for Joanne, the ones that bothered her
most were that she couldn't touch clay, walk
barefoot on the beach, or visit public places
because of the risk of infections. In addition
to this demanding illness, Joanne was also
coping with other upheavals. The last time I
visited her, one of her concerns was where she
might set up a studio and continue to work.
A workspace is so central to our identity as
craftspeople. The old saying "you are what
you eat” might well be adapted to the craft
world as: "you are what you make.” Joanne’s

Storm Surf, by Joanne Copp.

daughter describes how "she cared very much
about what other artists thought of her and
strove to be professional. She really studied her
craft, avidly read books and journals on arts,
collected artifacts and photos for inspiration.
Her studio was a space where she retreated,
often rainy and dark among the trees, but
usually with the company of Kess (our family
dog and alarm system against bears), CBC
radio, and a cup of coffee.”

If Joanne's vessels were luminous, calm and
dignified, so was she. Her family said she died
peacefully on March 17, 2010. She is survived
by her mother, three capable and engaging
grown-up children, and a most remarkable

body of work.

Kiln Operations Workshop

Instructor: Murray Sanders

Learn all about electric kiln

operations from the kiln manager at

Surrey Art Gallery. Topics:

e Kiln loading, re-wiring, firing
schedules, cones and tempera-
tures, trigger adjustments, trouble-
shooting, maintenance and safety.

May 16, 10:30am—1pm

1 session $26.50

Course # 4205667

surrey
art gallery HI 13750 - 88 Avenue

surrey centre WWW.arts.surrey.ca

CITY OF BRITISH
SURREY 422840

Conseil des Arts
du Canada

Canada Council
for the Arts

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Specialty Workshops
at the Surrey Art Gallery

Wheel Throwing Clinic

Instructor: Fredi Rahn

Use your previous experience to

improve on basic techniques in this

intensive studio workshop.

Highlights:

e Clay preparation (wedging), tools,
ergonomics and body mechanics.

e Demonstrations of centering,
opening, pulling, shaping, and
finishing.

e Discussion and practice of
elements of design such as
volume, surface, and edge.

e One-on-one coaching.

June 12 & 13, 10am—4pm

2 sessions $85

Course #4207856

Advanced Wheel Throwing Clinic

Instructor: Fredi Rahn

Move beyond the basics to develop

larger scale and more intricate

pieces in this intensive studio
workshop. Highlights:

e Demonstrations of lidded forms,
throwing on a bat, working in
sections, platter and bowl forms,
and post-wheel alterations.

e Discussion on design and
aesthetics of the wheel-thrown
object, accompanied by a slide
presentation of historical and
contemporary work.

June 19, 20 & 26, 10am-4pm

3 sessions $127.50

Course #4208090

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - May 2040