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The RBC Emerging Artist People’s Choice Award

Axis (detail), by Eliza Au, 2011. Slipcast
ceramic, Cone 6 fired oxidation, 90 x 90 x
90 cm.

By Amy Gogarty

The Gardiner Museum in Toronto has
announced a new initiative, the RBC Emerging
Artist Peoples Choice Award for outstanding
young Canadian ceramic artists. This year,
five artists were nominated: Eliza Au of New
Westminster, B.C.; Jeremy Hatch of Madison,
WI; Xanthe Isbister of Medicine Hat, Alta.;
Alwyn O’Brien of Salt Spring Island, B.C.;
and Annie Yung of Montreal, Que. Jeremy
Hatch hails originally from Vancouver, so
that means British Columbia is represented
by three outstanding young artists—an
embarrassment of riches!

The award provides each artist with the
opportunity to showcase new works created
specifically for the competition. These objects
will be on view at the Gardiner Museum and
on the museum’s website Sept. 2 to Oct. 3,
2011. During this period, visitors to both
the live exhibit and the museum's website are
invited to vote for the artist of their choice
and to explain their decision. The Gardiner
is posting comments made by participating
members of the public on its website to
stimulate a national dialogue about ceramic
art.

‘The artist who receives the greatest share of
the popular vote from museum visitors and
online voters will win the $10,000 award. In
the event of a tie, the winners will split the
prize. On Oct. 4, 2011, the winner of the first

Paul Scott Workshop By Amy Gogarty

In October, the North-West Ceramics
Foundation will present a free public lecture
by the internationally renowned ceramic
artist Paul Scott from Cumbria, England.
Scott is the author of Ceramics and Print (A
& C Black 1994 and 2002) and Painted Clay:
Graphic Arts and the Ceramic Surface (A & C
Black, 2001). His work is in the collection of
the Victoria and Albert Museum in London,
the National Museum of Stockholm, the
National Decorative Arts Museum in Norway
and elsewhere, and he is well-known as an
instructor and workshop presenter. There
will be a feature article on Paul Scott in the
October PGBC Newsletter.

While he is here, Emily Carr University will
be sponsoring a Paul Scott Demonstration
Workshop, which will have a limited number
of seats available to the public. The workshop

Sea Scale, by Paul Scott.

will be held in Room 181 in the ceramics area
of ECU on Oct. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
with a lunch break between 1 and 2 p.m.
‘The cost of the workshop is $50. For more
information or to register, please contact Leon

Popik at lpopik@ecuad.ca.

RBC Emerging Artist Peoples Choice Award
will be announced at a public reception at the
Gardiner Museum.

Alexandra Montgomery, Executive Director
of the Gardiner Museum, comments:

"This award is designed to both excite the
public and raise the profile of several up-and-
coming artists, [who were] selected...for their
imagination, ability and, most importantly,
their potential to contribute to new directions
in current ceramics. We hope this award will
encourage the publicto participate ina national
conversation about contemporary art, as well
as provide an opportunity to actively support
the careers of a new generation of Canadian
ceramic artists. We are incredibly grateful to
RBC for their support and are really excited
to provide this opportunity for the artists and
the public.”

The Gardiner Museum is the only museum
in Canada devoted exclusively to ceramic art.
‘The museum's collections span continents and
time, giving a glimpse into the development
of ceramic processes, decoration and form.
Year-round, the museum mounts special
exhibitions, events, lectures and clay classes
to complement its permanent collection. The
PGBC congratulates all of the nominees and
hopes its members will log onto the website
at www.gardinermuseum.on.ca and vote for
their favourite work.

Pottery
Discussion
Group

Well it’s been over a year now since the
first discussion group meeting and each
meeting has been different and fun. My
favourite meeting so far was the post
mortem for all our studio sales, craft fairs,
etc. that was held in January. Much lively
talk there!

As a lot of us are busy in the summer
and I have a solo exhibition planned for
September at the Gallery of BC Ceramics
the next meeting wont be till Sept. 18
at 1 p.m. here in Ladysmith. Mark your
calendars. Till then, potterly yours,

—WMary Fox, maryfox@shaw.ca

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - September 2011

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