Amazed. Mary Turk frightens me. Everyone will defend her
except people who know her only through paint. Aside from say-
ing I saw something like them in my doctor's office, how can I
describe a Turk ? Take some color field, add a little action a

la Matta and you may have one. Overworked, just the right

size for the office, nice, safe and obviously very saleable. The
paintings, however, were old and there may be something new
in the works. Also, Mary is a potter, so, although I haven't
seen any yet, I'm hopeful.

Bob Kingsmill. Aman. Here I am then, in the wilderness de-
fying another man. But it’s a long way from Kelowna to Nelson
and I feel reasonably safe. Bob, judging from his pottery, is in
the throes of change, revival, extinction, metamorphosis,
plagiarism, or none, or all. I have seen in the gallery, courtesy
of Bob, pots, large and small, decorated with bright underglaze
in floral and abstract motifs reminiscent of pre-columbian
American ware. The good thing about them to me is their dis-
similarity to past work. This may be the opening up of a new
concept, or a sale. I, though, am wary of the artist who is
able to switch directly into the mainstream of another style from
which he is accustomed in so short a time. The question which
arises is, of course, did Bob have a previous style or direction?
I would incline to say no. Therefore, as this is Bob's first
direction, criticism is hardly necessary. Ina while, perhaps.

Kingsmill is not through, however, and neither is Frances. I
should like, however, as 4 rearguard action, to make a statement
concerning sculpture and/or sculptural pots on display. We cer-
tainly haven't come far from early fifties academic expressionism.
The second string is still there. Ceramic is a wonderful medium
for sculpture. When it is successful it is great; when i: is not,
it is pathetic. And this sculpture is pathetic. I truly feel it.
Unimportant, ugly, non-massive, casy to accept as art and in-
finitely saleable. I do not mind people doing them, but it isa
shame to have them exhibited with good work and seen by people
who consider them indicative of the state of modern sculpture.

That's it. I'm waiting for fan mail.
Robin Peck

14.