GORDON HUTCHENS from page | Another series of pieces have an elusive velvety lustrous surface. These porcelain or white stoneware pots are finished with a slip glaze containing about 40 percent local clay from my property on Denman Island fired at cone 10 reduction then painted with gold chloride accents and refired. In these pots [ iry to capture a feeling of timelessness, both ancient and modem and very touchable, I'm very attracted to variable glazes where subtle differences in the action of the flame can make a dramatic difference in the character of the glaze, where the fire tells the story. I get excited by the power of heat; the way fire brings about the trans- formation; the metamorphosis of elements I've combined into something new, For me the most important thing is finding balance, not just physical balance, but the balance between control and spontaneity, traditional and contemporary, technique and inspiration. As potters, we help the earth to recreate itself in beautiful ways that capture a bit of our essence in the process, Gordon Hutchens GORDON HUTCHENS June 3 - July 1, 1999 meet the artist at the opening Saturday June 5 14:00 - 16:00 Gallery of BC Ceramics 1359 Cartwright Street Granville Island Vancouver, BC V6H 3R7 604-669-5645 open daily 10:30 - 17:30 HUTCHENS Twenty-five years ago, Gordon Hutchens opened his studio on Denman Island where he shows sculptural and functional works utilizing a broad range of techniques. It is on a wooded 19-acre lot, a source for both inspiration and materials, and ts only five minutes from the ferry landing. Gordon's work is well known for the depth and diversity of glazes and the strength and refinement of his forms. He formulates and blends all his own clay bodies using clays from across North America as well as local materials for slips and glazes. The exception is when he prepares porcelain, he uses a kaolin from England. Digging clay from his property, he prepares an earthenware body of creates oil spot and metallic luster glazes. Seaweed from the nearby beach is used in salt/sagger firings and local wood ash is another major glaze ingredient. At the age of 14, Gordon first became intrigued with pottery in Japan where he observed the revered position of pottery in that culture, He felt, “this is truly a noble profession,” Gordon received an honours degree in Fine Arts from the University of Illinois majoring in Ceramics. Three semesters of glaze and clay chemistry combined with working as the ceramic laboratory assistant gave him an unusually strong technical backpround. He has had 25 single exhibitions and over 70 group shows across Canada and United States with three major exhibitions in Japan. Articles about him and by him have been published in various ceramic magazines and books. A recent video about his work titled Variations on Raku isavailable in select stores. His works are in the Bronfman Family's Claridge Collection as well as in Ottawa at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Gordon's works are available through the Gallery of BC Ceramics on Granville Island or at his studio, open daily 10:00 — 1720), Monday through Saturday. During the off season months, it is best to phone 250-335-2409 to make an appointment. More information about his current work can be found on his website: www. lars.ark_com/—-hutchens Works using the following techniques are on view in his studio. June 1999 Salt Glaze Stoneware is a technigue origi- nating in Medieval Europe, When the fir- ing reaches a temperature of 24)0 degrees F, saltorsodaashis thrown inthe kiln. The sodium combines with the vitrified clay to form an orange-peel textured glaze with colours from the natural clay or coloured clay slips. Raku is a technique originating in Japan during the sixteenth century and is closely linked to the Zen Buddhism and tea cer- emony. In its North American variation, the pieces are removed from the kiln at the peak of the firing while the glazes are still molten and then placed in a sealed con- tainer with straw and sawdust to cool, This smoky atmosphere combines with copper and silver in Gordon's glazes creating lustrous and iridescent surfaces, To help withstand the tremendous heat shock, the clay is made very porous. Consequently raku pots and containers are not suitable for holding water, Crystalline Glazed Porcelain is a tech- nique that Gordon has been developing for nine years and is now bringing into pro- duction. This complicated technique emu- Jates the natural formation of crystals in rock cooling deep in the earth, though the patterns create many other natural images, The glaze, containing a high percentage of zine along with metallic colorants such as titanium, copper, cobalt, nickel, silver and gold, grows natural, spontancous crystal patterns impossible to duplicate. Reduction Fired Earthenware is a low temperature firing related to the French Art Nouveau ceramics of the late 1800's, The glaze has some of the depth and com- plexity of highfired ware combined with rich colours and lustrous surfaces avail- able al lower temperatures. This is an area where pottery is closely related toalchemy both aesthetically and historically. Cover image: woodfired stoneware with natural wood ash surface