COLUMBIA Les Manning at the Canadian Clay Symposium By Fredi Rahn The 5th Canadian Clay Sym- triennial posium takes place Mar. 13, 2010, at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby, B.C. The day-long event is comprised of demonstrations, lec- tures, gallery shows, Les Manning firings, slide presenta- tions, panel discussions, draws, and more. The theme for the 2010 conference is aesthetics, and we have a diverse and interesting line-up of pre- senters, including ceramic artist Les Manning. To read Les’ resume is to bear witness to a lifetime of service to the ceramic community, and an insatiable curiosity about the processes, people, and places connected to the ceramic arts. Formerly the director of ceramics at the Banff Centre for the Arts, he currently works out of the Medalta International Artist Residency Studio in Medicine Hat, Alta. In more than 30 years as a ceramic artist, Les has focussed on the interpretation of the Canadian Rocky Mountain landscape. Les has achieved a very personal artistic result by combining a number of different clay bodies in a specific arrangement based on knowledge of the landscape, then throwing and altering these forms. This causes stress in the ceramic process similar to the natural forces that created the landscape from which these pieces were inspired. The objects break with ceramic tradition in that they are responding more to the influence of nature than to the formal histories of the ceramic process. This aesthetic context gives the work a strong sense of place. Les Manning works from inner feelings and intuitive choices to explore new growth in forms not unrelated to the past, but very much about his present. As a featured presenter at our symposium on aesthetics, Les’ broad experience and per— spective on the global scene in contemporary ceramics is sure to give fresh insight. eo Early bird registration by Jan. 15, 2010 is $104, thereafter $119. For more info: www.canadianclaysymposium.ca. www.geeenbarn.com 9548 192 Street, Surrey, B.C. VAN 3R9 Phone: 604.888.3411 Fax: 604.888.4247 ean Darn POTTERS SUPPLY LTD. Tuesday-Friday 9-5 Saturday 9-1 Closed Long Weekends greenbam@telus.net Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - May 2009 ge BINWCF North-West Ceramics Foundation From Oven and Kiln AUCTION/DINNER: IS COMING UP FAST, MAY 7, 2009 This event is organized every two years by the board of the North-West Ceramic Foundation, the charitable arm of the PGBC. Many guild members donate auction pieces, and plates to help us in our fundraising, and we thank them for their support. ‘This year there is a very special new award, the NWCF Award of $5,000, being presented toa B.C. ceramicist of outstanding ability. The award winner will give us a short presentation of their work. ‘There will also be a special show of historic costumes by Ivan Sayers, Fashion in the Arts. Remember, you go home with a nice dessert plate. We warmly invite members to participate, Questions? Email ovenandkiln@nwef.ca Tickets via Paypal are available on our new website: www.nwef.ca (special price for members). Please visit our beautiful new website and you can see all the activities that the NWCF has been involved in for the last 13 years: www.nwcf.ca/invitation.html —Debra Sloan Chop Marks & Signatures Send in your chops and have them available through the guild. For the form, click on the link here: www.bepotters.com/forms/chop_ marks_form.doc You can email it back to Debra Sloan at sloanyip@shaw.ca as an attachment. Or print and mail your sheet[s] to Potters Guild of BC 1359 Cartwright Street, Granville Island Vancouver, B.C. V6H 3R7 attention: chops.