POTTERS GUILD of BRITISH COLUMBIA ae: NEWSLETTER [G bc potters July/August 2003 Volume 39 Number 7 Joanne Copp Vessels of Clay My earliest experience with clay was as a child making busts from niverbank clay while on a family camping trip to Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state, My mother regaled my siblings and me with tales of making clay horses and people to play with during her childhood on the Canadian prairies. We made similar creations, which we dried in the sun and carefully transported home, These treasures lived for years on our basement windowsill before finally succumbing to dampness. Years later I studied art at the University of Victoria, where | explored a variety of art methods and media including sculpture with wood. fibreglass, metal and clay, as well as the two dimensional media such as painting, drawing, printmaking and photography. After starting a family, | returned to my original passion with clay. I joined the Bumaby Pot- ters Guild, and pursued my education further at Capilano College in the Ceramics Program, Al- though during this time I delved into all facets of ceramics from glaze chemistry with onerous amounts of test tiles, to throwing dinnerware, the more sculptural feel of handbuilding was really my interest. Experimen- tation was the order of the day and I spent many smoking out the Arts fac- ulty with my kilns of ar- ganic burnables. Results, sometimes disastrous, only kindled my desire to continue, H: 41.0% W: 19.0cm Jounne Copp Sawdust fired vessel limed with 23,6kt antique gold, 200), H: 26.0 x 'W; 33,3 cm We eventually relocated to Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast, where my work continues to be handbuilt with coils, bumished and sawdust fired. My pieces are vessel oriented and vary in shape and size from large and spherical, to tall silhouetted forms and delicately carved work. More re- cently, a Canada Council Grant ena- bled me to explore the effects of vari- ous metal leaf used in combination with clay. My current work is con- cerned with form evoking a sense of movement. The contrast between the dark outer surface of the vessel and the luminous leafed interiordraws the eye to follow the nm of the piece and a rhythm emerges. I am inspired and influenced by the West Coast landscape in which I live, Mountains rising out of the sea, the constunt rhythms of the ocean shore, time worn pebbles, mists and winds are what I carry with me always. Joanne M, Copp Joanne Copp Tall sawdust fired vessel, | 9944, More information an pages 5 and J)