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President’s Message

I am pleased to welcome our newest member of the Board, Kelly
Austin. Kelly is a recent graduate of Emily Carr University of Art and
Design and has also worked part time in the Gallery of BC Ceramics.
She is passionate about clay and contemporary craft, and is looking
forward to immersing herself in the B.C. clay community.

At the AGM on May 30 we also confirmed two more members
who had joined the board after the 2010 AGM. Nora Vaillant
attended Swarthmore College and Philadelphia College of Art.
She furthered her training in ceramics through attending courses
and workshops at Penland and Haystack. She contributed to the
recently published book Thrown: British Columbias Apprentices of
Bernard Leach and Their Contemporaries, and has been a member of
the planning committee for the Canadian Clay Symposium. Denise

Jeffrey hails from Nova Scotia where she was an active member of the

Ga | le ry N @wWS By Sharon Cohen

What an absolute pleasure it was to host First Serve, an exhibition
of work by recent Emily Carr University graduates. For starters, the
exhibition area looked wonderful. It’s amazing how much impact can be
generated by work that’s predominantly white and unembellished—a
really clean, uncluttered aesthetic, sleek and streamlined, but packing
a serious punch! Apart from the beauty and innovation of the work,
the exhibition allowed for so much interaction with customers. There
were so many stories to tell! With five artists participating, there were
five times more opportunities to share information and, in the case
of Darcy Greiner’s work, more opportunity to give the customers a
demonstration. I was fascinated by the manner in which Darcy
constructed all of his pieces based on innovative “thinking outside the
box” ways of combining a single wedge shape into a myriad of sculptural
yet functional pieces. Showing exhibition visitors the ways in which the
wedges combined to form each piece never failed to elicit an enthusiastic
reaction. Emma Walter’s sculptural piece also provided a great talking
point. Sharing information on why the piece was called _A Non-Rival
Good proved to be very thought provoking, which is what art should
be. Only Bethany Scott could translate 1930s gangster movie aesthetics
into ceramic art. Again, great stories to tell to customers, eliciting

Darcy Greiner’s large cross bowl, constructed from a mould
comprised of multiple wedges.

Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council (NSDCC) from 2001 to 2009.
She served as a member and chair of the NSDCC Market Advisory
committee and in 2006 was appointed to the Board of Directors as
‘Third Vice President. Denise studied at the Nova Scotia College of
Art and Design and has been potting since 1999. Thank you to all
our board members who are willing to contribute their expertise and
enthusiasm to strengthening and growing our organization.

A copy of the 2010 Annual Report is available on the website in the
Members Only section (click here to sign in).

If you are interested in joining the board, don’t hesitate to contact

me at any time. You dont have to wait till the next AGM.

—Jinny Whitehead
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ae en as it cia
 - = = Celabrate the awl
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Innovative set-up generates maximum impact for the Celebrate the
Bowl exhibition.

smiles and nods of approval and, as an added bonus, some very brisk
sales. Andrew Wong’s cloud plates were loved by all who saw them, and
his mugs that straddle the line between decorative and functional made
for great visuals and interesting discussion. Kelly Austin’s impeccable
work was as well received as it always is. Her combination of rough and
smooth, light and dark, with just a tiny hint of added colour for depth
and interest made her pieces as perfectly proportioned and delightfully
appealing as her many fans expect them to be.

As always, the contrast between all the exhibitions keeps things
fresh, exciting and varied—from the fun and whimsy of Spottery in
May, to the calm, contemporary chic of First Serve ending June 28,
and then Celebrate the Bowl hot on its heels July 1 to 25. A special
thank you to the exhibitions committee (Keith Rice-Jones, Celia Rice-
Jones, Sheila Morissette, Jinny Whitehead and Maggi Kneer) for doing
such a magnificent set-up for the bowls show, the exhibition area looks
wonderful. Thank you also to the artists who contributed work, about
25 guild members in total. Your generosity is appreciated. A portion of
the value of the Celebrate the Bowl sales will be donated to A Loving
Spoonful’s Project Empty Bowl. As is always the case in a group show,
the diversity is truly impressive. Ann Maliatski’s loopy, hoopy cut-out
bowl generated the most interest; we could have sold it ten times over!
Maggi Kneer’s rose bowl was also a big hit, as were Elizabeth Harris-
Nichols’ colourful bowls with cheeky messages. The show boasted some

Continued on Page 7, Gallery News

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - August 2011

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