COMMEN CANADIAN CLAY CONFERENCE '84 |

The Banff Centre School of Pine Arts was the venue for the
first Canadian Clay Conference, May 7-11, three days of
lectures and discussion involving world renowned speakers,
a clay conference without clay, attended by members of the
ceramic fraternity from across Canada, including a few from
British Columbia.

Resembling a short “sabbatical”, crammed with history
aesthetics, references to literature and poetry, enhanced
by several exhibitions in Calgary and Banff, the three days
provided stimulation and morale uplift for even the most
jaded.

Major addresses were made by Phillip Rawson, until recently
Dean of Geldsmiths College, London, an eminent art historian,
and by Dr. Paul Pleck, President, Banff Centre. Each day was
"chaired" by a non-potter - Peter Weirich, man of letters and
Executive Director, Canadian Crafts Council; Alan Robertson,
Dean of Pine Arts, University of Calgary, theatre; and Jon
Whyte, Writer, poet, critic, curator.

Speakers included Alan Caiger=-Smith, well known British
potter, foremost authority on Islamic ceramic technique;
Shirley Ganse, Formerly with Smithsonian, [freelance
lecturer, spoke on the Sung Dynasty; Peter Bose, Brighton
School of Art, writer and lecturer, on 19th Century British
pottery; and Daniel Mato, art historian, University of
Calgary, on contemporary African Pottery. Discussion groups
were led by notable Canadian potters. Members of many
Canadian crafts organisations were present, including
Franklin Heisler, Presidentof “Ceramists Canada".

4 committee of the Alberta Potters' Association, chaired by
Les Manning, Ceramics Dept., Banff Centre, was responsible
for organisation. The event received substantial support
from the Alberta Government.

At the final dinner, in his closing address, Phillip Rawson
remarked that he had attended many conferences in North
America and that this had boen by far the best!

John A. Porter, a founding member of the
Alberta Potters Association;
President,Greenbarn Potters Supply Ltd.

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