continued from page 5

organized over 14 shows. David Toresdahl, Marjorie Johnson, Simon
Brafman, Kathleen Hamilton, Joseph Panno, Isabella Wieckowska,
Jeanne Lewis, Muriel Parfitt, Sherle Lowes, Nancy Star, Meg Buckley,
Wayne Ngan, Ron Tribe, Kay Dodd, Leonard Epp, and Joseph Mihalik,
were among the ceramicists who exhibited and sold their wares at “The
Earthen Things.” Dave Toresdahl’s first exhibit proved to be quite
controversial. Many viewers commented that they liked the forms
and glazes and found the potter talented, but were offended by the
erotic designs and the captions. Someone went as far as dragging a
wooden cross, laying it in the street in front of the gallery, and leaving
a threatening warning on the door! However, after seeing Toresdhal’s
work, Hiro Urakami wrote the following comments: “It 1s a very exciting
show—I am with you 99% - no matter what the other comments.”

In 1974, Marie-Claire took a trip to Europe and visited potters in
France, Spain and Belgium. She recounts her experience there in an
article for the Western Potter (No. 30, April, 1974, p. 12-16). She brought
back with her a large number of pieces by a few well-established Belgian
potters, such as Pierre Culot, Mirko Orlandini, Antonio Lampecco,
Claude and Cécile Delhaye, and Antoine de Vinck, which she exhibited
at her gallery.

The last exhibition at “ The Earthen Things” was by Nancy Star, now
Nancy Rawls, just before she returned to the United States. Georgina

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8

Hughes and Hiro Urakami reviewed it
in the Western Potter as “well worth the
effort” of going all the way to Steveston,
and as “a promise of better things to
come.” (No 33, January 1975, p.19).

Marie-Claire left Steveston in 1976,
and moved to Galiano Island where she
opened yet another gallery, also called
“The Earthen Things” and she continued
to represent potters like Charles and
Kathleen Partington, Margaret Pearson,
Graham Sheenan, Sandra Dolph, the
James, Robin Hopper, Meg Buckley,
Richard Hawbolt, and Susan Clarke. In
July 1991, the Dandelion Gallery on
Galiano Island, held a retrospective of her
work. The Galiano Island Tides suggests
that the exhibited pieces are influenced by
sea-life... “ the sensuousness of its forms,
the iridescence of its hues.” (July 18, 1991,
p- 9). After this exhibit, Marie Claire, then
in 80, retired from pottery making and
exhibiting and returned to Vancouver.
Marte Claire, a vital 96 year old now lives
in Vancouver’s West End.

It has taken some time to build up a
ceramic culture in B.C.. Over two decades
Marte-Claire’s galleries supported many
clay artists. During the early years, there
were only a handful of shops and galleries
in B.C., representing handmade pottery,
giving clay artists the opportunity to work
and exhibit, and educating the public
about ceramic art.

It seems every decade found Marie-
Claire von Hausmann tirelessly exploring
and learning. In mid-life, she not only
emigrated, but started a whole new
vocation, and for the next 20 years
contributed tremendously to the clay
culture of B.C.. Thank you, Marte-Claire.

a

Debra Sloan