Matter of Clay III - 3 more sleeps!

Okay folks - here's the scoop! We are just three days away from the opening and, to be honest, I am a wee bit tired. The work continues to arrive and never ceases to amaze. This afternoon the installation arrived by Zsuzsa Monostory of Toronto. It is extraordinary! The theme is that of Punchinello commedia dell'arte. Actually I first met Zsuzsa at the Gardiner Museum in Toronto in 2001 and fell in love with her figures (someone else did too as one was actually stolen the night of the opening from the display!) and three years ago we discussed the possibility of doing a set of figures based on the 18th century concept of the garniture. And here we are three years later and it is a fait accompli and a true tour de force. It is awesome and will no doubt find a suitable home.

Artists are texting, calling and emailing their arrival times. They are coming by plane, train and automobile! There will be more nationally renowned Canadian artists in one place at one time than have been in a long time! A young artist, named Luke, swung by the gallery today visiting from Vancouver. He has just graduated from Emily Carr and is very excited about attending all the events but his comment that most resonated with e was "You have no idea what a thrill it is to be in a room filled with the work of artists that you have admired but only seen in slides. It is incredible to see everything 3D".

Let's not forget the catalogue! Sebastian Frye has designed an amazing work. I said to him a couple of weeks ago that when he looked at it and was proud to call it a creation of his then I would be pleased. It is fantastic. If you are thinking of getting one - don't hesitate. There are only five hundred copies and we have already sold over 20% and it hasn't even been printed yet! Actually as I type (or hunt and peck) the first part is being printed by the Ronald Frye Publishing House in Toronto. I am really pleased that an exhibition featuring Canadian talent has been designed and printed by a Canadian company. Margaret Atwood would be proud.

Judy and Rick Blake have just arrived in Dundas Ontario on their way to London. They will be staying at the home of Carol and Richard Rossman tonight, sharing potter hospitality. No doubt Rick and Richard will be commiserating with one another. Where David Hayashida is at the moment I don't know but I would imagine that he is off the island and Newfoundland is a far bit away. Well folks I am off to the pub to meet Stephen who has just arrived from Florida fresh from his respite before the serious entertaining begins!

MATTER of CLAY III hits CBC Newfoundland

It is Sunday afternoon and the living is easy except for those of us in the headlong mad dash to finish up details for the upcoming Matter of Clay III exhibition opening in a few more sleeps. The adrenalin got a bit of a push this morning listing to Mack Furlong on CBC Newfoundland in his interview with David Hayashida, partner with Linda Yates in King's Point Pottery. You can hear the interview at http://www.cbc.ca/wam/

There are Matter of Clay III Preparations taking place all over Canada today. In Toronto Sebastian Frye, graphic designer to Matter of Clay III, is busily working on a catalogue that is a complete visual treat. Already over 100 catalogues have been pre-ordered from all over the country with orders arriving daily. The cost of the 200+ page full colour catalogue is $50 plus s/h with a special $37.50 plus s/h until September 2. The catalogue, in a limited edition run of 500, is destined to be a real collector's delight as it includes the maker's mark, an element that truly enhances the catalogues for serious collectors and novices alike.

Brian is busily occupied at the moment measuring the myriad of offerings that have been flooding into the gallery for weeks. In Chatham our web specialist from Spur of the Moment Media is ensuring that the allure of Matter of Clay III continues with regular updates to the specially dedicated Matter of Clay events page. Judy Blake emailed this morning and she and husband Rick are on the road again headed to London Ontario from Lincoln New Brunswick. Peter Thomas of New Brunswick isn't able to attend but he has taken advantage of any remaining space in their car to send additional work.

Alain Bonneau of Carignan Quebec called this morning to say that the car is packed and ready to go. The limited edition tureen 'Pea Soup' originally designed in 1979 and reintroduced after much pleading on our part in a special limited edition of 40 is all made and ready to go. 31 have been pre-sold and there are only four black left at $2,000 each and the very limited edition green at a premium price of $2.500 with #40 selling for $3,000. This is a true Canadian classic.

Pat Webber of Salt Spring Island has already left the island and is currently in Montreal before she too heads off to London. Meira Mathison and husband Logan, who btw celebrate their wedding anniversary tomorrow, are currently enroute to Victoria to pack for their departure Tuesday where a suite awaits them at the London Delta Armouries. Louise Card and Craig Rogers of the Nanaimo are also currently in Ontario and will be heading off to London Tuesday.

Miss Conception, Drag Queen Extraordinaire, having just finished the Toronto to Montreal Aids Ride for Life is probably resting up before wowing the SRO reception at Scot's Corner. Scot's is our sponsor pub and will be the place to see Canada's top ceramic artists as they party hearty during the opening week festivities of Matter of Clay III. Over half of the 102 participating artists are attending the grand by invitation reception at the gallery on Thursday August 4. Already there are confirmations coming in from all over the country.

The excitement is not only at the Jonathon Bancroft-Snell Gallery as just a hop, skip and a jump away from the gallery is theLondon Potters' Guild where preparations are going strong for the workshops series with artists Gordon Hutchens BC, John Chalke Ab and Valerie Metcalfe MB. The series is a almost sold out .

Stephen, my better half, in a wise move to retain his sanity has headed off to Florida for the weekend to rest up before getting himself immersed in helping organise the biggest ceramic arts party in Canada. He has taken a week off work to assist in airport pick ups, train arrivals and essentially all the things that need to be done to ensure a good time is head by all.

Attic Books has put up a wonderful display of Newfoundland artist Reed Weir. Sculptures from the critically acclaimed exhibition Flood at Furnace Cove are currently on display, where else but in the west window along with a selection of works by noted Newfoundland writers. The east window, appropriately enough, is home to a selection of ceramic works by British Columbia artist Laurie Rolland. Laurie's incredible ceramic boats are beautifully displayed among books pertaining to boat building and British Columbia. The display nicely encapsulate the coast to coast aspect of Matter of Clay III.

Anyway I have to get back to work or the catalogue will never  be ready for printing tomorrow morning. No rest today!

Matter of Clay III Update - June 25

Okay we are heading into the home stretch leading up to the opening of 2011's Matter of Clay III August 4. It would be understating it to say that we are merely excited. It goes beyond that as this will not only be the third Matter of Clay exhibition it will also officially mark ten years of concerted effort of getting the word out that there is an exciting viable clay art scene in Canada. It is an art scene that embraces all of Canada from Reed Weir's perch on an outcropping of the Newfoundland coast called Robinson's to Mary Fox in Ladysmith British Columbia where she is  now ensconced in her newly designed home and studio. It is a scene that includes Astrid Kruse in the Northwest Territories and our southernmost artist Bernadette Pratt in our own London, Ontario.

The ceramic mosaic that is Matter of Clay III includes artists that have immigrated to Canada from all parts of the world as well as First Nations. They are united in a quest for excellence and their output ranges from the the functional to the wildly abstracted. They are all ages. The eldest is Dean Mullavey from North Hatley, Quebec whose professional career has had him kiln hopping in some of the most famous kilns in North America: Gaetan Beaudin's, Otto & Vivika Heino's to say nothing of an anecdotal moment with the iconic Beatrice woods in her studio when she was 100. Beatrice, who died at 104, was often asked the key to her longevity. Her oft-repeated reply was 'I owe it all to chocolate and young men, not necessarily in that order" Dean was the first person I have met who had heard the phrase straight from her lips.

There are currently over 100 artists participating and it was a thrill to finally be able to persuade Ron Roy to participate. Ron is a noted glaze specialist and prying some work out of him for the Matter of Clay exhibition took some doing. Fortunately I was aided and abetted by Liz Willoughby, another artist participating in the exhibition. They are delivering the work to the gallery on Monday. That'll be a good reason to open a bottle of wine.

Diane Brouilette has just connected to let us know that her pieces are on the way. I am hoping there will be one of her exquisite little teapots. I was too slow off the mark at a past exhibition and missed out on acquiring a sweet little purple teapot that I can still see just out of my grasp.

Puffins are making a huge hit in London. Reed Weir of Newfoundland made 100 of the little guys and they are a flock that is rapidly diminishing. it would appear that Londoners are puffin mad and we are selling them by the colony! They are cute and totally irresistible  and, like potato chips, you can't stop at just one!

It is a wee bit busy so I am going to sign off for now and will get back to you on Monday!

Back from Victoria & Fired-Up! annual exhibition

Brian and I arrived back Tuesday May 31st on the WestJet red-eye from Victoria where we had been since Wednesday May 25th attending and participating in the 27th annual Fired-Up exhibition at the Metchoisin hall. It was an extraordinary time. This year's exhibition was titled "Axis of Art", a phase I coined  to describe the relationship between Creator-Connector-Collector.

It was the first time the gallery has traveled out of London to exhibit and it was the first time that Fired-Up had invited a gallery to participate in their annual exhibition. It was also the first time that Fired-Up had allowed work by artists from outside of BC to participate. Brian and I brought a selection of work from across Canada. We would have loved to have brought examples from all the artists we represent but it wouldn't have been practical. Our goal was to provide a taste of what is available in London, Ontario and to promote our upcoming event "Matter of Clay III" August 4- Sept 2. Matter of Clay is held every five years and this year the number of artists participating is over 100. More about that later as I really want to let you know about our BC Fired-Up! experience. In short: It was amazing!!!

If you don't know who the Fired-Up! members are then check out their website www.firedup.ca There are eleven core members: Marlene Bowman, Pat Webber, Alan Burgess, Glenys Marshall-Inman Gordon Hutchens, Meg Burgess, Cathi Jefferson, Susan Delatour Lepoidevin, Gary Merkel, Meira Mathison, and Kinichi Shigeno. They are awesome! They are a group bound by quality and a desire to educate. Their work runs the gamut from functional to wildly abstracted. I believe that as a group they may be unique in Canada. Certainly it is the only group that i represent in its' entirety.

As a departure from their normal event schedule the exhibition opened on Thursday evening and attendance was strong right up to the exhibition closing on Sunday at 4 PM. A wonderful article by Times Colonist art critic Robert Amos certainly was a factor in drawing in the crowds. you can read his article at http://www.timescolonist.com/travel/fired+over+rock+stars+pottery/4842480/story.html .

I also had the pleasure of meeting Robert Amos. He is an artist in his own right who has been creating a visual record  of Victoria over the years. Robert has also published a book featuring artists' studios and though Walter Dexter RCA was not an artist featured in his book "Artists in Their Studios" he did photograph Walter's studios both in Metchoisin and in Victoria. You should check it out at http://www.robertamos.com/Robert_2011/Books.html. I am looking forward to getting to know Robert better as it is always a pleasure to meet some one with a passion and Robert certainly has a passion for Victoria and the art of Vancouver Island. Speaking of people and passion I also got to meet Diane Carr. Diane ran a gallery in Victoria in the seventies.called The Potter's Wheel. It was fascinating hearing from her stories about the fine craft scene in Victoria as it is always fascinating to hear from people who harbour a passion.

Brian Cooke, the gallery curator, manager and without whom I would be lost, arranged a selection of work from across Canada. It was not as extensive as we would have liked but time and space create limits within which we had to work. Brian's passion for the work of Goyer-Bonneau of Quebec was full exposed by the enthusiasm he showed describing and selling the re-issue of 'Pea-Soup' a tureen first designed in 1979 and reissued this year in a limited edition of 40. Brian sold six in Victoria bringing to 31 the number currently spoken for. There are 4 left at $2,000 before they jump to $2,500. It is truly a Canadian Classic and if you are interested in getting one please act soon! It took us eight years to get Alain and Denise to agree to reissue it and we have sold 31 since May 2!

A trip to Victoria without seeing Walter Dexter would be incomplete. It was wonderful seeing Walter and of course now that I am writing a book on Walter it was particularly important that we connect. I came a way with some wonderful ephemera that will help in finishing off the book. the soft launch of  "DEXTER - studio artist" is slated to coincide with the opening of "Matter of Clay III" August 4th. The Ronald Frye publishing house in Toronto will be handling the publication and the passion of Sebastian Frye will ensure a quality book

As I said "Fired-Up!'s 27th annual exhibition was amazing. My theory 'Axis of Art' certainly had a baptism by fire and came through stronger than ever. The truth of the matter is we got to put to test the concept in ways that I had not imagined possible. The nuances of the Axis of Art definitely deserve a good bottle of wine to enhance the experience.

Here it is Saturday afternoon and Susan MacAlpine-Foshay is probably just getting ready to land in Halifax. Susan, former director of the Mary E Black gallery in Halifax and former gallery owner, graciously gave up two weeks of her time to come to London and run the gallery while Brian and I were away. It was very reassuring being away knowing that the gallery was in her capable hands.

While in Victoria we also got to see Mary Fox from Ladysmith. Mary is a wonderful artist and sculptor and she will be flying out to attend the opening of  "Matter of Clay III" in August. Actually we also bumped into Louise Card and her husband Craig Rogers both are planning to attend and both will be represented in the exhibition.

I probably have a lot more to say but think I had better close off but not before commenting on the wonderful people of the island who attended the exhibition and regaled us with stories of their connections to Fired-Up!, the artists and their work. Remembering that relationships are what make a successful "Axis of Art" it is important to acknowledge all those that came to view and support this year's 27th annual exhibition. Thank you one and all and to all a good day!

Jonathon

Victoria and Fired-Up! Axis of Art

Time is starting to accelerate. Only a few more days before Brian and I head off to Victoria for the opening of the Fired-Up! 27th anniversary exhibition at the Metchoisin Community Centre at 4401 William Head Road. I am really looking forward to this event. It has been in the works for a year now and all the hard work of the Fired-Up! members is about to bear fruit. This is a first as not only will there be incredible work by the eleven core members but for the first time there will be work by other leading ceramic artists. Brian and I have sent work by Reed Weir (NL), Judy Blake (NB), Goyer-Bonneau RCA (PQ), Zsuzsa Monostory (ON), as well as a number of other artists.

Another reason for excitement is the soft launch of "Walter Dexter - Studio Artist" the first in a series of books on Canadian ceramic artists authored by myself. Using Walter's incredible torso vases as a catalyst for the story the book will trace his career from its beginnings in Alberta up to now. A remarkable artist this lavishly illustrated book is a must-have for anyone interested in the rich history of ceramic art in Canada.

Join us opening night, Thursday May 26th,  starting at 6PM>

Goyer Bonneau Tureen - A Canadian Classic

Goyer Bonneau designed, in 1979, a tureen titled "French Pea Soup". It is an incredible design and was juried into a travelling exhibition hosted by Campbell Soup titled "Soup, Soup, Beautiful Soup!" that toured for two years in the early eighties. Brian and I have been bugging them for almost ten years to reintroduce the tureen as we both love the design. Finally May 2nd, 2011 we received an email and a photo telling us that the first tureen was ready. Alain and Denise decided that the edition would be limited to 40, the number of  unused handles left from 1979. The price? #'s 1 to 10 $450 (sold out in hours) #'s 11 to 20 $550 (sold out by May 14th) #'s 21 to 30 $650 (only seven left at this price). The final ten will be $2,000 each. This is truly a Canadian Classic created with cultural content as many of their designs are. The name referenced the slang term used to describe Frenchmen.

It is with great pleasure that we present the reintroduction of "French Pea Soup" in black porcelain.

Fired Up Exhibition Opens May 26th

We are now ten days away from opening night of Fired-Up! Axis of Art in Victoria BC. Brian and I are excited to be the first ceramic art gallery asked to participating their annual exhibition now in its 27th year! Not only is this an opportunity to see the latest work from the core members of Fired Up it will also be an opportunity for people to see work by artists from other provinces. We have shipped out work from:

Bruce Cochrane RCA Ontario, Astrid Kruse NWT. Reed Weir NL, Ann Mortimer RCA Ontario, Jane Wilson Ontario, Zsuzsa Monostory Ontario, Judy Blake New Brunswick, Goyer Bonneau  RCA Quebec, Ann Beam Ontario, Renee Gagnon Quebec, Mimi Cabri  RCA Ontario, Sarah Link RCA Ontario, Judy Donaldson Ontario, Audrey Killoran Quebec, Roger Kerslake Ontario, Harlan House RCA Ontario, Liz Willoughby Ontario, Sean Kuntz Alberta

This will provide an incredible opportunity for the public to see not only ceramics created by the talented Fired Up! Members but also by other leading ceramic artists from across the country.

Opening night this year is on Thursday night and many of our clients and friends from Ontario and Michigan are flying out to attend. 

The theme this year is the "Axis of Art", the relationship between Creator-Connector-Collector. Take advantage of a wonderful opportunity to meet the creators, get involved with the connector and meet other collectors. Opportunities like this are few and far between so take advantage and go!