Some examples from
Studio Ceramics in Canada:

Peter Jansons, Prince Edward Island,
Nep-tuna, 1991, stoneware, 47 x 33 cm;
selected for Treasures of Canadian Craft,
the inaugural exhibition of the Canadian
Craft Museum, Vancouver, which toured
the country. The Island’s most prominent
artist in clay, Jansons has developed the
Dunes as a multifaceted gallery and stu-
dio set amid splendid gardens.

Sally Ravinda, Nova Scotia, Ship’s Jar,
1996, stoneware, coil built, rope, glaze,
73.6 x 38 x 38 cm. Ravindra came to clay
from a career in social work and has
forged a solid reputation as a ceramist and
exhibitor. Here she recreates the large
ceramic jars, packed with rice, grain, and
oil and tied down with ropes, that once
filled sailing ships in Halifax harbour.

June 2005

More Thoughts About Collecting

Without a doubt the first thing you
must do to satisfy a collector is to
attract his attention. That sounds like
a fairly simple task if you know what
his particular criterion for collecting
are.As an even more dedicated collec-
tor than retailer of ceramics I have
given this some considerable amount
of thought over the last few years and
have recently begun to gather these
thoughts.

Usually we start collecting without
much conscious effort. Something
about a piece of worked clay speaks to
us. It could be it’s shape, color, func-
tion, or anyone of many stimuli that
equate to beauty in the eye of the
beholder. I have some pieces that
amount to little more than a mound
of clay and yet not only did I stop to
look but I couldn't leave them
behind. What are some of these criteri-
on that develop as a collector realizes
that is what he’s become?

Often space is a considerable factor in
the choice of whether or not to add a
piece to a collection. My own collec-
tion has grown to 4 or 5 hundred
pieces and even though I have a large
space both at home and in my shop I
am forced to focus more and more on
what I want in a pot because of space
restrictions.About a year and a half
ago I decided I would only keep the
work done here at home in British
Columbia.That freed up a lot of space
moving out not only some few works
of other Canadians and North
Americans but also those of English,
European and especially Scandinavian
potters.

Glaze and color are very important to
most collectors. I know one man
who’s been collecting for several years
and has quite a refined collection , but
he doesnt like blue. Through trades or
just because he’s found them at such a
good price he has bought some blue
pots.He always ends up selling or
trading them ,however good they are,
because they just don’t work for him.
I've always been attracted by crys-
talline glazes even though I know very
little about them other than the sur-

face is like glass.Subsequently when I
first saw the crystalline work of Otto
Wichman I started collecting it.
Wichman apparently moved to B.C.
in the early 1940s and lived in White
Rock. I don’t know much information
about him and his career but I have a
couple dozen of his pots in beautiful
crystalline blues, greens, pinks, purples
etc. and all great shapes.

Many buyers of pots want them to
function beyond just a beauty to look
at. Just yesterday a couple from
Pennsylvania were in my shop and
bought a teapot and creamer by Cathi
Jefferson. They collect and use teapots
with cream and sugars.I sent them off
to Granville Island to check out the
Guild Gallery and other craft shops
there. Not all collectors want to use
the pots they buy ,or maybe just occa-
sionally like myself, fill a vase with
flowers, or serve guests on a beautiful
ceramic tray. To many , however,func-
tionality is of upmost importance and
will buy only pots that have been
used. This is the same as collectors of
native baskets who want only the bas-
kets that show signs of use and wear.

Functionality can be over-ridden by
decoration. A bowl can be exactly the
shape and size that will work for you
but you just can’t live with the decora-
tion] like pots with no figures on
them at all or maybe some abstracted
brush strokes well another collector
may want horses and deer, or cats and
dogs, or flowers and trees.

I guess most potters /artists make
what appeals to them and hope that
the buyer/collector who shares that
taste finds their work.

This is the beginning of putting
together some thoughts I have on col-
lecting and if it interests you or you
have thoughts you would like share
you can find me at DoDa
Antiques,434 Richards St. from
10am-5:30pm Monday through
Saturday or email me at jdis@telus.net
. Happy potting, Happy hunting.

John Lawrence

Potters Guild of British Columbia Newsletter