POTTERS
GUILD

of BRITISH

COLUMBIA
a
NEWSLETTER

@ bc potters

March 2004 Volume 40, No.3

The Divine Comedy of Elaine Brewer-White

By Janis Foster
If life imitates art, then ceramic sculptor Elaine Brewer-White must live a life of joyful spontane-
ity, laughter and adventure.

Brewer-White, an artist/storyteller who finds inspiration in the absurdity of life and the vulner-
ability that lies beneath our Ogame' faces, creates flamboyant figurative works that illuminate
intimate moments of reflection, social interactions, relationships and situations that celebrate the
wonder of the human condition.

“Joyful is an essential part of my work,” she says. “To be joyful is to be in the moment and that's
what I am trying to do in my own life be in the moment. When I start a piece I'm not sure how
it's going to end up.”

Ten years with Theatre Sports in Calgary and Vancouver honed Brewer-White's keen observa-
tion, sense of the absurd and the ability to go with the flow. Her characters come from the
subconscious and. reveal themselves, layer by layer.

The theatre also provided the stage where Brewer-White met her husband, physical comedian
Gordon White, who is currently on tour with Cirque du Soleil.

“He's a very joyful person. We live such an unconventional lifestyle - the way we approach our

life, try to follow our path and stay true to ourselves. But we've managed pretty well to live a
middle class life.”

Reminiscent of Joe Fafard, Brewer-White's figures
display lifelike intensity. She focuses on gesture
and the contours and textures of the human fig-
ure, coupled with a selective use of colour to bring
forth an arresting human statement.

Brewer-White creates spontaneously, but purpose-
fully. Her techniques have been perfected over 20
years as a ceramic artist.Elaine Brewer-White’s

exhibition

“CHAIR MEN OF THE BORED’

is featured at the Gallery of BC Ceramics from
March 4-29", 2004. Please join us for the open-
ing reception on March 4" from 6-8pm. Every-
one welcome.

‘Charlie considered the fetch...’ approx. 14°h x 10"w
Materials - clay acrylics, enamel.