2010 Canadian Clay Symipositim

It seems hard to believe six: «ie:
almost three years of planning and organizing, the 5th Canadian
Clay Symposium has come and gone. On March 13, 2010, more
than 300 participants, volunteers, and organizers gathered at the
Shadbolt Center in Burnaby to listen and watch as presenters
from across Canada, the U.S., and Australia showed their work
on the theme of aesthetics,

An air of excitement filled the beautiful atrium on Saturday
morning as potters gathered, reconnecting with each other,
discussing the upcoming day’s events and viewing the exhibits
set up for the symposium. In addition to panel discussion,
slide presentations and demonstrations of working techniques,

Photo by Keith Rice-Jones

Jack Troy (keynote speaker) is a teacher, potter, and writer, who participants were treated to displays of ceramic work by all of

retired from Juniata College in 2006, where he taught for 39 years.
He has led over 185 workshops for potters at colleges, universities,
and art centers in the U. S. and abroad.

the presenters, and the always popular, ever fascinating ceramic
Roadshow, made up of contributions from the collections of the
participants. Commercial booths by ceramic suppliers, sum-
mer schools and residencies rounded out the activities in the
atrium, where sculptor Kathy Venter from Saltspring Island
created large-scale figurative forms. A highlight for many was the
keynote presentation at the end of the day by poet, potter, and
educator Jack Troy from Pennsylvania, whose moving essay about
aesthetics and the nature of objects painted mental images for the
audience. Carol Mayer, from the UBC Museum of Anthropology
gave moving tributes to Jean Fahrni and Stan Clarke and present-
eda lifetime achievement award to a very surprised Robin Hopper.
For all the ceramic artists and potters working in relative
isolation in our province, the symposium presents a chance to
reconnect with the community, share knowledge, and return

inspired and energized to our work.

—Fredi Rahn

Photo by Tanis Saxby

For Symposium stories,
see the next two pages.

Photo by Tanis Saxby

Kathy Venter was the artist out in the foyer with her monumental
life-size figurative sculpture. Throughout the day, Kathy worked on
body parts, demonstrating her technique of thickening areas for the
joins and working on a head using her pinching technique to build

o

Photo by Andrea Maitland

the “skin” of her figure.

Les Manning at the wheel.

Potters Guild of BC Newsletter - April 2010