INSIDE: - Potters Guild of BC

Gallery of BCCeramicswww.galleryofbcceramics.comRepresenting the bestof BC CeramicsGallery ManagerSharon Cohengalleryofbcceramics@bcpotters.com604.669.3606•Hours10 a.m.to 6 p.m.•Gallery AssistantsCarita Ho, Karen Lew, Linda Lewis,Kate Metten, Dave CarlinRoxanne Gagnon, Sasha Krieger,Gala Vlasicstaff@bcpotters.com•Gallery VolunteersMaggi Kneer, Sheila Morissette,Elizabeth Claridge, Jinny Whitehead,Celia Rice-Jones•The Gallery of BC Ceramics isa gallery by potters for potters.2012 Featured ArtistsThe Featured Artist slot affords a non-juried artist the opportunity to sell work in the galleryfor a month-long period. All Guild members are eligible to apply, and may show work otherthan the mugs and tiles to which non-juried potters are usually restricted. A few time slotsremain for 2012, and we’re hoping to fill them all. The application process is simple, andno physical work needs to be submitted for evaluation. Please apply using forms postedhere: www.bcpotters.com/forms/2009_gallery_featured_artist_submission_form.pdf.The submission deadline is Dec. 15, 2011. We will include the featured artists in this space,once the list has been finalized.2011 Gallery ExhibitionsMAY: SpotteryA non-juried members' show featuring workwith a dot or spot motif. On till May 29.JUNE: First ServeEmily Carr graduates, Kelly Austin, DarcyGreiner, Emma Walter and others begin theirconversation with the ceramic community inVancouver and the art world in general.JULY: Celebrate the BowlA non-juried members’ show featuring bowlsin support of Project Empty Bowl.Dammit Rudolph, I saidno potters this year!September:Classic Forms RevisitedWorks by Mary Fox. A new interpretationof classic vase and amphora forms that haveinspired Mary's ceramics.NOVEMBER: Wide OpenA juried show of small works by members ofthe Alberta Potters Association, this exhibitionis one half of an exchange with the PottersGuild of BC.• The Gallery coordinates and curatesseveral exhibitions a year.• Every month we showcase an artist,usually someone just startinghis or her career.• We also sell the work of morethan 100 artists in the retail shop.Artists must apply to be juried;there are three deadlines annually.To download and print a GalleryJury Application, click here.For information on GalleryPolicy, click here.Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!Potters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/122

President’s MessageAnnual General meeting time for the Potters Guild of BC is fastapproaching. As you must be aware, we are always looking for talentedand enthusiastic people to join the team. We seek people who arewilling to volunteer their skills and energy, and display a commitmentto the well-being of the guild. In return, board volunteers experiencethe pleasure of serving and shaping an organization they believe in,and working with people who share similar values.In March, three long-time board members, including myself, willbe stepping down. In order to maintain the high level of activity onyour behalf we need at least three new members to replace them. Iask you to seriously consider joining the team. I can honestly tell youthat I feel richly rewarded by my time on the board and I believe thatothers have too. Please contact me or any other board member forinformation about joining.Best wishes for the holiday season.—Jinny WhiteheadGallery News By Sharon CohenAs we gear up for Christmas, we wind downfor the year, and are currently enjoying our lastexhibition of 2011. Talk about going out witha bang! To continue the explosive imagery, it’strue that dynamite comes in small packages.Alberta in a Box, in its current incarnation ofthe Wide Open exhibition, boasts some reallyspectacular miniature works on display Nov.12 to Dec. 1. We’re proud to host this showwhile the Alberta Potters’ Association hostedour BC-in-a-Box 3: The Edge of Here exhibitionOct. 5 to 26. I guess it’s just as well the pieceswe’re displaying here in the gallery are not forsale, because, if they were, I’d bankrupt myself.There are so many “have-to-have” beautifulpieces. As is always the case with a group show(and one of many reasons why I love the groupshows), there’s a huge range and incrediblediversity, both in aesthetics and in technique.There are some smoke-fired pieces, some saltglazedand some naked raku. Some pieces arefunctional, but the majority are decorative,including several wall tiles. The sculpturalpieces range from whimsical (a chicken drivinga car, I’m not kidding!) to artistic (a perfectlyrenderednude male torso) to evocative (ahead with exposed “brain” in the grip of somemalevolent force). There’s even a book with aclay cover—very innovative.Thank you to our juried artists who broughtin teapots for our Christmas “Teapot and Mug”section, and to all members who brought inmugs. Jessie Tse and Eryn Prospero are ournewest mug artists (welcome!), and NevenaGiljanovic brought her mugs in for the firsttime earlier this year. Nevena’s charming anddelightful mugs have sold up a storm. We’vehad to get new work from her several times.While giving thanks, I’d like to thank all ofour gallery artists, supporters and volunteersfor your contributions over the year. A specialthank you to our gallery staff; I think weThe miniature delights of Wide Open, courtesy of the Alberta Potters’ Association.have a great team, and I’m lucky to have suchwonderful co-workers. I hope that 2012 willbe positive and successful for us all. I wish youeverything of the best for Christmas and thenew year – happy holidays.Potters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/123

Two Interesting Exhibitions of Craft in CanadaBy Amy GogartyAfter several decades of being consigned to the desert of artisticindifference (at least as far as museums are concerned!), craft is suddenlya hot topic. Two exhibitions this fall highlight the range of work onview. The Modern Eye: Craft and Design in Canada 1940-1980, curatedby Allan Collier at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria July 22 to Nov. 27(see more images in the August 2011 PGBC newsletter), casts a widebut idiosyncratic eye over the wealth of Canadian interior design andfine craft that graced homes and commercial sites in the post-war era.Precise: Craft Refined, curated by Helen Delacrataz at the Winnipeg ArtGallery Sept. 10 to Jan. 15 examines the work of five contemporarymakers, all of whom incorporate highly refined skills and precisioninto their aesthetic and working process.The two shows are quite different, but together they make acompelling case for such exhibitions, offering insight into the richnessand diversity of quality work available to curators in Canada today.One can only hope that more museums (did I mention the VAG?Naughty me!) sit up and take notice.Modern Eye includes over 200 objects of design and craft that revealCanada’s response to modernism after WWII. During this time,demand for housing and consumer goods expanded as the economyimproved and new materials became available to manufacturers.Concurrently, opportunities for designers addressing commercialestablishments such as airports, offices, universities and hospitals alsoimproved. Exhibitions such as Expo 67 in Montreal and the MilanTriennale internationally provided venues to showcase Canadiandesign. The Canadian government played a major role in supportingnew design initiatives through the National Gallery, the Departmentof Reconstruction and Supply and the Department of Industry. Thishistory is usefully presented in Collier’s well-written and informativecatalogue, and one cannot help but wonder how the lack of suchinterest and support impacts today.According to gallery staff, the exhibition provided a heady dose ofnostalgia for many visitors, who recalled such desks, chairs, coffeetables and tableware from their childhood homes. While nostalgiamight govern many a response, I was struck by the ingenuity, cleveruse of materials and simple utility that characterized much of the work.That it was all Canadian-designed and manufactured set me dreamingabout an all-Canadian Ikea that might have been.Sadly, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Commerce closed Canada’sDesign Centres in Toronto and Montreal in 1970, and, with changesin taste and global economics, much of this design and manufacturingceased. Collier concludes that exhibitions such as this coincide witha resurging interest in mid-century modernism and contribute to agreater awareness of Canada’s role at this time.Much of the furniture is arranged as one might have found it in adepartment store or international exhibition, perhaps in emulation ofthe historical exhibitions represented in photographs in the catalogueand on view in the show. For potters, the ceramics are surely thehighlight, and most of these are in cases where they can be closelyscrutinized. They include small-scale industrial production by Hycroftin Alberta and Céramique de Beauce in Québec as well as studiopotters from across the country. B.C. artists Olea Davis, Walter Dexter,Hilda Ross, Thomas Kakinuma, Stan Clark, Leonard Osborne, SantoMignosa, Tam Irving, Avery Huyghe, Wayne Ngan, Michael HenryOlea Davis, Blue Pod #2, stoneware bottle, Vancouver, BC, c.1967.Collection of the Confederation Centre Art Gallery. Purchased, 1967.and others were represented by very attractive and innovative works,showing the influence of Modern design on our studio potters. LukeLindoe, Walter Drohan and Ed Drahanchuk from Alberta, Jack Sures,Folmer Hansen and David Ross of the Hansen-Ross Pottery fromSaskatchewan and potters from Ontario and Québec provide a Canadawidecontext for considering this work. All works are illustrated inthe catalogue, which is a bonus that would have had more value hadthe images been better colour-corrected. In certain cases, the workis unrecognizable from the photograph, although, happily, the workitself is generally much better.Precise: Craft Refined showcases the work of five artists working incraft media and explores precision as a working methodology andaesthetic. Interestingly, I was on my way to attending a conference thatincluded a panel on “Sloppy Craft,” so this provided a strongly curatedalternative point of view. The artists are Teresa Burrows, Jane Kidd, CalLane, Kye-Yeon Son and Greg Payce. Viewers in the Vancouver regionmight recognize all but Lane from the Unity and Diversity exhibitionin Cheonju, Korea and Vancouver in 2009. All this work engagestime-consuming labour, skill, finesse, intricacy and exactitude. As aresult, none of it is “expressive” in the conventional sense, yet eachartist invests his or her work with a strong conceptual presence.Burrows, who worked as a parole officer and addictions counselor,addresses issues of marginalized women through elaborately beadedcostumes with images referencing First Nations, religious symbolsContinued on Page 5, Portraits of womenPotters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/124

Portraits of women, Continued from Page 4and portraits of women who have disappeared or been murdered. Thecostumes are richly coloured and elaborately detailed. While they dealwith very uncomfortable subject matter, they are exquisitely beautifulas objects. Jane Kidd, who taught for many years at the Alberta Collegeof Art in Calgary and who has recently relocated to Salt Spring Island,brings her extraordinary skills as a tapestry weaver to panels that engageissues of ecology, historical textiles and the responsibility of individualsto create an ethical and balanced life within the complexities anddemands of the world. Combining strong colour, graphic imagery andde corative pattern, her series Land Sentence explores the contradictoryimplications of a word that suggests both communication andincarceration.Decoration also dominates the work of Cal Lane, who cuts delicatepatterns into industrial artifacts such as oil tanks, shovels and wheelbarrows, transforming objects ordinarily thought of as solid andfunctional into lacy, doily-like confections. She also exhibits ghostly“rust prints” created by laying cut steel forms onto wet canvas,extending in a very effective way the fruits of her labour. Delicacy ofanother sort is achieved by Kye-Yeon Son, who creates fantasy vesselsfrom thin silver wire, which she plaits and twists into flower-like formsthat express growth and renewal. Son is the 2011 recipient of the SaidyeBronfman Governor General’s Award. Greg Payce is represented by hissignature thrown forms, the complex profiles of which create figuresin the negative spaces between vessels. The exhibition also includeshis newest work, lenticular photographs and videos created fromdecorative imagery projected onto the turning porcelain forms of hismulti-vessel installation Albedo.Precise succeeds as an exhibition because it engages both process andconcept; indeed it points to the essential interpenetration of concept,material and process in craft practice. It also draws connections betweenmaterial practices that are often exhibitedseparately as specific mediums. In this, it issimilar to Modern Eye, which also looks atcraft and design practice across a spectrum.Both institutions are to be commended forthe care and attention they give to the work,making it possible for us to both celebrate andconstruct histories of our disciplines.ABOVE: Cal Lane, Untitled, 2009. Two plasma-cut shovels.Collection of Art Mûr. BELOW: Kye-Yeon Son, Anticipating, 2007.Sterling silver. Private collection.The Precise Craft catalogue is available fromWinnipeg Art Gallery Shop (online www.wag.ca) or 204.789.1769. It is also distributedthrough ABC Art Books, and The ModernEye is available from phoning the Art Galleryof Greater Victoria at 250.384.7012. For moreinfo on the gallery see http://aggv.ca.Join thePGBC BoardFounded in 1955, the Guild has continuedto fulfill its mandate with a positive impacton the clay community in British Columbia.Through the commitment and generosity ofits volunteers it continues to move forward asa strong and forward thinking organization.You can play a key role in shaping thisorganization by joining the Board ofDirectors at the March 2012 AGM.For more information on roles and responsibilities, please contact any Board mem -ber. Contact info, see newsletter back page.Potters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/125

Gratifying, Cont'd from Page 6Heather Dahl’s work is showcased at One-of-a-Kind.At this year’s market, it was gratifying tosee quite a few of our gallery artists: CathiJefferson, Mary Fox, Junichi Tanaka, GordonHutchens, Laura van der Linde and MatthewFreed, most of them regulars.I know that Junichi participates in morethan one show, so I asked him which shows heselects. All, I guess! If it’s a big show, Junichiis there! In addition to showing at CircleCraft, he participates in One-of-a-Kind inToronto, and also some big trade shows inthe U.S.A. throughout the year. The logisticsare not for the faint-hearted. One-of-a-Kindis eleven days long. It requires Junichi toship almost thirty boxes of work to Toronto.Whatever he doesn’t sell he has to ship back.He needs to get himself there too, and pay foraccommodation for almost two weeks. Noteasy, to say the least. But it works for him.He doesn’t participate in any of the smallershows. For Junichi, it’s “go big or go home”!Laura van der Linde and Cathi Jeffersonboth favour Circle Craft over One-of-a-Kind.Their reasons are the same: Circle Craft islocal, it’s a co-op, it’s been good to artistsand artisans for almost 40 years. Moneyraised at the show goes back into the coop,and is used to support the Circle CraftGallery on Granville Island. Laura addsthat the organisation provides good storagefacilities, is extremely well organised and veryeffectively promoted. Conversely, both artistsfeel that One-of-a-Kind is all about business;the American organisers don’t care about craft.Cathi feels this big biz venture would liketo oust Circle Craft altogether, giving themlicence to “treat artists badly”. (Cathi said“you can quote me on that!”, so I just did!)An artist friend of Cathi’s who participates inOne-of-a-Kind in Toronto feels that CircleCraft is actually the best craft show in thecountry. According to Cathi, the publicity theshow garners for fine craft is invaluable, andshe values the educational role Circle Crafttakes on. They maintain high standards. Theyprovide younger artists with the opportunityto come on board by offering subsidisedbooths to those less established and less ableto afford the participation fees.It seems that most of the younger artiststend to favour the smaller craft shows, such asShiny, Fuzzy, Muddy, Got Craft?, Make It!,Toque and Portobello West. At these shows,you’ll find a younger clientele and you’ll findwares with lower price tags (for the most part).What does Cathi Jefferson think of theseshows? Not a lot! She regards the participantsmore as hobbyists than artists, and feels thatthey do the craft movement a disservice withtheir low prices and “poor quality”.Laura van der Linde participates in someof the smaller shows too, but not the onesmentioned above. She feels that sometimesthe smaller shows can be more profitable inthat the participation fees are lower. Farmers’markets and studio shows work quite wellfor her. In her opinion, the proliferation ofnew shows “leaves the audience confused andexhausted”, and that it all makes for a “dilutedspending experience”.Continued on Page 8, The CrawlPotters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/127

The Crawl, Continued from Page 7Somewhere in between the mega CircleCraft show and the tiny Toque show lies theannual Vancouver East Side Culture Crawl(www.eastsideculturecrawl.com) with JinnyWhitehead a keen participant. Jinny feels thisevent is popular and well attended for severalreasons: it’s free (no admission price), it has ahuge selection and variety of work, it allowsvisitors to see inside the artists’ studios, andpeople can “make a day of it”. The smallercraft shows, in Jinny’s opinion, have not had ahuge impact on her success at the Crawl. Shefeels that the audience at the Crawl changes,and that it’s varied, too. There are collectorsand fine arts aficionados, and also the “craftfair” types of shoppers who are less discerning.Many visitors recognise quality, and are awarethat the work they see is not always availablein galleries, though frequently of gallerystandard.So would Jinny Whitehead considerparticipating in Circle Craft or One-of-a-Kind? Apparently not. She feels she doesn’tproduce a high enough volume of work,and also enjoys the fact that, having theCrawl in her own studio, there’s no issuewith transporting work, and there’s plenty ofspace. Transport and limited display space isdefinitely an issue at the large shows, but thepositives obviously outweigh the drawbacksfor Circle Craft and One-of-a-Kind.We’ve heard from some of the CircleCraft show folks, so let’s hear from a Oneof-a-Kindparticipant. Heather Dahl will beparticipating in One-of-a-Kind for the secondtime this year, having never participated ina Circle Craft show. When asked why sheprefers the “new kid on the block” as opposedto its well-established “rival”, Heather statesthat she feels One-of-a-Kind draws a youngeraudience, and that their marketing is bettersuited to her needs and her work. If you’refresh and new, with no history, One-of-a-Kind is a better fit.Heather also feels that the other artistsin the show have an aesthetic and outlookmore compatible with her own. The timingis preferable too, in her opinion, it’s muchcloser to Christmas; it’s a good time to shop.Heather states that the organisers are verysupportive of her and her work, and shebenefited enormously from their marketing,which frequently showcased her work. Theformidable reputation (“phenomenal”,according to Heather!) of One-of-a-Kind inToronto (where the show began) was alsoinfluential in Heather’s decision to participate.One-of-a-Kind has come under fire for beingtoo big, too corporate and not local, butapparently it was started in Toronto by twoCanadians, and has subsequently been takenover by an American company. Its roots are inthe right place!In some ways, Heather Dahl feels that CircleCraft works better for the established artists(Cathi Jefferson has been participating for 25years) and that it’s harder for newcomers to jointhe fold. She’s never applied, though. She feelsthat Circle Craft may be a bit traditional forher. At One-of-a-Kind, Heather welcomes theopportunity to speak to the young shoppers,many of whom are IKEA customers, and toopen their eyes to the beauty and value of thehand-made. She feels there’s an educationalrole to play, and it’s important to take that on.“Older people are lovely,” she says, “but theydon’t have any room in their cupboards!”From the consumer’s perspective, I enjoyall the shows, and I go to them all. I like thevariety and diversity in terms of each show’sunique personality, each one appeals to me fordifferent reasons. The only drawback, and thisis an accusation that I level equally at all theshows, is that they severely bankrupt me everyyear without fail!CreteMoroccoBurmaOct. 8-23, 2012 Nov. 5-26, 2012 January 2013PotteryDiscussionGroupHello all you pot freaks…oh, I meanPottery Freaks :)….At our last meetingit was decided that it would be better tohave our next meeting in December ratherthan January as then our Christmas craftfairs and studio sales would be fresh in ourminds…all the better for the annual postmortem of what worked and what didn't.So we will be meeting on Dec. 11 at 1p.m. As it's pre-Christmas we thoughtwe might celebrate with one another andso bringing food treats would be mostwelcome.If you've been thinking about joiningus but haven't yet, don't be bashful, we'rea welcoming group.Potterly yours,—Mary Fox, maryfox@shaw.caPotters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/128

The NWCF Thrown Panel By Debra Sloan120 artisansFrom Across CanadaShow hoursFriday - Sunday 10am - 6pmMonday 10am - 5pmCall ForArtist SubmissionApplications on-lineDeadline for submissionFebruary 10, 2012On Friday, Sept. 9, the North-WestCeramics Foundation sponsored a paneldiscussion at Emily Carr University on therecently-published book Thrown: BritishColumbia’s Apprentices of Bernard Leach andtheir Contemporaries. The book was edited byScott Watson, Naomi Sawada and Jana Tynerand published in 2011 by the Morris andHelen Belkin Art Gallery at the Universityof British Columbia. The well-attended eventwas chaired by NWCF President Ron Vallis,and the panel consisted of Belkin curatorScott Watson, Emily Carr faculty memberPaul Mathieu and retired faculty member andlong-time potter Tam Irving.The book grew out of a very successfulexhibition held at the Belkin in 2004 thatincluded some 600 studio pots made byLeach apprentices Glenn Lewis, John Reeve,Michael Henry and Ian Steele as well as byBC ceramists influenced by these apprenticesincluding Charmian Johnson, Gathie Falk,Wayne Ngan and others. Works for theexhibition were selected from collectionsaround BC and Canada, with some literallybeing taken out of their owners’ dishwashers.Archival photographs, letters and othermaterials contributed to the understandingand context of the exhibition and thesubsequent publication.Heated discussionAn especially interesting and heateddiscussion arose among the participantsregarding whether or not ceramics should becollected by museums. Scott Watson expressedthe opinion that pottery is kept alive throughuse, and museums are a sort of tomb for thework. Paul Mathieu keenly disagreed, statingthat it is in museums and galleries that ceramicsbecome valued additions to the artistic lexicon,and that by collecting ceramics, museums andgalleries contribute to the value and contextof these works. Tam Irving brought in adifferent perspective, suggesting that ceramicsgo through different stages of function,beginning with use and then finding a newrole to play in being displayed, especially asthe work gains provenance. Julie York askedwhether or not museums dedicated to craft orceramics are perhaps more appropriate placesto preserve these collections, and she alsosuggested that ceramics could spend moretime developing the sort of discourse the artworld admires and through which museumsjustify their collections of art.Interesting EveningIt was a very interesting evening wheredifferent schools of thought about art andthe material arts crossed paths. Watson, whohas long experience with the contemporaryart world, was attracted to this particulargroup of potters on account of the socialand political principles that created theircommunity and propelled their art practice.He is also intrigued by the abstract nature ofthe life of these objects, their making and theiruse. While this is a challenging position forceramists to absorb, it is a very interesting andprovocative point, one that we hope potters inour guild and beyond will contemplate.Check out the blogIf you have an opinion about whether ornot pots should be collected by museums orleft out to be used by the people who treasurethem, or if you attended the panel but did notget a chance to express your point of view, logon to our BC-in-a-box blog (which is usuallyreserved for stories about our exhibitionas it travels in Alberta and B.C., see:www.bcinabox.blogspot.com) and have yoursay. It would be very interesting to hear fromour members—if we get some interestingideas, we’ll print them in the next newsletter.Potters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/129

ClayLinesCelebrating Success in our communityExhibition, CoquitlamJan. 5 to 28When Imagination Meets Clay, by KwaiSang Wong (Winnie Chen). Teapot &Reliefs. Opening Reception: Thursday,Jan. 5, 2012; 7 to 9 p.m. at the Place desArts Atrium Gallery, 1120 Brunette Ave., Coquitlam, BC V3K 1G2,604.664.1636, www.placedesarts.caCall for Entry:2012 Wearable Art AwardsDeadline: Dec. 2The Port Moody Arts Centre Wearable Art Awards is not afashion show it is a multi-media performance where the humanbody becomes a living, breathing, moving canvas. We are lookingfor more than a “pretty dress.” We are asking you to go deep intoyour imagination to create a wearable piece of art that challengeswhat most consider wearable or everyday fashion. More info:http://www.pomoarts.ca/events/wearable-art-awardsCALL FOR ARTISTS, CoquitlamDeadline: Feb. 3, 2012Place des Arts is currently accepting proposals for its 2013gallery exhibitions. Deadline for submissions is Friday, February3, 2012. Place des Arts welcomes submissions in 2D and 3Dmedia and techniques including fibre arts, pottery, sculpture,painting, photography, prints and drawings. For details see:www.placedesarts.ca or call exhibitions programmer MichelleChan at 604.664.1636 ext. 32 or mchan@placedesarts.ca.Call for Entry, PGBC MembersDeadline: Mar. 1, 2012Exhibition: Up the Garden Path, April 7 to 30, 2012A juried group show open to all PGBC members, to be hostedby the Gallery of BC Ceramics. The exhibition will showcasevessels and sculptures specifically for use in the garden.We’re looking for planters, sculptures, rocks, bird baths, birdhouses, bird feeders, lanterns, fountains, frogs, snails - anythingthat can be used in a garden setting. All work must be for sale.Application forms will be posted on the guild website atwww.bcpotters.com/Guild/callsforentry_guild.php early nextyear. Applications must be received by Mar. 1, 2012, and physicalwork must be delivered to the gallery between Mar. 15 and Mar.25. Jurying of pieces for the exhibition will take place on Mar. 28,2012. Please let the Gallery know by the end of January 2012 ifyou wish to take part in this exhibition. Notices of intention toparticipate can be emailed to galleryofbcceramics@bcpotters.com.—Gallery of BC Ceramics Exhibitions CommitteeSubmissions for the February2012 PGBC newsletterPlease get your articles and ads in to Melany by Jan. 20 at thelatest for the Feb. 1 newsletter. If you submit your material afterthat date, it may have to wait till next month's newsletter. Submissionscan be sent to editor@bcpotters.com.Remember, there is no newsletter in January.The first newsletter in 2012 will be published Feb. 1.The Slab ManCometh Closer!By Keith Rice-JonesSign-ups for Jim Robison’s workshop at the Shadbolt Centre inBurnaby on March 24 and 25 are well underway, so don’t delay!Jim will also be part of the North-West Ceramics Foundation’sSpeaker Series, and make a note of this: his free presentation at EmilyCarr University will be on the Thursday, March 22 at 7 p.m., not onthe Friday as previously advertised. For more info, see www.nwcf.ca.Jim, who is actually an American, will talk broadly about his ownlong-time situation as a potter in Britain as well as the studio potteryscene there, including the remarkable Ismay collection of British studiopottery. He knew Bill Ismay, a Yorkshire librarian who built up oneof the world’s biggest and best collections of 20th century ceramics,and was involved in getting the collection to York Art Gallery (see:www.yorkartgallery.org.uk/Page/ViewCollection.aspx?CollectionId=5). Jim is also a Fellow of the Craft PottersAssociation in Britain.Jim Robison has an enormous fund of knowledge and his ways ofworking with slabs will really push your ideas. He is the author ofLarge Scale Ceramics and more recently, Slab Techniques, both in the A& C Black series. He is also a fixture at the International AberystwythFestival in Wales, both organizing and demonstrating, so his workshopwill be both informative and entertaining—especially his “slam-dunk”dishes which he literally drops on the floor. Jim works very directlyboth with the slabs themselves and with the surfaces, using slips,scoring and texturing with a vast range of found tools and materials.Make sure you don’t miss out on either of these opportunities in thenew year!A “slam-dunk” potby Jim Robison.Potters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/1211

Submissions & AdvertisingPublished 10 times yearly, the PGBC Newsletteris an information link for members.Submissions:Send articles, reviews, images, member news, letters andinformation to: editor@bcpotters.com by the 20th of eachmonth for publication the following month. Submissions may beedited for space.Advertising Rates* :All ads are payable upon receipt of invoice• Full page, $189+ HST• 2/3 page, $129 + HST• 1/2 page, $99 + HST• 1/3 page, $69 + HST (horizontal, vertical, or column)• 1/4 page, $55 + HST• 1/6 page, $39 + HSTPlease submit ads as PDF, TIF, JPG or EPS files. For ad sizes see:http://www.bcpotters.com/Guild/newsletter.php. Ad rates arefor files requiring no further work by our staff. Ads that are notthe correct size, or that need formatting or basic design work willcost $22 extra.Unclassified Rates:Members FREE! Non-members: $22 + HST*Advertising rates subject to changePotters Guild of British Columbia1359 Cartwright St ∙ Granville IslandVancouver, BC ∙ V6H 3R7tel:604.669.3606 ∙ fax: 604.669.5627http://www.bcpotters.com/GuildChop Marks &SignaturesSend in your chops and have them available through the guild.For the form, click on the link here: www.bcpotters.com/Guild/chops.phpYou can email it back to Debra Sloan at debraesloan@gmail.comas an attachment. Or print and mail your sheet[s] to PottersGuild of BC, 1359 Cartwright Street, Granville Island, Vancouver,B.C. V6H 3R7 attention: chops.Potters Guild of BC BoardJinny Whitehead, President604.687.3590 ∙ vwhitehead@shaw.caJackie Frioud, Secretary604.921.6417 ∙ jfrioud@shaw.caPatrick Geach, Treasurer604.921.7707 ∙ patrick_geach@scotiamcleod.comDenise Jeffrey604.298.4980 ∙ terranme@telus.netSheila Morissette604.484.5090 ∙ sheilamorissette@mac.comAmy Gogarty, Communications604.873.2589 ∙ gogarty@telusplanet.netJudy Osburn, Retail Committee604.734.7829 ∙ osburnjudy@hotmail.comNora Vaillant604.730.5840 ∙ auroranora1@gmail.comMembershipMembership FeesFor 12 months, not including HST: Individual, $55;Full-time Student, $35; Senior (over 65), $35; Institution/Group/Corporation, $200.Annual membership is from September. New members joining atother times of the year pay a pro-rated fee the first year. If you arerejoining after a break, please use the new membership pro-ratedlink. All subsequent renewals will take place in September, regardlessof your initial joining date. For detailed information see:http://www.bcpotters.com/Guild/membership.phpMembership Renewals & New MembershipsCarole Henshall, Membership database604.215.7766 ∙ membership@bcpotters.com• In person: pay by Visa, cheque or cash at the Gallery of BC CeramicsOR• By mail: pay by Visa or cheque and mail to the Guild; mark theenvelope and cheque with either ‘Membership Renewal’ or ‘NewMembership’• Online at our secure site with a credit card by clicking here.Communications CommiteeAmy Gogarty, Chair ∙ gogarty@telusplanet.netLinda Lewis, Webmaster ∙ webmaster@bcpotters.comMelany Hallam, Maywood Design, Newsletter Editor604.487.1597 ∙ editor@bcpotters.comAndrea Maitland, ProofreaderJan Lovewell, MailingsPotters Guild of BC Newsletter . December/January 2011/1212