Orkney

In February I received a grant from the Ontario Arts Council to help me prepare for my coming exhibition at the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas and to have a study trip to Orkney, the place where my recent work has been taking me to over and over again.
The trip was short and sweet. I arrived with a bump on a small plane on a stormy day, horizontal sleet with occasional heavy snow flakes and wind that truly took your breath away if you were stupid enough to open your mouth! Not a horizon in sight, just a bleak grey/blackness through the squint of my eyes and a sign saying: "Welcome to Kirkwall".
I was here!
My accommodation took my blues away. It was an auld kirk revamped into apartments in a beautiful village called Finstown, seconds away from the shore. I had little time to travel round the main island visiting as many cairns, brochs, stones and dwellings as I could fit in,. The weather constantly changed and I was blessed with sunshine during some outings to Scara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar.
I was constantly collecting materiel to use for future work. Walking to the Cureen chambered cairn which was situated on a hill. I found a torch in a box on the outside of a very small and narrow entrance, I realised if I was to proceed it was on my hands and knees through a stone corridor. What I found at the other end was complete blackness. The torch battery had seen better days and the pittance of light that came from it showed little. No words could describe how alone I felt, at least I hoped I was alone. Getting out of the dam cairn would not have been swift! I knew my camera would flash like a strobe light trying to find something to focus on. For the first time I was able to see where I was. A small hive chamber with 3 other chambers leading off, once found with the skulls of 24 dogs and 8 humans. Next time I will take my own torch.

What I loved most of what I found were the traces of many different times. Neolithic stones reused by Picitsh people, carvings and graffiti by the Nords, vandalism by the Victorians and redesign by the Edwardian. People come and gone leaving their mark on the landscape. Objects constantly evolving and giving us clues as to what their formal glory might have been.
We will never know for sure and lets face it, the mystery is much more intriguing.
So here I am back in Canada again, working in the studio trying to touch on some of these ideas.
For my coming exhibition time has run out, the making had ended and sitting in its glazed and final stages.
For me though, I think the story has just begun and the work will flow and evolve with time.

Ontario Crafts Council Biennial Exhibition

I was lucky to have the 2 vessels selected which I entered into the juried show this year at the Ontario Crafts Council exhibition. The jurors for this years exhibition were Jonathan Bankroft-Snell, Jean Johnson and Shaun Moore. The opening starts on Friday 13th at 5.30 and I am looking forward to seeing the other artists who are in the exhibition. The pieces selected were from my new Orkney series which are both paperclay stretched slabs, double walled and altered.
Hope you can all make a visit to see whats happening for fine craft in Ontario.

Toronto Potters Sale

For all those who are in Toronto or not too far away then please come along to the Toronto Potters show and sale at the Japanese cultural centre, 6 Garamond Court.
Thursday 12 - 9, Friday 12 - 9 and I will be there all day Saturday 10 - 6.
This will be the second last show I do in Toronto this year.
hope to see you there.

Fusion Show and sale this weekend

I will be at the Fusion show and sale this weekend. My shifts will be Thursday afternoon and Sunday all day if anyone wants to meet up and see the latest work!

The Orkney Series

Taking inspiration from my last travels to Scotland I created some new vessels in time for my summer shows. I think this is the beginning of a whole new body of work and I am excited about where it will lead me.
Inspired by the cairns, chambers and monuments discovered around Scotland I have tried to capture the spirit of these ancient dwellings brought to our attention through archaeological digs and in some cases, violent storms which uncovered Neolithic remains.
Brian Reiser was the wonderful photographer for these pieces and I would like to thank him for helping to produce such a stunning portfolio for my recent Orkney Vessels.
"The Entity"
Paperclay.

Whisky Galore

With all my sculptural ceramics in flow and focusing on NON function, I am finding a nice change of pace making my wee whisky cups yet again.......and they seem to have a new audience.
These wee cups have many different scenes of Scotland on them with the occasional slogan thrown in to captivate......."the angels share"......."scotch mist"........"wee dram".......
Sorry, I just cant help myself and whats great is that they work a treat!
Try for yourself!
Slainte!
(if your Canadian its pronounced slawn-cha)