15 July 2008
After a somewhat cool and wet start to the summer, July weather has been hot and sunny, my organic garden’s fared quite well (only heritage seeds planted this year), and I’ve been able to enjoy the obvious advantages of living in a beach resort, along with family and friends. Beach-combing for just-the-right pebbles to incorporate into art pieces has been somewhat taxing though…
Canoeing towards an endless horizon; down and dirty in my garden.
16 June 2008
Thanks to the 150-or-so people who came out this past weekend to visit my studio as part of the 7th Wave Artist’s Studio Tour—my first time participating! I felt fortunate to have been interviewed by the Winnipeg Free Press, and was surprised and delighted to see the photo I submitted being featured in the article last Thursday.
Visitors were very generous in their comments about my work, and folks really seemed to appreciate the studio’s garden setting (helped in no small part by an explosion of daisies). Popular items people purchased included bowls, boxes, mugs, whiskey ewers, buttons, necklaces, and some smaller sculptural pieces.
I look forward to the second round of the Wave on Labour Day Weekend…
15 May 2008
I’m participating in the Winnipeg Beach Arts+Culture Co-op’s 7th Wave Artists’ Studio Tour this year—a sneak preview launch takes place at the cre8ery Gallery (125 Adelaide Street in the Exchange District) at 19:00 tomorrow (Friday, 16 May), and closing Sunday, 18 May.
Each Wave participant is showing one piece of work. Mine is a sculptural ceramic piece entitled (appropriately) “The Seven-year Itch.” The actual 7th Wave Artist Studio Tour takes place on the weekends of 14-15 June and 30-31 August this summer (look for the blue & white Wave flag outside my studio on Eaton Street in Winnipeg Beach). View some of my work here on the Wave website.
30 April 2008
I’ve been busy the past few weeks creating a collection of creatures (affectionately named Uncultured Enigmas) that were wood-fired (to vitrification, approximately Cone 12) in Alan Lacovetsky’s great kiln (near Oak Hammock Marsh). I’ve participated in a half dozen collective firings with Alan, Dave Krindle, and friends over the past year… 48 hours of non-stop wood-stoking (we each take a 6 to 8-hour shift). Besides providing surprising results (opening the kiln is a bit like Christmas, as you never know just what you will get) wood firings are a great source of fellowship and camaraderie, tiring yes, but also addictive.
Images: Bisqued (pre-fired) Enigmas waiting to be stacked in the kiln; the “little beauties” back in my own studio.
8 March 2008
My latest sculptural piece (a figurative slab-built sculpture in stoneware, finished with various stains and low-fire glazes) went off to the charity fundraiser Art for Angels this weekend. I created the sculpture entitled Are you there? as a whimsical expression of a quest for meaning in our time.
I’ll be attending the Art for Angels “Art & Cocktail fundraising evening” on Wednesday, 12 March at ALIVE in the district (140 Bannatyne, drinks at 18:30, auction starts at 20:00). This year’s “charity of choice” is Easter Seals Canada along with the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities (SMD).
