As Linda mentioned in the previous post, venerable Vernon potter Bob Kingsmill entertained us while we ate our lunch on Saturday with tales of Axel Ebring. Bob moved to Vernon four years after the old potter died but he has collected stories about and pots made by Axel Ebring ever since.
http://www.vernonmuseum.ca/cr_axel_ebring.html
The events at Shadbolt Centre this past weekend mark the BC Potters Guild’s 60th Anniversary so it was appropriate that Bob be asked to inform members about the first potter to establish a workshop in the province. He described the irascible old fellow, adding more to the story told on Vernon Museum’s website biography, above.
One of his slides shows the underside of an Ebring plate so that you can recognize one of his pieces in an antique shop. Collectible!
The pots were thrown using locally dug clay and fired in his wood-burning kiln with a lead glaze.
Bob also brought along two platters made by another pioneer BC potter, David Lambert. For many years one could find his plates, dishes and ashtrays in gift shops. They generally featured his interpretation of Northwest Coast Native designs. Nowadays we feel it is inappropriate for a non-native person to use these images. First Nations artists rightly insist that art using their designs should be purchased from them only.
Why am I approaching this topic? Emily Carr painted Northwest Coast designs on her pottery back in the thirties and we can find examples of imitations made for sale ever since settlers came across the art that was already here in BC. We found that Maori designs are everywhere in New Zealand. They form its identity and I’m sure the work is made by Maori and non-Maori artists alike. Here, I would never presume to use native images on my work. Probably I’ve been sensitized by my husband who taught courses on Northwest coast Aboriginal Art and is a collector of said Native art.
So I slightly grimace whenever I see Lambert pots for sale. I cannot purchase any art that blatantly uses native designs, from any North American area, unless I know that the artist has a right to use them.
Do leave a comment if you have thoughts on this topic.
