New glass display shelves have been installed outside the Spruce Art Gallery at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, just near the Ceramics department. KPU Ceramics instructor Ying Yueh Chuang has been looking forward to their arrival for a while. For the first display she and Fraser Valley Potters Guild past president Pat Schendel decided to invite past and present alumni of the Ceramics department to bring along a piece of their work. As one of the earliest students there, Pat wondered if I could remember the names of some of my fellow students.
This led to a few weeks of good memories of classes taken over fifty years ago, contact with some other potters and a look through my collection to find work by long-ago alumni. Douglas College opened in 1970 and both my husband Alan and Fred Owen were hired that year. There were campuses (does anyone say campi any more?) on both sides of the Fraser River until 1981 when the institution split into Douglas College on the north side, retaining theatre and music courses and Kwantlen College, south of the Fraser, which offers most other Art courses. Now the latter is Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
We were asked to bring our work to KPU for Pat and Ying Yueh to arrange in the cases. A picnic lunch in the concourse, provided by Pat, was a super occasion to reconnect with others who took classes at Douglas and Kwantlen many years ago.
The Fraser Valley Potters Guild grew from early students at the college, including Judy Burke, Fran Holliger and myself, wanting to meet more often, share equipment and knowledge and socialize. As the earliest student available, Pat asked me to say a little bit about the early years of the clay department and FVPG beginnings at the opening last Saturday.
I am most honoured to have had my salty vase selected to illustrate the invitation poster. It’s a favourite vase that I’ve saved from my residency at Medalta in 2010.
The display features not only past students but also the Ceramics instructors and long-time FVPG president Cathi Jefferson.
Pat welcomed visitors, students and faculty to the opening, followed by current FVPG president Cheryl Stapleton. I said my little history bit and David Lloyd told more about his time as Ceramics instructor and others added memories. We all agreed that the relationship between Kwantlen PU and FVPG has been beneficial, especially as the guild has been able to meet right there ever since, and now the ceramics department has permanent display cases. Ying Yueh can hardly wait to be showing her students’ work in the future.
Check the link below to learn more about FVPG and upcoming meetings, shows and workshops.
https://fraservalleypottersguild.com
Tomorrow is the long-anticipated sold-out Canadian Ceramics Symposium at Shadbolt Centre, (online attendance is still available) so I do believe there will more blogging in my future.
Nice to see those fellow travellers from that 2005 trip to England which we all enjoyed so much.
Thanks Lesley, it was, and super to see you on Saturday! G