On Saturday Linda Lebrun joined me for the drive out to UBC. We arrived at the Museum of Anthropology in time to find seats in the Great Hall for 'Catching Fire: Artists in Conversation' at 11am. We were invited to listen to a thought-provoking afternoon of conversation with eight artists whose work is in 'Playing with Fire', as they discuss the pressing issues of our time.…
The huge new exhibition which has just opened at UBC's Museum of Anthropology is not what you would expect from a Ceramics show. Curator Carol Mayer has assembled an astonishing collection of ceramics, all made by BC-based artists during the last eighty years. This is not a pottery show, rather this is a chance to see an inspiring display of clay creations that are…
As I usually find when I visit the Contemporary Ceramics Centre, there are some outstanding pieces on display. After I'd taken a look at Martin Pearce's solo show I turned my attention to the shelves, each of which is devoted to one clay artist. Surely I thought, there are more potters elected to the privilege of having their work there than I was seeing. Sure…
When I made my way to Britain's Contemporary Ceramics Centre, so conveniently located right across Great Russel street from the British Museum, I found that the October featured artist was ceramic sculptor Martin Pearce. Biomorphic forms, built with earthenware coils and slabs filled the gallery space and the front window for his show "Allusive Forms". As Martin says "I am constantly…
On the first Sunday of my recent trip to England I was staying with my nephew and his family in London. They live within walking distance of Kew Gardens and my great-niece was lucky enough to have a work-experience spell there recently. During that time she was particularly interested in a brick building which houses the paintings of Marianne North and she was keen to…