350 people attended Elementum: Form, Function and Feast, the 6th Triennial Canadian Clay Ceramic Symposium, held at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts on Saturday. With 13 presenters there was something for everybody, whether beginner or professional, wheel thrower, hand builder, sculptor, teacher, curator or writer. To be honest I saw it as a chance to catch up with potters I've met in over 40 years…
The Shadbolt Arts Centre is named after Jack and Doris Shadbolt who were Burnaby residents. Jack is one of BC's most well-known and admired painters and Doris was an Art writer and curator. To remind us of their importance in their community a photo of them is displayed in the foyer and throughout the entrance there are some spectacular Jack Shadbolt paintings. On Thursday I…
I spent Thursday over at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby as part of a team loading the soda/salt part of the Ombu wood kiln there. It was nice to spend the day catching up with potters, most of whom I've known for quite a few years. Jay MacLennan, technician there, did almost all of the actual loading - bending his tall frame into…