As Potters we help the Earth to recreate itself in beautiful ways

“As potters we help the earth to recreate itself in beautiful ways”

Gordon Hutchens says “I tend to work in several directions simultaneously”.

“I like to use as many techniques and styles as I can. I currently am working on a more refined porcelain. Vases and plates with crystalline glazes. These crystal formations grow spontaneously - particularly during the extremely controlled cooling. Each crystal starts out as a pin point nuclei that continues to grow as the kiln is held for several hours at a little over 1100 degrees Celsius”.

“I use a complex blend of titanium, silver, copper and cobalt to achieve a very difficult warm colour combination of yellow, burgundy and mauve”.

“Although achieved in a highly technical way the result is a natural organic imagery that can evoke visions of flowers, leaves, lichen or computer generated fractal patterns”.

“My Denman Lustre collection has an elusive velvety lustrous surface. This glaze looks similar to some Raku glazes but is in fact a totally different technique that I have developed over many years of experimentation”.

“My goal was to create a piece that looks as though it could be very ancient and at the same time very contemporary…….timeless.

The forms are made from a totally vitreous stoneware or porcelain. After an initial bisque firing, the piece is covered in a glaze that contains about 40% high metal content clay from my property on Denman Island and fired to cone 10 (about 1300 degrees Celsius / 2350 degrees Fahrenheit) . When cooled accents are brushed on with a preparation of gold chloride and refired to fuse the gold to the surface”.

“Different metallic salts are used during this firing to create ‘wave interference” , a complex surface that bounces light waves in opposite directions simultaneously, creating satiny iridescence like that used in Art Nouveau blow glass and pottery”.

For me the most important thing is finding balance, not just visual balance, but the balance between control and spontaneous, traditional and contemporary techniques and inspiration”.
“I feel a need to work in diverse aspects of ceramics in order to explore the balance between the earthly, rough, natural and the refined smooth and technical. A part in each of us touched by these contrasting sensibilities. They are not in conflict, but in fact complement each other and make a richer, deeper whole”.

“As potters we help the earth to recreate itself in beautiful ways that hopefully captures a bit of our essence in the process”.

Award Winnig Silversmith

Award Winning Silversmith

Award winning silversmith, Judith Hirczy has created her one-of-a-kind pieces of jewellery for over 30 years.

“I was originally trained as an architect / interior designer and worked in architectural offices in my native Austria.

I came to Vancouver Island in the early 70’s to join a husband whose hobby was lapidary work. Basic instruction in silversmithing was found at UBC and subsequent summer studies at Notre Dame University in Nelson, B.C. provided the groundwork, upon which to build my own style.”
“During my years in Parksville I became a member of the Artisans’ Studio in Nanaimo, B.C. co-founded the Handcrafter Gallery in Parksville, and started teaching through Malaspina College.”

“Since moving to Victoria, I have taught hundreds of silversmithing students at Camosun College as well as privately, some of whom have gone on to become internationally recognized artisans.”
You can see more of Judith’s fabulous work at Side Street Studio on line at http://www.sidestreetstudo.com/ or at their two studios in Victoria, B.C.

Truely’ Great Little Books

Danny & Mary wrote: Our business started as a hobby in New Zealand in 1996. Three countries later, it has developed into a thriving cottage industry in Victoria, BC. We have numerous titles, to which we are adding all the time, that we carry as a regular line.

These include sketchbooks, notebooks, diaries, gratitude journals, romantic books for lovers, guest books, photo albums and more. As well, we do unique one-off projects, either of our own creation or as special commissions.

We are professional, full-time artisans, and we have exhibited at numerous fairs, craft shows and festivals including: Bastion Square Festival of the Arts, Filberg Festival, Circle Craft, Out of Hand, Creative Chaos, Butterdome, Touch of Saltspring, Gifts for Myself and Others, Kris Kringle and Victoria Pride Festival. Our work can also be found in a small selection of finer galleries and gift shops such as Side Street Studio.

In today’s world, books are easy and cheap to mass-produce. It’s much more efficient than when it was done by hand . . . but in that efficiency, we have lost something. A mechanically produced book may look nice and be lovely to read, but it contains nothing of the person who made it.
When an artist creates, their creation acquires just a little of their essence, their spirit, their soul. So it is when we design and hand-bind a book. Each book has just a little of us in it, and that sharing of ourselves enriches us as well as the recipient.
Danny & MaryThose Great Little Books

My Work Reflects my History

My Work Reflects My History”

Anne Marie Veale wrote: “I was born and educated in the UK in a Waldorf School environment which is geared towards creativity. After leaving school I studied at the Stroud Collage of Art in Gloucestershire. This led to study as a remedial teacher, therapy for challenged children and adults and specialized work in France for one year”.

After leaving France I enrolled at the Carlisle Collage of Art and completed a three year Diploma course and was awarded a licentiateship of the Society of Designer Craftsmen of William Morris. This was followed with working as an apprentice at Bardon Mills Saltglaze Pottery”.

“This experimentation with different clays and glazing methods was followed by working with Janet Adams in her Edinburgh studio in Scotland. My work up to this point had all been using Gas fired kilns and helped me develop as a Studio Potter”.

“I moved to Canada in 1981 to start a family and worked at the Richard Hoffmans Richmond studio for one year. Becoming more established in Vancouver I also worked at the Backdoor Pottery for two years and taught Pottery classes at Aberthau in Kitsalano”.

“On moving to Vancouver Island I started to develop Electric Firing methods and my own contemporary ideas; I produce functional Stoneware for galleries and Restaurants in my Qualicum Beach Studio. My work reflects my history as a Potter and my work with children continues to encourage a new generation of Potters”.

You can find a large selection of Anne Maries work at Side Street Studio in Victoria and on their web site at http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/

The Colours Around Us

The Colours Around Us

Deb McGinnis writes “I have been making polymer clay jewelry for nearly 20 years and I’ve enjoyed the freedom of expression that the sculpting process and the forgiveness of the clay has given me”.
“Then I discovered precious metal clay! This new clay allows me similar freedom but the end result is beautiful, fine silver designs. It only seemed natural to use semi-precious gems to compliment the silver and a new wide world of design opened up.
I continue to incorporate polymer clay in my pieces and I love sculpting flowers and matching the meaning of the flower with the properties of the stones I’m using. I choose the stones carefully for their colour and also for their energy”.
My newest ventures are expanding into bronze clay and taking the skills I’m learning in silversmithing and applying them to my designs.
“My studio is in Victoria and I find my inspiration in the world around me: the colours of the greens in Mount Douglas park (it is amazing how many shades of green there are), the blues of the ocean and the spectacular displays of colour in the gardens in this city”.“Each day new ideas crowd into my head and I plan to continue to bring them to life for many years to come”.
You can find Deb’s beautiful work at the two Side Street Studio locations in Victoria or on their web site at http://www.sidestreetstudio.com/

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