There have been a number of notable events in my world recently and I’ve been too busy making plates, firing pots or enjoying time with our grandsons to sit down and write a blog.
But I don’t want any more time to pass before I record the ‘Evening of Recognition’. Kay and Eliza accompanied me to the Craft Council of BC Gallery (previously Crafthouse), on Granville Island on Thursday March 15th. with the intention of congratulating the recipients of the Hilde Gerson Award. It is awarded to ‘a craftsperson who has demonstrated excellence, innovation and leadership in the BC craft community’ and this year it went to husband and wife team, Keith and Celia Rice-Jones.
The North West Ceramics Foundation nominated the pair thus: ‘As individuals, in terms of technical and aesthetic merit, they excel in their chosen medium of clay. As a couple, they have devoted their lives to enriching and furthering ceramics in BC.’ Amy Gogarty, representing NWCF, made the presentation.
Together they operate Wild Rice Studio out of their beautifully restored home in Burnaby. Visitors are treated to a meticulously maintained grass-free garden and their gallery and can see their generous shared studio and several kilns. Celia has maintained a practice of finely crafted functional ware, glazed in traditional cone 10 Reduction colours while Keith has become known for his large garden sculptures. He insists that he makes functional work too, and certainly the chores around production are shared between them. They have put their hearts and souls into the operations of the BC Potters’ Guild and especially the Gallery of BC Ceramics. Celia has been a regular volunteer on the Gallery committee and Keith served as President of the Guild for several years.
They have given workshops, including more than one to our TriCity Potters. Keith taught Art at Port Moody Senior Secondary School for many years, and on a personal note here, he was a favourite pottery teacher of our son Mike. Some imaginative pieces still lurk around here from those days.
So we were very happy to be in the audience to congratulate them on their recognition and feel that they exemplify the intention of the award.
It was good to find that the Citizen of Craft Award was presented by CCBC Chair Bettina Matzkuhn to Curator of ACT Art Gallery (Maple Ridge) Barbara Duncan. ‘In her position as Curator at The ACT Gallery she has actively sought to promote craft on an equal footing with fine art’. June MacDonald reminds me that we first met Barbara when she was manager of Coquitlam’s Place des Arts. Congratulations Barbara.
The first item on the agenda that evening was the awarding of the Robert Jekyll Award for Leadership in Craft, presented by Robert Jekyll himself, who had flown out from Toronto for the occasion. The award went to Charlotte Kwon who is ‘A business leader, teacher, promoter, non-profit founder and a textile artist in her own right.’ She is the founder and owner of one of my favourite Granville Island shops, Maiwa Handprints, which sells hand-dyed and printed clothing made in India. So congratulations to you too, Charlotte.
Seeing Bettina Matzkuhn at this event reminded me that I wanted to hear her presentation on her current show at The ACT Gallery the following Saturday. So that’s my next planned blog.
