I popped down to Port Moody Arts Centre/PoMoArts on Thursday. Two shows have been installed for a while now. One is the annual ‘ART 4 LIFE’ show of whimsical and thought-provoking works intended for the young and young-at-heart. The other show is part of the Ceramic Artist-in-Residence deal. The invited clay artist has a studio, use of the Centre’s ceramic facilities, the opportunity to teach and a show in the Art Centre’s gallery at the end of the year. In return the artist is asked to supervise some clay drop-in times and interact with pottery students and visitors.
Clearly things have been unusual for this year’s artist, Nolan Drew. With the initial shut-down and time spent out of province his actual working time in the little studio was cut short but he has now installed ‘Out of the Frame’ in the 3D gallery with the help of curator Janice Cotter. I have included his artist statement in which he explains his intention to create ceramic pieces that relate to his colourful, loose, pot paintings.
Nolan was able to present to TriCity Potters early in his residency and showed how he likes to combine wheel-thrown elements to form unusual ceramic vessels. The current show includes some of his paintings, including a large bold banner on canvas hung right in the middle of the space, along with some of his clay pieces.
Nolan Drew
Most of the pots are painted with neon-bright acrylic paint. Although these are unusual and possibly enticing my functional pottery self wonders if for one or two, he might burn that off in the future and ‘complete’ their function with a luscious glaze. This is particularly the case, in my mind, with the lime-green handled casserole.
Visitors can see current shows at any time that PoMoArts is open… You must wear a mask, hand-sanitize and keep your prescribed distance.. but do go!
A quick look at the work in the rest of the galleries reveals an interesting, and sometimes amusing selection of sculptures, paintings and Folk Art. My St George street neighbour Vic Culos has submitted his charming Carousel.
The ceramic pieces by Nicole Ponsart drew my attention. She is showing some globular shapes suspended from a rod. We’re told that they are her art school glaze experiments. What fun to make something to look at and enjoy with what is usually discarded once studied. Her technical skill is shown is a piled set of hand-built forms that are actually a coffee set.. more fun than functional.
Both shows will be up until November 1st.
A visit downstairs to the enlarged Ceramics department allowed me to check the new wheel-throwing room. It’s marvellously huge compared to the tiny office which has housed pottery wheels ever since I started teaching wheel-throwing down there in the late nineties. The new space, on the lowest level of the ‘new’ addition of a heritage house to the original arts centre, has two in-class sinks with clay traps, many tables and, for now, some six wheels for a distanced teaching situation. When Covid is gone the room will easily accomodate ten wheels. Manager Fatima Amarshi introduced me to Serisa Fitz-James, a recent ECU Visual Arts grad and the newly arrived Ceramics artist-in-residence for the upcoming year. Good luck Serisa.
On Tuesday I shall join Shadbolt technicians and TriCity Potters members for the unloading of the recently fired Soda kiln. Can hardly wait..
