Thursday evening saw the opening of three shows in the PoMoArts galleries. A fellow ceramics student from Emily Carr U days, Margaret Hsu, joined me to see what this year’s Ceramics Artist-in-Residence has produced for her year-end solo show.
Georgia Fitton, also an Emily Carr graduate, was already giving pottery classes in the Arts Centre when she was awarded the Ceramics Residency. She tells us that she will continue teaching there after September 1st, but of course will be looking for a new studio to make her own work. I don’t know if the next artist to be awarded the position at PoMoArts has been announced yet. That lucky person will have the use of a tiny, but free pottery studio and access to the facilities for a year, along with a solo show next summer. In return the artist will supervise some clay drop-in sessions and have the opportunity to teach classes. It is hoped that having a different clay artist in residence each year provides inspiration to registered clay students.
Sculpted Eden
Fitton’s altered wheel-thrown vessels and hand-built pieces portray a vibrant and sentient natural domain. The ceramic works serve as a conduit linking the artist’s inner world with the viewer, a reminder of our interconnectedness with each other and the environment that surrounds us.
Gallery: Ann Kitching Gallery
Georgia’s intricate Spring-coloured sculptures are just right for the Ann Kitching corner gallery with its big windows. Yes, the work suggests her version of Eden. With wheel-thrown and hand-built sections she has constructed playful, fantasy sculptures. Some are double-walled where a longer look reveals another form hidden inside.
Georgia will be discussing her work in a public talk at the gallery on Saturday July 27th, at 2pm. The opening evening was very busy so this will be a better chance to meet Georgia and learn more about her methods and ideas.
The main gallery is showcasing the work of many PoMoArts students. At the opening their instructors were given an opportunity to speak about the pleasure of teaching and the creativity of their students, of all ages.
The smaller Beedie Living gallery features the paintings by this year’s Kwi Am Choi award recipient Samantha Wigglesworth in ‘Reflections of Societal Expectations’.
https://pomoarts.ca/exhibitions/reflections-of-societal-expectations
