Heat Changes Everything is the clever title of a new exhibition at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery from ten professional potters or – more appropriately named – clay artists. Transforming clay is at the heart of what is actually an ancient art.
“We’re re-interpreting what’s been done before in history,” said the invitational show’s organizer, Elaine Futterman.
The participating artists (as well as Futterman) are: Mike Allegretti; Patricia Forst; Bev Niebergall; Ray Niebergall; Timothy Niebergall; Jack Olive; Jack Ploesser; Laurie Rolland and Pia Sillem. Jack Olive lives close to Langdale while Pia Sillem works in Egmont – truly a Coast-wide array.
In this case the artists have been pushing themselves to do things a little differently from what they usually do. Rolland, who exhibits her three dimensional work internationally, will create a piece that hangs on the wall. Tim Niebergall always pushes artistic boundaries. Allegretti is designing his large vases to be both functional and sculptural. He has also worked with assemblage in clay. It’s difficult.
“There are construction challenges and geometrical challenges,” he said. “It takes longer than you’d think.”
One of the features that differentiate one potter’s style from another is the varying techniques of firing and glazing.
“Pia Sillem uses a wood kiln,” Futterman said, explaining that as the wood ash speckles the glaze, each finished piece is unique. “It gives an interesting, natural effect on the pots.”
Futterman and Allegretti of Creek Clayworks use salt firing. They put salt into their gas kiln and the sodium combines with silica in the clay to form glaze – a method that originated in Germany in the 1700s. There are often some surprises when they open the kiln to see what patterns the salt has made on the pots.
The third method uses an electric kiln that requires the artist to do their own decoration before firing because there’s no fire turbulence to stimulate or transform the glaze.
With ten different potters each bringing ten works to display, the gallery will be full of work for sale and show. The opening reception is on Saturday, April 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. and all are invited.
The public is also invited to two weekend talks at the gallery by the artists, who will give background information on how ceramics are created. The first is a Q and A session with the artists on Saturday, April 15 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. A Spirit of Clay presentation by Ray Niebergall is on Saturday, April 22 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. The show runs until Sunday, April 30.
