Friday! It is a glorious day and I am getting ready for my trip to Owen Sound tomorrow. I am speaking at the Tom Thomson Gallery at 2PM on collecting Contemporary ceramic art. I have never been to Owen Sound before so I am looking forward to seeing the gallery and more importantly seeing Virginia Eichorn the director. I first met Virginia when she was with the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo. Our mutual love of contemporary Canadian ceramics always gives us lots to talk about. The last time I saw Virginia was in Regina at the McKenzie Gallery where I attended the opening of the Jack Sures retrospective. It will also be nice to see the exhibition again as it is currently being hosted by the Tom Thomson Gallery.

If you haven't had a chance to see the exhibition then go! It is worth the trip. It is fascinating to see Jack's work dating back to the beginning of his lengthy career a a maker and mentor. I was blown away by some of the pieces that I saw in Regina and I am really looking forward to revisiting them.

I have been showing Jack's work for almost ten years now and I particularly enjoy his bandicoots, whimsical four legged creatures get into mischief as they cavort and frolic on some of his vessels. they are a testament to Jack's wonderful. and occasionally ribald, sense of humour.

I will be travelling with Julia Krueger a noted ceramics historian and researcher. I am looking forward to hearing her presentation. Julia, originally from Regina, is currently at the University of Western Ontario teaching and researching. Her home base is now Calgary a place I really need to visit just so I can see her collection of Canadian ceramics. Julia has a discerning eye and I love seeing collections.

Thursday - Ruth Gowdy-McKinley & Mary Fox

Let me tell you that it is not easy to do this everyday but I am determined to have a blog a day. Actually it is interesting who reads it. I had a call from Mary Fox in Ladysmith today as a direct result of my blogging. Mary is an amazing ceramic artist who we have been showing for over ten years. I first saw Mary's work in Toronto at Gallery 611 (or 621 or something like that). Anyway it was a great gallery and carried some wonderful work. Unfortunately like many galleries it is no longer with us. They worked hard to promote ceramic art in Toronto and if it hadn't been for them I may never have seen Mary's work. That would have been a loss. I can still remember her exhibition as if it was yesterday. Tall and squat bottles in a deep blue with a wonderful crawl glaze, they were as joy (and are a joy!) to behold. We have a large selection of Mary's work on hand and have had the pleasure of Mary's company a number of times both here and at her awesome home and studio in Ladysmith. If you are ever on Vancouver Island visit her (and her little dog too!)


This is an example of one of  Mary's rare and unique chalices with stone base.
This particularone is currently in Ladysmith. Mary's Chalice's are only available here
and in her studio. There are fewer than 25 of this particular Fox sculpture and
each is as unique a a fingerprint.

 My publisher Ron was in today and we were reviewing our plans for the book on Joanne Copp "Elegance" and the book on Ruth Gowdy-McKinley "An Exuberant Toast". Ron has some great ideas on how the books will look. I am particularly excited about Ruth's book as it appears that the first 200 copies will have tipped in images on a wonderful stock. This premium edition will be beautiful. There will also be another edition - same content different stock and without the tipped in images. He is very keen on promoting Canadian contemporary ceramics and I am fortunate to have a publisher as excited about promoting Canadian ceramics as I am.

Brian has been avidly devouring all the source material that we currently have on Ruth and earlier today uploaded some new images to Face book. Within an hour he was contacted by a ceramic artist in Ottawa who credits their interest in clay totally to Ruth. It never ceases to amaze me how wide a net she cast in capturing peoples attention. When it came to ceramics she was considered the doyenne. She loved clay and loved function and she was incredible. Stay tuned for more!

Wednesday - Copp - Gowdy-Mckinley

Wednesday - Copp - Gowdy-Mckinley -

Morning everyone - or later than that if you are reading this at another time.

I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of some pieces by Ruth Gowdy-Mckinley. It should be arriving today. I got the list of what is coming from her daughter Lauren and there are some pieces that are quite rare as Ruth was specifically asked to make them. Once they arrive I will post images in the 'latest acquisitions' blog. I hope everyone reading this is aware that there are actually three blogs. One is dedicated to daily musings (this one), another to new acquisitions and a further one to upcoming events. Not to worry as I am also getting use to keeping my thoughts separate - not always an easy thing to do! No doubt there will be crossovers in information.



This is an incredible example of one of Ruth's teapot.
We are pleased to be able to offer it for sale. The small 'shot'glass
is one of twelve currently available. These were original



Back to Ruth. I am diligently working on my book "An Exuberant Toast". The book has been in the planning stages for what seems a very long time but it is finally making progress and publication day is August 9th, 2012. Actually it will coincide with the publication of "Joanne M. Copp - Elegance". For those of you unfamiliar with Joanne she was an artist living on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. Her work consisted of exquisite coil built vessels. Joanne loved working with clay and loved creating. Her untimely death in 2010. Joanne's last message to me was:


"Hi Jonathon...you are really getting around! Any fabulous news? I am holding my own here...hoping all is well with you...Hi to Brian!

Best, Joanne





This is a wonderful example of Joanne's work
featuring a 'Moon Gold' interior (combination of
gold and palladium) Private Collection - Not For Sale


Joanne would have loved my finally getting around to regular blogging. She would often call just to chat and hear the latest goings on of the clay community in Canada - creators and collectors. She loved it all! I am so glad that her daughter Alicia has given me the okay to go forward on writing a book on her. My publisher, Ron Frye, is also pleased. He was totally smitten by her work when he saw it. Joanne's work is incredibly rare. The time to make it and the high mortality rate of pieces, a result of her chosen method of firing, has left very few pieces available. Actually to my knowledge there is actually none currently on the market. "Elegance" is my way of making sure she is not forgotten.

Canada has so many incredible ceramic artists but unfortunately they don't always get the recognition they deserve, we are a big country and that alone tends often tends to isolate artists in their particular area. It was with that realization that I set out to create a gallery where people could see a nation-wide cross section of the incredible talent that we have. Whoops....I better be careful or I'll be soapboxing about Canadian ceramics in a minute.

LOL......I guess my blogging is appealin to people as I just had a call from a gentleman, living in London, who has discovered the website. It would appear that social media works!. Anyway we had a nice conversation about one of the artists whose work is on the site. I won't say who but I will include an example of her work. For your homework you can now find her on the site. Didn't realise that this was going to be an interactive blog did you?

This is the artist whose work sparked the call this morning.
Browse through the artists to discover who it is! Clue: It is Raku
and the piece is NOT illustrated.

I don't know if i mentioned it but I will be in Owen Sound this weekend giving a talk on collecting Canadian Ceramics. The talk is at the Tom Thomson Gallery at 2PM.

Well I guess that about does it for today. I am now awaiting the arrival of the painting by Jamie Jardine that I wrote about earlier this week. I am going to start putting a title with the name of the Canadian ceramic artists mentioned in the day's blog.

Have a good day! If you are firing today I hope the kiln gods will be with you!

Brian and I have instituted a new window changing schedule. The window is changed every Monday and Wednesday and Friday. Our windows really are our best advertisement and it is amazing how frequent changes are noticed. We are often having people pop in just to tell us how much they enjoy checking out our windows. Yesterday, being Monday, Brian put in two of our "Upstarts". In 2010 we had an exhibition titled "Upstarts". The exhibition featured many of Canada's finest ceramic artists born before 1940. The show was a huge success. These are the artists who really have made a difference in how we look at clay today.

Mayta Markson RCA of Toronto, Ontario. was one of the first ceramic artists to get the designation RCA (Royal Canadian Academy) in 1976 along with Luke Lindoe (1913-2000) and Ruth Gowdy McKinley (1931-1981). Mayta does two bodies of work: functional and sculptural. At the exhibition in 2010 I acquired a wonderfully decorated large platter enhanced by incredible brushwork. I had to track Mayta down and getting her to participate in Upstarts was, for me, a real coup. Currently we have some terrific pieces by her including one of her great teapots. Mayta was part of the Five Potters, a group that included Bailey Leslie (1904-1998), Dorothy Misanik, Marion Lewis and Annette Zakuta. They were active in Toronto in the sixties and seventies and had a studio on Davenport.

Mayta Markson RCA Teapot $175
Note the matte swirl brushwork

In the other window Brian has put two superb pieces by Ron Roy,. Ron is a glaze master and the two celadon pieces, a vase and a platter, are beautiful. Ron is the man many potters turn to when they are looking to perfect a glaze or are having trouble with an existing glaze. A man of few words but a great sense of humour we are very fortunate to have examples of his work on hand. Ron's current production is very small. I am grateful for each piece that I currently have on hand.

Ron Roy Celadon vase

Here it is Monday and the gallery has been busy today so I am a little delayed in getting to this. Yesterday being Sunday I decided to have a day of rest, though I did go and see some incredible new work by Jamie Jardine. I have been showing Jamie since I opened in 2000 and his work is truly amazing. What was particularly interesting with this new body of work was his entry in to abstract and semi-abstract. It is going to be exciting to watch this develop. This semi-abstract references an island that is a recurring theme in his work and watching its many mutations and permutations over the years has been fascinating. This painting will be available in the gallery sometime tomorrow as will some of his new abstracts. Tomorrow check out our acquisitions blog for some images of Jamie's latest work.

As many of you may know I have been writing a book on the late Ruth Gowdy-Mckinley RCA (1931-1981). I am pleased to report that it will be available this coming August. Now that the Dexter book has been put to bed it is time to do the same with the book on Ruth. This will be published at the same time as the book  on Joanne M. Copp. Needless to say this will keep me busy for the next little while.

Many of you may be aware of Reed Weir. Reed is the artist who created Flood at Furnace Cove that we sponsored a few years ago. Reed has been working on a new exhibition that will be opening at the Mary E. Black gallery in Halifax in June. I am pleased to report that the exhibition will be coming to London in September. Now that you know the where: pay attention to this blog and you will be kept apprised of the how and when of the Horizon Watchers! It is an interesting show that I am sure you will enjoy.

I just received a text from my sister Julie. She is pleased to see a new posting on the blog and amused that she was mentioned. Blogging is an interesting process as it is in a way a diary. When I was a kid I attempted keeping a diary but maintenance is what makes a diary valuable. Still a blog is a bit different in that it is a way of getting people to learn about the gallery and the artists that we represent. That is why I will be turning "Handful of Dirt" my newsletter that goes out to artists into a magazine that will be available by subscription to collectors. My goal is to get collectors thinking about the maker as well as what they make as in truth everything  is "touched by the maker".

A few years ago I was talking with Walter Dexter and mentioned Maurice Savoie. I asked Walter if he knew him. "Of course I know of him by reputation but we've never met." I was fascinated by his reply. Here were two of Canada's great artists, both recipients of the prestigious Bronfman award, both members of the Royal Canadian Academy, both teachers, innovators and represented in the same museums. They are also of similar age. I then realized how very privileged I was to have access to so many of the incredible leading lights of the ceramic arts in Canada. I have been to their homes, talked with them about their work, who has influenced them and what they still want to do. They have given me an incredible gift. I believe that a gift needs to be shared.

It is that belief that got me started on wanting to write the artists studio series. I wanted to create a vehicle that would give people the opportunity to get to know the artists I have gotten to know over the past twelve years. I believe that by understanding the artists it will be easier to understand their work. I  was at the studio of Laurie Rolland with Brian in January 2007 and as we left Laurie gave us a hug and thanked us for coming. "You are the first gallery owners to ever visit my studio.' Now you may think that not all work really needs any explanation. After all a mug is just a mug. Not so!

I was asked to teach a course on ceramic appreciation at UWO (University of Western Ontario). It was a continuing education course. I brought in a selection of mugs, two of each. Ostensibly it was to illustrate the different methods of production, types of clay, and slight variances in shape. Essentially all the ingredients that make up a handmade object. Then in mid-sentence as I looked at the mugs, lined up two by two as if ready to enter an ark, I had an epiphany! I looked at the rhythmically carved Rachelle Chinnery mugs: Rachelle is an avid kayaker and her designs are so reminiscent of the waves on the sand. Meira Mathison's almost nestle into one another: an artist for whom family and relationships are incredibly important. Tony Clennell: strong robust no nonsense shape - so much like Tony. Judy Weeden - wonderful representations of flora and fauna: Judy is a retired biologist. The mugs were so much more than the functional objects that people often dismiss them as. They are the manifestations of the personality of the artist and an honest reflection of the maker. Mugs make for an amazing collection. There is nothing nicer than going into someone's home and given the choice of a mug to use. Most of the artists whose home I have been to have a mug collection. It is an affordable luxury. In the morning I choose my mug based on my mood. Some days I commune with Kayo O'Young, sometimes with Meira Mathison, sometimes with Jack Sures. I am not a fan of large mugs whereas my other half loves them. He generally starts the day with Tony Clennell or Alan Burgess or a wonderful large tea bowl by Bruce Cochrane. This is part of the joy of collecting: connecting.

There is a wonderfully vivacious certain northern Finnish lady who comes into the gallery. Over the past three years she has built a collection of connections. Going to her home is such a treat as her functional ware is always in use. Somedays we dine with Meg Burgess, other times with Goyer-Bonneau. She and her husband enjoy and revel in their collection and willingly share it. Actually she has just come into the gallery while I was writing this and I was telling her what I had written. She agreed and started telling us how last night she was having wine in her Meg Burgess goblets and how using them she was thinking of Meg and remembering meeting her.

Anyway it is getting busy so I think I will sign off for today. Stay tuned!

Hello All

It seems ages since I last wrote in this blog. Actually it is ages. My sister Julie called me yesterday and asked when I would be doing an update. So here I am!

First of all I want to compliment Ceramics Monthly. I love how my new ad looks. It is the first time that I has advertised in the magazine and I have already booked my ad for the fall.

Finally! The book on Walter Dexter - The Torso Masterworks is out! The launch on March 1, 2012 was a success and the book is selling really well. Anyone interested in acquiring a copy just give us a call 1-866-229-5244. The price is $65 plus s/h. I am now working on the next two book in the Studio Artist series. One will be on Ruth Gowdy-McKinley (1831-1981) and the other on Joanne Copp. In the next few days the facsimile reproduction of Walter's sketchbooks will be available. This is a limited edition of 50 and includes a separate folio of five sketches signed and number by Walter. This is an excellent addition to the library of any collector interested in contemporary Canadian ceramics. The prepublication price is $250 and 21 copies are already spoken for!

I am heading off to Victoria on May 24th to the annual Fired-Up! exhibition in Metchosin. Walter Dexter was a member of the group now in its 28th year. It will be a treat to see everyone again. This will be my fourth time heading out for their exhibition. If you are in the vicinity pop in and see for yourselves what has evolved into the premier ceramic exhibition and sale in BC.Check out their website at http://www.firedup.ca/firedup/Welcome.html While there I will be signing copies of my new book "Walter Dexter - The Torso Masterworks". I am also pleased to report that the book is published in Canada by the Ronald P Frye Publishers. It was important to me that my publisher be Canadian. It seems so many Canadian Art books are published outside of Canada. In promoting the arts in Canada I believe that we support all the arts and supporting Canadian publishing, to me at least, seems an obvious choice.

I got an unexpected phone call earlier this week from Ottawa to inform me that I am to be a recipient of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. It is pretty cool to be recognized for promoting ceramic art in such a way. The awards ceremony is June 10th. I will give you an update after the ceremony.

For the past few years I have written a newsletter "Handful of Dirt". It is sent out o the artists. I am changing up the format and it will go out as a magazine. The first issue will be August 2012. It will be available by subscription to the public. Details are still being worked out but I am quite excited about the venture. If you are interested in subscribing please email jonathon@jonathons.ca. The magazine will highlight the artists the gallery represents and will discuss works in progress, upcoming events.

Well I think that is about all for the moment. Stay tuned for more updates as I am determined to be more regular in this section.

All the best!