Some photos from June 6th the day of the reception for our current exhibition

at the Burlington Art Centre.

This exhibition can be seen until August 1st

First thank you to all who attended in support of Shane Norrie and myself.

It was very much appreciated!

Shane and I were given the opportunity to speak briefly about our work

as we led a group through the Permanent Collection Corridor.

Since 1997 when I moved to Ingersoll, Shane and I have been in conversation about ceramics. About 2002 Shane and I began firing our work in the BAC gas kiln. Often Jonathan Smith, ceramics curator, would come look at our results as we unloaded the kiln. We would continuously discuss our results together, critiquing ourselves and each other's work. In 2007 Shane and I had an exhibition at the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas, Ontario, and of course, it was called "Conversations". A few years later, we were both invited to participate in an international "Chawan" (The Art of the Noble Teacup) exhibition in Belgium.

Although we share the same landscape of ceramics, our explorations go in different directions. I love to explore the effects of different kinds of firings on my work. Since I am partial to fire, I especially love the physical activity of the constant feeding of a wood-kiln. Every five minutes one must throw 4/5 pieces of wood into the firebox for a period of 24-30 hours. The resulting build-up of ash is drawn through the kiln chamber giving the pots that wood-fired look. Recently three other potters and myself built a soda kiln. The action of adding soda into the mix of fire offers up a lovely sheen over all the pots; the results of the vaporization of the soda. The live flame licks throughout the kiln weaving its magic in the gas kiln, the wood-kiln, and the soda-kiln, not to meniton the Raku kiln! I love it.

Shane, on the other hand, explores the textures of glazes and multi-firings. He has explored hundreds and hundreds of test-firing various chemicals by themselves as well as various glazes. This compiled with the multiple firings at different temperatures has given him a vast range of textures to play with and choose from. Anyway, all this to say, we hope you enjoy viewing our exhibition.

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