Studio Ceramics in Canada

Blurb

Studio Ceramics in Canada is both a comprehensive history and a beautiful, full-colour book. But it is also much more. It is an in-depth look at the growth of ceramics and pottery-making as art forms, from their humble beginnings after World War I to the dynamism and diversity of today. Written by cultural historian Gail Crawford, a pioneer recorder of the history of fine craft, Studio Ceramics in Canada is the result of a decade of research. Conducting extensive work in the field of studio ceramics, Crawford traveled from coast to coast, undertaking countless interviews and combing public and private collections to detail the unique ceramics histories of every province and region. She touches on subjects such as clay deposits, teachers and mentors, as well as artisans and their specialties. Linking clay practice in Canada with critical developments in England and the United States, Crawford also pays homage to the people who helped bring ceramics and pottery-making into mainstream culture. Writing about people such as Bobs Howarth, who helped Ontario's Central Technical School become the epicentre of pottery; Alice Hagen, who ran a pottery school out of her Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, home for many years; Léopold Foulem, a Quebec-based ceramist and cult figure with a national and international following; Luke Lindoe of Alberta, one of the 20th century's clay giants; founding member of the Whitehorse Potters' Guild, Peter Royle; and a plethora of artists from points in between, Crawford leaves no stone unturned. Published by Goose Lane Editions in cooperation with the Gardiner Museum, Studio Ceramics in Canada contains 170 sumptuous full-colour images of art works and more than 200 archival photographs of influential artists, studios and exhibitions. But it's Crawford's great attention to detail and love for the art form that separates this book from the rest. Destined to become the definitive history of Canadian ceramics and pottery, Studio Ceramics in Canada is the first book of its kind. It is both textural and visual, wholly delving into each region to introduce the artists, craftspeople, instructors, retailers, curators, teaching institutions and collectors who share a passion for objects transformed by fire.