Fired Up! 2018

Tribute to Haida Gwaii by Mary Fox, clay, multifired in oxidation, 5x23 in, circa 2002.

Fired Up! Ceramic Artists: Contemporary Works in Clay 2018

The 34th annual show and sale of Fired Up! ceramic artists happens May 25-27, 2018 at Metchosin Community Hall,
4401 William Head Road. Opening Gala is Friday evening May 25, 6:30–9pm. May 26 & 27, 10am - 5pm.

Participating Fired Up! artists are Samantha Dickie, Sandra Dolph, Mary Fox, Gordon Hutchens, Cathi Jefferson, Meira Mathison, Beth McMillin, Kinichi Shigeno and Pat Webber. (Core members Alan Burgess and Gary Merkel on sabbatical.) Guests artists are Vin Arora, Louise Card, Susan Delatour, Fredi Rahn and Craig Rogers.

The Metchosin show and sale boasts a bountiful array of exceptional ceramics. This professional group of clay artists celebrate 34 years of annual exhibitions in 2018. Over the years they’ve exhibited at the Canadian Clay and Glass Museum in Waterloo, Jonathon Bancroft-Snell Gallery in London, and two US conferences hosted by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts.

Photos below are from the Opening Gala 2017 showing Fired Up! potters connecting with fans and clients.

The ceramic arts first emerged in East Asia 20,000 years ago. Since that time, clay shapes and containers have appeared in every civilization. Shards of pottery, which survive over eons, tell detailed stories about their makers and social milieu. Fashioning vessels to hold food and water required imagination and ingenuity, and enhanced our cultural evolution.

Clay work combines earth, air, fire and water, simple elements that interact in complex ways. The various textures and mineral compounds in clay alter the appearance and durability of the end product. Chemical glazes and methods of firing create endless variety and enticing possibilities. Pottery involves skills built over many years and demands patience and perseverance. Artists must deal with the inevitable loss of pieces during construction, firing and transportation. Happily, there are also many successes!

Fired Up! delights audiences with a new theme each year. Coastal Vessels: Romancing the Sea is this year’s theme.
Below are the original artworks created by Fired Up! core members in response to the 2018 nautical theme.
For more bios and information about Fired Up! members see Here or their website

This Boat Will Get You Where You're Going by Sandra Dolph, 8x16 in, clay, 2018.

Untitled, by Gordon Hutchens 2018

Untitled by Beth Mcmillin, porcelain with glaze, handbuilt, 5x12 in, 2017

Canoe by Cathy Jefferson, clay, 3x12 in, 2018.

Are You Sure This is The Way? by Pat Webber, wood fired clay, 10.5x10.5 in, 2018

On the Rocks by Meira Mathison, porcelain, 12x6x19 in, 2017.

Washed Up by Samantha Dickie, ceramic. 20x3x3 in, 2018 Photo: Cathie Ferguson

Heart Boat by Kinichi Shigeno, stone ware, 16.5 x 9.5 x 3 in, 2018.

Each year, five guest artists are invited to show with Fired Up! members. These highly regarded professionals add vitality and variety to the event. Guests artists in 2018 are Vin Arora, Louise Card, Susan Delatour, Fredi Rahn and Craig Rogers.

Guest Vin Arora is a Vancouver based artist working and teaching in ceramics. He attended the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design (now ECU) and has worked in clay for over 20 years. Through his chosen medium, Arora explores social cohesion, community building and personal reflection. While contemplating the theme: Coastal Vessels: Romancing the Sea, the artist questioned his own identity in relation to place. Arora's thoughts on the subject are below.

Untitled (from Meltdown series) by Vin Arora, ceramic and resin, 8x24x2 in, 2016

My coastal vessel is one that contains the spirit of a folk festival, a hip-hop show, drag queens, a political rally, a ferry ride with a side of fries and a silent retreat. My vessel derives colour, shape and texture from walks in the downtown east side as much as it does contemplative hikes into the forest with my dog.

The pieces I bring to Fired Up! have asked me to look deeper into just how "West Coast" my work and I have become. This investigation has revealed that, in fact, the link between my artwork, my body, mind and method has inseparably fused with the coastal landscape and culture. Vin Arora.

Oval baker by Fredi Rahn, soda-fired stoneware, 12x5x5 in, 2017.

Man Kissing Fish by Louise Card, mid-range stoneware, fired in oxidation, 22x24 cm, 2018.

Fisher’s Folly by Susan Delatour, raku, 7x5x4 in.

Sea Vessel by Craig Rogers, mid-range stoneware, 35x9 cm, 2018

Fired Up! gives a big thankyou to their generous sponsors listed below

Web Design, Content and Selected Photos
by Kate Cino

Kate previewed arts events for 18 years at Boulevard magazine.
She has a History in Art degree and Public Relations certificate from UVic.