Historical Timeline – New Look

2000

    

25^th Anniversary Exhibition, Ottawa Carleton Regional Headquarters (now Ottawa City Hall)

 

2002 – Annual event “Empty Bowls” at Rasputin’s Folk Café begins

2003

• Presentations by:
  • Alan C. Elder (Curator of Canadian Crafts, Decorative Arts and Design, Canadian Museum of Civilization)
  • Stéphane Bédard (Shambhala Art)
  • Dan & Nisha Ferguson (sculptural work)
  • Susan Low Beer
  • Maria Gomez Umaña
• FUSION Conference held in Ottawa at Carleton University May 23-25
• Field trip to Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to view “A Voyage Into Myth - Gauguin To Matisse”
• Workshops:
  • Victoria Jenkins workshop (Moulds, Sprigs and Stamps)
  • Throwing Large Bowls with Christina McCarthy
  • Slab Forms with Catherine Brewster
  • Planter, Bowls and Plates with Victoria Jenkins
  • Pit Firing with Phillip Black
  • Tray-Chic with Lynda Northey and Julien Couture
  • Glaze Basics with Anne Chambers
  • Firing with Chandler Swain

 

Raku Box by Sharon Gebert, Best in Show – 2003 Juried Exhibition, Carleton University

2004

• Presentations by:
  • Darlene Keffer (The Humble Mug: Our Bread and Butter)
  • Reed Weir (figurative sculpture)
  • Hanne Lawrence (Tile Making)
  • Anne Creskey (wood firing in Ireland)
  • Jackie Seaton (Empty Bowls, Perth)
• weekend workshop with Wayne Cardinalli (throwing and slip decorating)
• discussions on costing out pots and the $21 mug

 

2005

• Inaugural Great Bowls of Fire (GBF) raises $7,500 for the Ottawa Food Bank
• Presentations by:
  • Leta Cormier (the challenges of functional work)
  • Richard Gill (bas relief wall sculptures)
• Membership fees increased $30/individual and $40/family

2006

• The OGP participates in the Canadian Tulip Festival with a tent in Major’s Hill Park – try the wheel, tulip themed display (pieces for sale) and buy GBF bowls
• presentations by: Cheryl Ann Webster (Beautiful Women Project) and Nancy Green
• workshop by Jason L’Abbe

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• Spring Fling held at Lynda Soper’s residence
• AGM: numerous by-laws were updated

 

2007

• Weekend Workshops by:
  • Rob Tetu
  • Eric Serritella
• Member workshops by:
  • Marie Paquette
  • Lis Allison
• Meeting presentations by:
  • Paula Murray
  • Maureen Marcotte
• Discussions about pricing our work
• GBF raises $10,300 for the Ottawa Food Bank
• Guild Pin introduced for extraordinary service to the Guild
• certificates of appreciation given for volunteering for Guild activities
• OGP Clay Olympics held at the home of Colette Beardall

2008

• Weekend Workshops by:
  • Carol Ann Michaelson
  • Steven Branfman
  • Hanne Lawrence
• OGP participates in Ontario Crafts Council “Goblet Grab” fundraiser
• Carolynn Pynn Trudeau receives lifetime achievement award from the Ontario Crafts Council
• Young at Art Bursary given to high school students
• Inaugural OGP “Fall Fire” Weekend Clay Conference created by Carol Badenoch and held in Morrisburg featuring Eric Seritella (raku), Tim Storey (handbuilding) and Anne Chambers (altered pots and glaze spraying)

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2009

• OGP exhibition entitled “Symphony” is displayed in Toronto at the Ontario Crafts Council in May
• Workshops by:
  • Peta Hall (on marketing)
  • Joan Anderson (on photographing your work)
  • Victoria Jenkins (glazing)
  • Sandra Marshall (handbuilding sculptural pieces)
  • Paul Portelli (Booth Design and Visual Marketing)
  • Paula Murray (slip casting)
• Membership fee increased to $40/individual and $60/family
• Studio Map published by OGP
• Rebranding the OGP completed (new logo by Margit Heideg combines kiln door with smoke swirl, brown/white/black colourway)
• “Fall Fire” held Sept 11-13 featuring Leta Cormier (throwing) and Thom Lambert (geological influences in pots) with vendors from Capital Pottery, PSH and Tucker’s Pottery Supplies

 

2010

• OGP hosts FUSION conference at Carleton University May 28-30 – Sam Chung and Joan Bruneau are presenters
  • OGP members offered pre-conference workshops: Carolynne Pynn-Trudeau, Thom Lambert (from Haliburton), Lucie Rossignol, Anne Chambers with Colette Beardall, Chandler Swain, and Margaret Ann Capper
• meeting presentation by Dan Hill (soda fired pots, Wilno, Ontario)
• workshop given by Carolyn Gibbs (lidded boxes and tiles – in conjunction with Almonte Potters Guild)
• Strategic communication plan developed
• New LCD projector purchased for meetings
• GBF tote bags made; GBF raised $13,900.

2011

• Spring Sale moved to new venue: Shenkman Arts Centre, Orleans
• Great Bowls of Fire sold out in record time. Co-chairs Colette Beardall and Sarah Hand. Presentations by Phil White (the Federal Government’s official sculptor).Two day workshop by Tony Clennell. Facebook and Twitter accounts created for communications, promotion and advertising.

2012

• Great Bowls of Fire sold out in record time. Co-chairs Colette Beardall and Sarah Hand. Presentations by Phil White (the Federal Government’s official sculptor).Two day workshop by Tony Clennell. Facebook and Twitter accounts created for communications, promotion and advertising.

2013

• 40th Anniversary show held at City of Ottawa Archives building during the summer
• “Roots” OGP show honouring Guild founders and earliest members held at the Dust Evans Gallery, Shenkman Centre Oct 19 - Dec 11
• GBF raises $17,000 for the Ottawa Food Bank
• The Guild moves to the Hintonburg Community Centre (June) for its meetings and library
• Bursary given through Young at Art
• Second Clay Olympics held at the home of Colette Beardall
• Susan Hall workshop (handbuilding animal sculptures).

2014

• Presentation by Diana Jackson: Pit Firing and Saggar Firing in an Electric Kiln
• FUSION Mentorship Exhibition: “Transitions” held at Trinity Art Gallery, Shenkman Arts Centre Jan 9 - Feb 11 with mentor Leta Cormier featuring regional participants Colette Beardall, Michelle Bishop, Diana Jackson, Victoria Jenkins, Janet Keefe, Sandra Marshall, Marie Paquette, Ann Randeraad, Jane Thelwell and Ileana Tierney
• GBF raises $19,400 for the Ottawa Food Bank
• Young at Art bursaries given
• Move to Lansdowne Park Horticultural Building for “Holiday Sale” Nov 28 – 30.
• Membership fees increase to $45/individual and $65/family
• OGP has 134 members
• Annual Exhibition: Juror Bruce Cochrane

2015

• Presentations by:
  • Hanne Lawrence (building a mud oven)
  • Hilde Lambrechts (preparations for her solo show at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery)
  • Grace Nickel and Sheilah Mackinnon (Assistant Conservator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts from the National Art Gallery)
• Capital Pottery Supplies changes ownership: thank-you Sarah Hand for serving our community for 10 great years!
• Workshop by Takeshi Shimizu (traditional Japanese Tamba ware potter, sponsored by the Japanese embassy)
• GBF raised $15,800 for the Ottawa Food Bank.
• Leslie McInally workshop
• Annual Exhibition - Juror: Keith Campbell

2016:

• Proposal for “Populace” is accepted via competition for grants from Ottawa 2017 and Ontario 150
• OGP calendar created featuring Guild members’ work
• “Celebrating Clay” monthly shows created and held at pop-up gallery “Galerie Côté Créations”
• OGP members Amy Bell, Philip Samuel Black, Carol Lim, Jocelyn Jenkins and Johanna Jansen participate in the “Tulip Gallery” for the Canadian Tulip Festival.
• Annual Exhibition - Juror: Leta Cormier

 

2017

• OGP Notebook created featuring the work of Guild members
• Overhaul of website and electronic communications by Johanna Jansen
• Established Guild Forum for email communications within the Guild membership
• Great Guild Garage Sale held
• Presentation by Cynthia O’Brien – “Rites of Spring”
• “Populace” opens at the Museum of Nature, McLeod Street, with dignitaries from Pikwakanagan, the City of Ottawa, Ottawa 2017 and Ontario 150.
• “Populace at Home” a joint venture featuring the 150 gilded sculptures in vases made from the remaining Populace clay is on display at the Dust Evans Gallery, Shenkman Arts Centre
• Great Bowls of Fire raises $14,400 for the Ottawa Food Bank
• FUSION Mentorship Program presentation given by Guild participants Amy Bell, Emily Dore and Jocelyn Jenkins regarding the program and their group show “Dimensions” on display at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa, Ontario
• Annual Exhibition Juror: Cynthia O'Brien

2018

• Three sculptures from “Populace” are installed in the City of Ottawa Time Capsule at City Hall, Elgin Street to be opened in 50 years
• “Populace” is reimagined for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society with the new name “Compass” and is installed in the shape of a compass rose on the lawn in front of the Society’s building at 50 Sussex Drive, Ottawa
• Presentation by Monica Rosenthal about NCECA
• Great Guild Garage Sale
• Guild members who attended NCECA this year offered a “Micro NCECA Conference” at the April meeting (kind of like speed dating!)
• Intermediate Throwing Workshop “The Potter’s Nod” given by Clement Hoeck

2018

• Dave Drapeau takes over from Johanna Jansen, to become the Guild's new webmaster
• Paula Murray: Artist Lecture, Canada C3-A Crucible
• Annual Exhibition - Juror: Brenda Sutton Mader

2019

• Presentation by Hilde Lambrechts “Works in Progress”
• Celebrating Clay shows continue, including first “Focus On” show by Guild members Amy Bell, Jocelyn Jenkins and Emily Dore entitled “Flow”
• Great Bowls of Fire raised $14,400 for the Ottawa Food Bank
• Guild rebranding undertaken with the assistance of Guild member and graphic designer Jordan Danger

 

 

2020

• Start of the COVID pandemic.
• Meeting presentations given by:
  • Sarah Fulford (Fogo Island Clay Studio)
  • Maria Moldovan
  • Deborah Schwartzkoph presentation from Washington state.
  • “The Good Earth: Pots and Passion of Walter Ostrom” exhibition tour special presentation by co-curators Dr Julie Hollenbach and Shannon Parker
• Commemorative “Populace” book delivered to Mayor Jim Watson
• Membership applications and renewals moved online. Members gain ability to update their profile and Gallery independently
• Guild in-person events cancelled due to Coronavirus (Covid 19) pandemic; meetings/talks/workshops conducted via ZOOM
• First Virtual Annual Exhibition – juror:  Marney McDiarmid

 

2015 – 2020 Exhibition Award Winners

Exhibitions provide Guild members with the opportunity to compete and to display fine works of art. Use this link to view a summary of these awards. http://ottawaguildofpotters.ca//gallery/guild-exhibitions/

Janet Keefe – “Swan Song” 

 

2021

• Even though live events remained closed due to the pandemic, the guild held two virtual exhibitions: Jocelyn Jenkins' Night Garden, and Ada Brzeski's From Paper to Clay.  http://ottawaguildofpotters.ca//events/celebrating-clay-archive/

 

2022

• This year’s Great Bowls of Fire was a huge success. With covid-19 still looming, the event followed a "take out" model. Attendees selected one of hundreds of original, hand crafted soup bowls then took home soups and bread goods from the participating restaurants and bakeries

 

• Annual Exhibition (in person) - Juror: Maureen Marcotte

 

 

In memoriam

 

2004

Bill Stranks

2006

Catherine Brewster

Teresita Casas

2009

Julien Couture (Past President)

2014

Joan Bakker

2019

Heidi Lore Geraets (née Keim)

Bequest to the OGP accepted with gratitude

Maggie Cox