Robin Hopper died April 6, after living for two years with inoperable liver cancer. The burly, bearded artist made an enormous contribution to life around here.
With his wife, Judi Dyelle, they created a workshop and store, ’Chosin Pottery, an attractive destination on Metchosin Road (chosinpottery.ca). And some visitors were lucky enough to be invited through “the emperor’s gate” for a stroll in Hopper’s memorable one-hectare garden.
Hopper was the first winner of the Bronfman Award for Excellence in Craft in 1977, and has been honoured with many exhibitions of his pottery in prestigious galleries. His research and teaching live on in the many books he wrote over the years, books that became the definitive studio manuals for all aspects of pottery.
His pioneering work teaching glaze development around the world inspired him to initiate the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts in 1985, at first as a place for potters to undertake focused and extensive training.
In addition, Hopper wrote memoirs, loved to dress up in silly costumes, and last year created a wide-ranging and often hilarious “swan song” CD of some of the “greatest hits” of his life’s adventures. In our house, his pottery is in the kitchen cupboard, his books are on the shelf, and his enthusiasm for art and community lives on to inspire us — a life well-lived.
There might be no better way to celebrate Hopper’s inspiration than to register for the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts, which offers a huge range of courses at the Pearson College campus between June 24 and July 7. Now in its 32nd year, the school brings a complement of internationally renowned teachers, and attracts students — many of them professional artists — from all over the continent.
Among the classes that caught my attention are Linocuts in Clay, taught by Carol Rae; Special Effects Glazes taught by Gordon Hutchens; and Forms of Expression by Elaine Brewer-White
Beyond pottery, you can study whittling with Rick Wiebe, life-drawing with Heather Spears, “monotype magic” with Chiarina Loggia and hand-hooking rugs with Michelle Sirois-Silver. For the entire curriculum, visit missa.ca or phone 250-391-2415.
In last week’s column, I mentioned Victoria artist Nita Forrest. This week, Forrest (1926-1996) has been named as the 2017 “legacy artist” by the Victoria Visual Arts Legacy Society, an organization established to provide bursaries for post-secondary students at five local art academies. Honouring the memory of Forrest is the way VVLAS has decided to celebrate not only the 150th anniversary of Canada, but also the centennial of the right to vote for most women in British Columbia.
For more information on VVLAS, contact victoriavisualartslegacy.ca.
Forrest was born in Quesnel, and moved to Victoria in 1950. With the support of Herbert Siebner, Maxwell Bates and Richard Ciccimarra, she became an artist, and in 1968 began the Print Gallery in Oak Bay, a place that introduced the work of Jack Shadbolt, Toni Onley, Don Harvey and others to a local audience. Forrest was one of the original members of the Limners group of artists, and was made an honorary citizen of Victoria in 1983.
The McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville is preparing a show honouring three generations of the Heine family. The late Harry Heine (1928-2004) was one of the most talented watercolourists in the previous generation. Though a Prairie boy by birth, he became the first Canadian member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, and was a prominent figure in the Federation of Canadian Artists.
The next generation of Heines includes Caren, an excellent and very precise painter of floral subjects, and her brother Mark, who has taken his enormous skill as a commercial artist into the “fine art” realm. Their sister Jennifer is a mixed-media artist, and for this show is joined by a further generation of the family, granddaughter Sarah, who is studying art at the University of Victoria.
The exhibition runs from May 2 to 27, with an opening celebration from 1 to 3 p.m. on May 6. The McMillan Arts Centre is located at 133 McMillan St., Parksville mcmillanartscentre.com, 250-248-8185).
Now is the time to prepare your entries for three of the most important juried art shows in the region. First up is the third Art Victoria Now show presented by the Victoria Arts Council — until recently known as the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria. Unlike its vast annual Look show, which is not juried, this one aims to raise the bar and show the best of the local talent. Deadline for entry is April 21, and the exhibition will be held at the Atrium, 800 Yates St., from May 20 to May 25. For details, visit vicartscouncil.ca.
The 31st annual Sooke Fine Art Show will be held in the beginning of August at the Sooke Arena. This small community really rises to the occasion, transforming the arena into a 16,000-square-foot wonderland of art. The show engages 8,000 visitors with music and demonstrations Artists particularly appreciate the well-organized “purchase award” component, and many sales always result. For details visit sookefinearts.com.
The second annual Salt Spring National Art Prize, a project of the Salt Spring Arts Council, offers $30,000 in awards. Call for submissions closes May 31, and the show runs from Sept. 22 to Oct. 22. See ssartscouncil.com for details.
One more thing: The Oak Bay Artists’ Studio Tour takes place from noon to 4:30 p.m. on April 22 and 23. Brochures are available online at recreation.oakbay.ca.
