What's in a Frame...at the Potter's Place

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Friday, March 28th, 2014
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The Potters Place is excited to introduce and feature Sue Emerson, a new and emerging artist to our gallery March 4 � 31st.

Sue Emerson brings a whole new dimension to the Potters Place - a dimension that includes a unique collaboration of materials and textures. She gets her welders torch fired up and creates frames of steel for her landscaped raku boxes. This is interactive art, and you the viewer get to manipulate and rearrange a variety of ceramic pieces within their metal framework.

Many years ago, when Sue was still a teenager, she had her sites on becoming a full time artist/potter. With studio, kiln, wheel and clay set up and ready to make her mark an unexpected turn of events occurred and life happened. Her dream was set aside as she raised her family and worked as a teacher within the public school system along with writing curriculum, consulting for The Vancouver Sun and becoming a Master Gardener. Life happened!

In her recent move to the Comox Valley, Emerson has found a way to reacquaint herself with that young artist left behind years ago. The artist within has finally found a voice and is alive and well in the Comox Valley. This is an emotional ride for Sue. A full circle moment so to speak as she finds herself having built the studio of her dreams in Ships Point. As the Potters Place welcomes Sue as their newest artist � she says she feels both a sense of relief and accomplishment. She has finally found her way back home� to herself and to her heART.

This is the world that Sue Emerson belongs in and she loves it here. Ceramics is the perfect blend of science and art � left brain and right brain thinking and problem solving. �One can spend a life-time learning about clay and never have one second of boredom�. She has found a way to incorporate her love of the natural landscapes which surround her, with her love of clay, design and science. Textures in the rock formations, the mountains, the sea, and her garden have found their way into her sculptural pieces. On display at the Potters Place from March 4thpieces that hang on walls, sit on mantels and tables, and hopefully will encourage the artist within.

Sue Emerson is all about the connection. She loves �the making� and is eager to share that with those around her. Philosophically, she is swayed by the concept that �beauty is in the eye of the beholder� and therefore many of her pieces are created where the observer is encouraged to live with her art, alter her art � live with it, alter it again� and so on� as they see it. The observer is able to interact with the art by simply moving sculptural blocks of colour within the metal framework containing them. You, the observer is encouraged to create your own narrative � a co-creation with Sue�s work. This is a way to share the joy that she experiences everyday.

Sue is interested and practices a number of firing styles but it is Raku that has captured her attention as of late. What has drawn Sue to this firing style is it�s unique blend of aesthetic qualities, spiritual significance and raw excitement. As one learns about Japanese culture it becomes quickly evident the importance of the Tea Ceremony and the intimate link of Raku to that ceremony. Sue has taken the Raku style far beyond it�s original physical intension but feels that she still honours the spiritual connection to nature and wabi-sabi (�wisdom in natural simplicity�) as
originally intended.It is currently raku that enjoys most of Sue�s attention and interest these days to which she says this: �One of my passions as a ceramic artist is fed by the exciting firing style called �Raku�. As a true enthusiast I belong to the Hawaii Craftsmen Association and travel to Oahu each May and June to fire on the beach with dozens of like-minded artists and gather inspiration for the rest of the year. To say that I love it would be an understatement � but I love it!�

Come and help us welcome Sue Emerson�s exciting and unique new work as we feature her at the Potters Place From March 4th.

Parking is available at the Rear of the building along the fence.