The Potters Place is featuring a new and emerging artist to the gallery from March 4 to 31. 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 welder’s 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 sights 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.
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 lifetime 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 in March will be pieces that hang on walls, sit on mantels and tables, and hopefully will encourage the artist within. Emerson is all about the connection. She loves ‘the making’ and is eager to share that with those around her.
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 every day. Raku currently enjoys most of Sue’s attention and interest these days.
“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!”
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As we begin to welcome the spring, the Potters Place is thrilled to be able to house the travelling exhibition of FIRED UP – Contemporary Works In Clay.
This is a show of extraordinarily gifted British Columbia potters whose show will visit Vancouver, Metchosin and the Potters Place in early April. FIRED UP Potters will include Cathi Jefferson, Gordon Hutchens, Meg Burgess, Mary Fox, Meira Mathison, Pat Webber, Alan Burgess just to name a few.
The Potter’s Place is at 180B Fifth St. on the corner of Fifth and Cliffe in the Courtyard, in the cultural heart of downtown Courtenay.
It’s open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is available at the Rear of the building along the fence. For more information, call 250-334-4613,like The Potters Place Gallery and Shop on Facebook or visit www.thepottersplace.ca.
— The Potters Place
