West Meets East, an exhibition that includes many of the artists I went to Fuping, China with in 2007, opens today at Harbinger Gallery in Waterloo, Ontario. From the exhibition announcement:

Harbinger Gallery is pleased to present “West Meets East,” an exhibition of ceramics by Canadian artists who have created a body of work during or after visiting China. Curated by Ann Roberts, “West Meets East” is an exhibition that explores the many ways that Oriental culture has affected the visual language of artists who have recently visited China. Works included are by Katrina Chaytor, Ying-Yueh Chuang, Susan Collett, Charley Farrero, Trudy Golley, Judith Graham, Sin-ying Ho, Paul Leathers, Ann Mortimer, Paula Murray, Grace Nickel, Catherine Paleczny, Gilbert Poissant, and Jim Thomson. Please join us on Saturday, May 1, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. for the opening reception. Curator, Ann Roberts and some of the participating artists will be present. All are welcome.

I am happy to announce that I am participating in Earth Matters, the 2010 NCECA Invitational exhibition in Philadelphia. The show, installed at the Galleries at Moore, Moore College of Art and Design, opened on March 13 and runs until April 10, coinciding with the 44th annual NCECA conference, March 31 to April 3. I will be attending the conference and the opening of the 2010 NCECA Invitational, which takes place on April 1 at 7:00 p.m.

It is an honour to have been selected for this exhibition, curated by NCECA Exhibitions Director Linda Ganstrom. I am showing my porcelain piece, Devastatus Rememorari, for the fourth time, and once again had to source 400 lbs. of salt for the floor of the gallery. I would like to extend a special thank you to Robert Croker of Crozier Fine Arts for his unrelenting and successful search for glistening, white road salt in the middle of March in Philly. I am also grateful to Linda Ganstrom and her husband Sheldon for all their help during the installation that took place two weeks ago. Congratulations to Linda for putting together a beautiful show! Thank you for including me.

A full-colour catalogue for the 2010 NCECA Invitational exhibition will be available.

Photos by Gabrielle Lavin.

I’m working hard in Oz preparing for the show at Perth Galleries, but also taking time to meet some of the locals. Bye for now!

GALLERY ONE ONE ONE

GRACE NICKEL & WILLIAM PURA Curated by Cliff Eyland 13 July to 18 September 2009

CLOSING RECEPTION: Wednesday, 16 September, 5-8 PM

(Artists in conversation with curator Cliff Eyland at 5 PM)

I have had my work Uprooted – Winnipeg 2007 accepted into the Unity and Diversity Exhibition at the Canadian pavilion of the Cheoungju International Biennale in South Korea. The Biennale, which runs from September 23 to November 1, 2009, is the largest and most outstanding fine craft-based biennale in the world. Dr. Sandra Alfoldy of NSCAD University has been appointed the national curator for the event. Congratulations to Manitoba artists Teresa Hudson, Carol James, and Alan Lacovetsky, who will also have their work shown in the biennale.

A solo exhibition of my work will be on view at Gallery in the Park from May 15 until July 5 in Altona, Manitoba. I’ll be showing a few of my large architectural works and installing Devastatus Rememorari, which was created in Halifax, Nova Scotia in tribute to Point Pleasant Park, a large urban reserve devastated by Hurricane Juan in 2003.

As a lead up to the exhibition at Gallery in the Park, Lori Penner interviewed me and wrote an article in the Red River Valley Echo called “When Nature and Culture Collide,” in the Red River Valley Echo, April 24, 2009. PDF: penner_echo_20090424.pdf.

Students of Craft, May 12 to mid-September, 2009. Opens May 12, 3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.

I have been very busy since January, when I began my full-time teaching position in Ceramics at the University of Manitoba. I’ve posted some photos of my students’ work at Open House April 12, 2009 exhibition on the Quartz Inverters blog.

I’ve been awarded a commission to create the donors’ recognition work for the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, in Beechwood National Cemetery, Ottawa.

The work, entitled Donors’ Forest, will be a permanent installation consisting of four porcelain commemorative trees. The central piece is the Forked Tree, standing about 210 cm tall, constructed in six sections.

Above is a photograph of the 1:10 scale maquette, part of my proposal, showing the general arrangement of the installation. Below, the six sections of the Forked Tree, still unglazed and unfired. Look for more in-progress photos in the future.