Nelson potter Lisa Martin’s work will be showing at the Osoyoos Art Gallery from Sept. 10 to Oct. 1. (Contributed photo)
It’s not often that the Osoyoos Art Gallery offers a show dedicated entirely to pottery, but that happens this weekend when an exhibition of work by Nelson potter Lisa Martin opens.
Martin’s work is a mix of functional pieces like coffee mugs, teapots and bowls, as well as artistic pieces that are intended to be hung on your wall and admired.
“I am inspired to create functional pottery with the intention of it being used to nourish the mind, body and soul,” says Martin in an artist statement for her show titled “Reflective Presence.”
“Through the surface treatment and firing process, I enjoy engaging the user to look deeper into how the piece of art was made,” she continues.
Gallery Curator Sue Whittaker admits she’s only seen Martin’s work in photographs and as a painter, she says pottery isn’t her area of expertise.
But Whittaker says the show came about after Osoyoos potter Darlene Fillion took a trip to Nelson and stumbled upon Martin’s work.
“She came back and was so enthusiastic that she brought her computer to one of the meetings and she pulled up all of her work that she could find on the computer,” Whittaker recalls.
But much time elapsed between the discovery of Martin’s work and actually getting her to come to Osoyoos, where she’s never shown before.
“She had gone to Laos, Thailand and Peru and the South American trip was kind of hanging over her head for two years,” said Whittaker. “I think she might have had a baby in the middle of it and it got pretty complicated. We had to wait for a while, but we think it’s been worthwhile waiting and now she’s ready to come.”
Martin, who teaches wheel-thrown pottery classes in Nelson, raises a young family and works in her studio at Beasley, just outside Nelson, won’t be able to spend much time in Osoyoos.
She’ll be down Thursday to set up the show and then will head back to Nelson without any opening reception.
Martin grew up in Fernie, B.C. She graduated from a three-year diploma program at Kootenay School of the Arts in Nelson in 2001, majoring in clay.
Since then, she has built a studio at her home in Beasley.
She continued to study pottery techniques during her travels and has also attended workshops in Vancouver, Kelowna, Nelson and at the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts.
Her work is collected locally, nationally and in private international collections.
Most Osoyoos shows where potters have exhibited have also included work of artists using other media.
Potter Katie Foster exhibited in January with painter Jane Scheffler.
Last November, potter Gale Woodhouse did a joint show with Patricia Doyle, who does glass and jewelry.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
A colourful pair of bowls by Lisa Martin. (Contributed photo)
Wood fired noodle bowls by Lisa Martin. (Contributed photo)
