Once a year since 1987 a group of potters on Denman Island get together to showcase their work via the Pottery Studio Tour. It’s an opportunity for visitors and locals to connect directly with the artists on the island and see their creations.
Some potters on the tour make their work available at other times of the year via markets or places like the Denman Island Craft Shop. There are others that use the Tour as a once-a-year event to showcase their art.
This year, Claire Kennedy will be making her debut as a ceramic artist during the Victoria Day Long Weekend. Before now you had to be gifted one of her funky pieces directly.
As a part-time landscape designer, part-time potter it’s no surprise she is inspired by nature. She was first introduced to hand-building ten years ago and enjoys the perfect imperfections this method provides.
Her process involves rolling out the clay, forming it into asymmetrical shapes, and etching designs and patterns into the sides. Her vases and cups often appear oblong or rolled with an overlapping seam, highlighting the natural process of creation.
“I’ve been really enjoying making orb forms and putting them together on the table instead of a tall vase,” she says.
A fan of matte glazes and neutral tones like black, grays and whites, Claire’s work is highlighted with the occasional splash of turquoise and chartreuse.
With a tiny personal studio, Claire has opted to display her work alongside friend and fellow potter on the Tour, Jeanie Rogers of Gilded Petunia Pottery. Visit Stop #2 to see her quirky and contemporary work.
The Pottery Studio Tour runs 10am-5pm Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18. Maps and more information are available at denmanislandpotterystudiotour.com.
