Gardiner Museum – Highways of Harlan House

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Harlan House (b. 1943) has long been one of Canada’s most renowned studio potters. Working steadily in rural Ontario since 1973, he is celebrated for his elegant porcelain vessels, lustrous glazes, and refined surface ornament. Works of this type are on view in our collection galleries. This exhibition explores something different: a virtually unknown group of early wall sculptures made …

The Find

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I have been working for over a year on a project called “The Find”.  The job is now done and is parked on my website home page.    Free.   Enjoy.  Share.   As you read this, Maureen and I are recalling that some of the work in “The Find” was being packed 50 years ago to this day. We bought our rural Ontario home in the …

Summer High

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I had a high summer.   17 years ago, I shingled the south side of Paddy Doyle’s Hotel and added to the windowsills and trim.  They got a couple coats of paint, and I moved back into the studio to work on exhibitions. 17 years later, the windows needed a lot of love.  They are just over 180 years old.  This …

Shadow

Spring

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Spring is like a beautiful Spanish orange. It looks good, it smells great, and as the layers are exposed, the promise of what is inside makes my mind work overtime. We have seen spring arrive in Lonsdale for 43 years, and each time we pinch ourselves to see if it is real. There always is something new to look at. …

Making Bowls Part III – Sprigging

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In these videos, my technique of sprigging is shown here for the first time. Before watching, let me share what I have learned about sprigging. Chinese potters have used a technique for hundreds of years, but my own European background made me look there for the secrets of sprigging technique. You have to be careful when looking at “factory” ceramics …

Making Bowls – Part II Trimming and Slip Decoration

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I’ve placed two more videos on the site that add to a series of technical videos intended for both students and those interested in learning how I make and decorate bowls. In the video of me trimming a thrown bowl, I mention that if you do not like to trim pots, you should avoid throwing with porcelain. I used to …