May 21 and 22 is the perfect time for appreciators of fine arts and crafts to explore lovely Denman Island.
Eight unique ceramics studios will be revealing their latest creations over the 24th annual Pottery Tour weekend between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Sudasi Gardner celebrates the natural world by carving or painting plant and animal designs on her ceramic pieces. Platters shaped like the fish that adorn them, and dishes embellished with colorful birds come alive in Gardner’s Gallerie Deya.
The artist’s meditative female portraits instill a peaceful mood, while lithe acrobats and other female figures dance across clay forms ranging from shallow bowls to large, slab-constructed vases. Other unique treasures abound in Gardner’s showroom, like the sculpted bust of a proud woman designed to sit solidly on a table balancing a brightly decorated fruit bowl on the top of her head.
Scott and Garnet Beardsley also have fun creating an incredibly diverse range of functional pottery and sculpture. In their studio showroom pretty little chickadees delicately painted onto mugs and vases can be found singing alongside fanciful garlic pots, playfully decorated with ‘cartoon cloves’. Complete with gloved hands and shoes on their feet, these comical veggies are also joined by dancing radishes on nearby saucers, and saucy human nudes draped across novel soap dishes.
Enjoy your Victoria Day long weekend by including Denman’s 24th annual spring pottery tour in your holiday plans. A vast selection of beautiful functional wares and affordable decorative pieces for both indoor and outdoor enjoyment will also be available in Down to Earth Pottery, Lilac Sun Pottery, LeBaron Studio, Gordon Hutchens Pottery and the showrooms of Tom Dennis and Hanne Christensen.
Pick up your free map to the self-guided tour at the Buckley Bay ferry booth and visit www.denmanpottery2011.blogspot.com for a sneak preview online.
— Denman Island Pottery Tour