Yesterday Jerzy and I went on a mini-road trip to the Laurentians, a beautiful mountainous region just north of Montreal. Specifically we were going to Val David, about an hour and 40 minutes away, where they have been hosting 1001 pots for 20 years. It's the largest exhibition of ceramics in North America and it is special because it's held outside under the trees. It was truly a joy to be there. A feast for the senses. Inspirational. Relaxed atmosphere. And the ceramics! Behold!
textures...
patterns...
shapes...
a beautiful setting under the trees
ceramics galore
the Silica Garden, where broken ceramics are recycled in metal "cages" which form a maze
and quiet places of contemplation...
14 comments:
Oh, what beautiful pots, and your collages are so lovely as well, I am going to go back for a closer look. Thanks for your comment, I am feeling better about my newest creations! Have a great week...Roxanne
Kate, you made an artwork out of the photos of those artworks. Your gallery of details was so rich it felt as if I had been there myself. Thanks for sharing the sunny Sunday.
Kate,
I'm lost for words, your photo collages are breathtaking.
What an amazing day you & Jerzy had.
The detail of this work is magnificent.
I really love the first image too.
The mass of broken ceramics on display in a maze, is intriguing. Different way of looking at recycled/broken rejected art! I like it allot.
Thanks for the HUG!
kate, you keep leaving me speechless... everyone is right, your collages are works of art, and all of that ceramic inspiration is simply mind boggling. wow... thank you for making the 'big' images so big, because i fell right into them...
wow, these pots are fantastic, and all of these pictures of them are just lovely.
that looks amazing...what a collection.
Seeing the broken ones always makes me think of mosaic-work.
I've seen a mosaic-bathroom-wall where they used the holders of teapots as towel-holders...I liked that so much.
Kate, this is wonderful. I love the photo collages.
This region looks so beautiful. I need to come to Canada, now!
wow - wow - wow i especially love those cages. u must get better weather than we do here (rain rain!). what an inspiring place. would u mind if i add as link to you on my blog?
Now that's a cool looking place right there.......I wonder.....
What happens when it rains?! haha
I really like the shot of the mugs in their little squares :o)
rivergardenstudio...thanks for your comments and good luck with your potential series!
marlana...welcome to the blogosphere! And thanks for the lovely comments.
jo..words of praise about my photo collages coming from the master (you!)is gratifying indeed! The maze of broken pottery was one of my favourite parts of the whole exhibition. It was touching to see it all together and then to focus in on small fragments. I imagine it will take many years to fill that maze but I await the day that I can walk through it.
lynne...you are too kind! Mind boggling is the right phrase here...all those ceramics in one place and with all that texture and colour and pattern and shapes...it was amazing!
megan...thanks. So glad you enjoyed them!
uschi...I would love to see those towel holders. They sound very funky and certainly unique!
annette...lovely to see you on my blog. Please return! And thanks for your kind comments. Hope you do get to visit Canada. It does have some breathtaking spots! But it's so huge that you have to pick a region to focus on!
notmassproduced...thanks for your comments and I would be honoured for you to link to my blog. Could I do the same with yours? It's a treat to visit!
ww...I wondered the same thing about the rain. We've had a LOT of rain this summer. Perhaps they have giant tarps to throw over everything. But on the other hand, ceramics probably wouldn't be affected by rain so maybe they just leave them to face the elements. Fortunately it was a beautiful sunny day when we visited!
I want to be there!!!
I am peering through my tears when looking at all that beautiful clay work in pieces... oh so sad but the use of it is amazingly inventive!! Wow!
John was raised in Montreal and lived there off and on over the years before we met but I have never been... he has never lost his love of the city because of Montreal.. and he doesn't even speak French.
beautific photos!! It must have been so difficult to leave all that creativity... Thank-you!!
Oh wow...eye candy!I love the maze of broken pottery.
Oh my - pots! I was a potter for 20 years - clay will always be my favorite medium. I know that's why I love PMC so much. My little town has a real lack of interesting pots, so it's such a joy to see interesting work in an interesting setting - thank you!
I especially love the shards/fragments. In my school days, our clay studio was on beautiful Bellingham Bay. After the kiln openings and copious amounts of champagne, whatever we hated or had broken was flung out into the bay. Today as I pick up worn pot shards on my beach, I wonder if fragments of my old pots ever wash up on that beach - transformed from disappointment to treasure.
- kvk
gwen...yes, you'd think it would be sad but I can honestly say I didn't get a sad vibe from them. They seemed to be quite content nestled in their cages, joining together to create something unique and meaningful. Cool to be raised in Montreal - a fantastic city! I am an import to Quebec myself via many places(was actually born in Fredericton - your neighbourhood) and my French is apalling!
robyn...eye candy it is! And sometimes soul food too.
kathy...what a great story about hurling your shards into the bay. I want to believe that you have, indeed, picked up pieces that found their way back to you.
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