Carol Demers and Ronda Green | Whispers of Form

×

Expand

North Van Arts

Carol Demers, “Whispers of Form,” 2023

(courtesy of the Gallery)

Art in the Community presents Whispers of Form, an exhibition by Carol Demers and Ronda Green.

Artist Bio – Ronda Green:

With 45 years of experience as a potter and pottery instructor, Ronda Green’s artistic journey has been a remarkable one. In addition to her dedication to ceramics, she’s shown incredible strength as a single mother  while raising two children.

Ronda’s passion for pottery has taken her around the world. She established pottery workshops in Zanzibar and delivered workshops in Guyana for the local arts scene. Her travels, often on a bicycle, have inspired a unique traveling Raku Workshop that she shares with communities in British Columbia.

Ronda’s commitment to growth led her to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Design from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. She’s been a prominent figure in Vancouver’s ceramic guilds, serving as president twice.

In 2003, Ronda embarked on a four-month cycling race across Africa, from Cairo to Cape Town, offering her a unique perspective on the world. In 2006, she initiated the establishment of a working pottery in Zanzibar, emphasizing her dedication to both art and community.

Today, Ronda resides in Horseshoe Bay with her partner, Tim, and her adult children, Nicholas and Lilly. Her lifelong journey as a potter and her commitment to sharing her artistry continue to leave a lasting impression on the global ceramics community.

Artist Statement – Ronda Green:

It is the earth, itself, which brings me joy and stimulates my imagination. Both my art, and the clay that I use to express my art, come from the earth. For 30 years, since I was old enough to choose my way, I have been a potter. I cannot imagine being or doing anything else – although as a single mom I sometimes thought I might have to, when times were tight. An Anglican priest long ago called me, kindly, a pantheist. He was right. My connection with nature is spiritual. In nature, I find serenity, magic and beauty. My travels confirm to me that love for the natural world is a universal bond among people.

The in finite textures, colors and forms of rocks and minerals, soil, wind-swept sand, clouds and water delight my senses. The beauty of the earth’s vegetation with its endless variations is magnificent. I try to emulate this sensibility in the clay pieces I create.

Artist Bio – Carol Demers:

My background in science, with degrees in Biology and Physiotherapy may seem an unlikely starting point to my art career, but both backgrounds continue to inform my work.

A move from Montreal to Vancouver in the late 90’s eventually led me to end my physiotherapy practice and begin the Studio Art Program at Capilano College, which I completed in 2005.   My work has mainly focused on painting and ceramics until more recently, when sculptural forms in clay and wire have begun to surface.

I paint out of my home studio or my studio at 1000 Parker Street in East Van.  The ceramics are constructed in my home studio, then smoke fired at Glen Eagles Community Center in West Vancouver.

Artist Statement – Carol Demers:

When I hike in the west coast forest or walk along a rocky shore, I am aware of a clarity of thought, an openness to ideas.  These are the places that fuel my art.

I am inspired by the organic shapes, lines and textures found within the natural world that surrounds me.  From the hollowed-out sandstone formations (tafoni) found on the shores of the Gulf Islands to fungal whorls or mushrooms on the forest floor, to nests or rocks with odd markings, to shells and seeds, to the bleached bones of an animal or bird, I find myself completely captivated.  My visceral response to what I experience there weaves its way into my art practice.

When I return to the studio, often with scavenged items I’ve collected, I convey the fragility, beauty and strength I encountered through my art.

The work is elemental.  Earth, air, fire and water all have a role.  The paintings often incorporate earth pigments, plaster and beeswax; their surfaces tactile, their colours drawn from nature.  The clay works are organic forms, slowly coil-built then hand-burnished to a gentle sheen. The ware is then placed in a barrel with wood, sawdust, minerals and plant materials and set on fire. The resulting surface is an expression of the flame itself.