Fired Up! Contemporary Works in Clay -Art Show

Fired Up! -Contemporary Works in Clay

A 40th Anniversary Celebration of Canadian Ceramic Arts

What is Fired Up? The first Fired Up! Contemporary Works in Clay was hosted by the renowned Robin Hopper and Judi Dyelle in their Metchosin garden, where they brought together 12 ceramic artists who shared a vision of more than just another pottery sale. Their purpose was to show the public the many diverse ways of working with clay by demonstration and exhibition, and to promote the understanding and appreciation of ceramics as an art form. Since that first exhibition, this annual show has become a much anticipated tradition in Metchosin, on the West Shore of Greater Victoria where Judi still runs Chosin Pottery and Gallery showcasing their work. Through the years the artists of Fired-Up! have been featured in venues both across Canada and the USA, including 25th anniversary shows at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo, Ont. and at the Jonathon Bancroft-Snell Gallery in London, Ont. In the last decade, they also exhibited at two NCECA Conferences, in Portland, Oregon and in Seattle, Washington.

Who is Fired Up? Fired Up! Contemporary Works in Clay consistently offers an opportunity for the public to meet some of BC's best-known ceramics artists, and to have first-hand access to their work. Since that first exhibition, this show has continued to run annually and there have been a total of 28 members of the Fired Up! group across that time. The current core group consists of British Columbian artists who continue to produce and exhibit exciting and innovative functional, decorative and sculptural work: Vin Arora, Alan Burgess, Samantha Dickie, Sandra Dolph, Peter Flannagan, Sandy Harquail, Gordon Hutchens, Cathi Jefferson, Miera Mathison, and Kinichi Shigeno. 2024 is a very important year for the Fired Up! show; as the longest running ceramic exhibition group in Canada, this spring they celebrate their 40th anniversary. In recognition of this impressive milestone, this year’s theme is “Honouring 40 Years” and will feature contemporary work from the current artists, as well as showcasing that of former group members: Louise Card, Susan Delatour, Judi Dyelle, Mary Fox, Sue Hara, Denys James, Glenys Marshall-Inman, Craig Rogers, Lauri Rolland and Dianne Searle. The retrospective will also include an “In Memoriam” tribute to some former members who are sadly no longer with us, but have left an indelible mark on the Canadian ceramics scene: Marlene Bowman, Meg Burgess, Walter Dexter, Robin Hopper, Gary Merkel, Pat Webber, and Robin Righton. 

When is Fired Up 2024? The annual Fired Up! -Contemporary Works in Clay event is always a highlight of the Canadian ceramics art scene, but this year in particular is not one to be missed. For 2024, in honour of the anniversary, the group is showcasing work from all past and present members complete with artist biographies. Don’t miss this special show at the Metchosin Community Hall (4401 William Head Rd), May 25-26. It is a unique opportunity to view the work of both these former and current ceramics “influencers” who have helped put Canada on the ceramic arts map, and whose knowledge and expertise continue to be foundational to practicing ceramic artists in the field. 

For more information, Please follow Fired Up! On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiredUpWorksInClay/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firedupworksinclay/ , and visit their website: https://www.firedup.ca