Friday, December 01, 2006

A Visual Feast


Some days I feel wildly lucky. Some weeks even. And though I'm going a bit crazy with holiday overwhelm, in the midst of it all are treasures like this evening. They make me glad that I live in Toronto and that my sister Shannon does too and that we have a standing date to spend Friday nights together. Tonight we had a real visual feast at the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. It was a first for both of us (and thanks Mom for suggesting it!) and it wasn't what I was expecting at all. Sure, I thought we'd see plates and bowls and urns. But here's what else we saw. And I apologize deeply for not being able to credit the artists here for you today. I should have taken a picture of the cards.

With this first one, it wasn't until we read the description that we "got" this piece. Can you see the shapes in the negative space between the urns?

I think this was my favourite piece in the entire museum:

And this made me want to make crazy things with yarn!

And then the Paul Day exhibit. How can I even begin to express the impact? I had seen the pictures, but nothing prepared me for the power of walking into that room. It is truly unbelievable work. You know when you see old, magnificent, ornate buildings in books or when you travel? This made me wonder what it was like to see that kind of work for the first time, in its time, when it was created. This felt like seeing those kinds of intricate sculptures but with contemporary images and so I understood them in a brand new way.

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And in the midst of this all there was a Christmas tree exhibit. And who's the pretty lady? Oh, it's Shannon!

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And I'm in this one, if you look close enough.

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And after all this, of course we went out for dinner, drinks and lots of chatting! It looks like December festivities have begun!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow Jamie, this piece really inspired me. I've never really been much interested in clay or ceramics, so I'm certain that I would not have gone to that exhibit. Those pieces are quite moving and inspiring. Your favorite is my favorite too.

How great that you have a standing date with your sister. If I lived in Madison instead of on Long Island, I would do that with my siblings too.

Anonymous said...

hey grrl. thanks for taking me along on your "sista date." as a budding potter, i am in awe of those pieces...every one of them. WOW! This museum is on my list of places to visit.

Anonymous said...

hello, hello, hello!! I'm back and so glad to have a whole bunch of your posts to come back and ready through!! I loved the artwork that you showed - that yarn one made me very inspired!!

Hey - I'll be in the country again in a couple of weeks - maybe we can meet up when I am in the city?!?!?!? I'd love to play with you!!

xoox

Anonymous said...

That is absolutely fantastic, I am so thrilled to have been able to see what you saw on your Friday night and that exhibit is breathtaking. I have a "soft spot" for clay, as you know, what astounding art and what an honour to get to see it. Makes me miss you, Shannon and Toronto very much. I plan to come for a visit in the spring when I have more than just a couple of days of time with you. I'm so glad you're getting to enjoy the holiday Jamie, so lovely.

Shannon said...

I had such a great time on Friday Jamie, it reall was a visual feast and then feasty afterwards too!