Hot off the presses…by Gloria

One of the 4-page spread in Fusion covering Templeton's Feast of Pottery.

    

The past several days have been good ones for my mailbox.  Rather like the potter opening the kiln to see the fruits of their labours, I get to open my real-life mailbox to receive magazines and books containing my work.  Both products are objects that are the final result of a long process.  In my case, months go by before I get to see an issue of a magazine that contains an exhibition review or feature story.

First there's the inspiration, and shortly afterward the perspiration takes over.  Pitching the idea, getting the assignment, writing the article, rewriting and then the magazine takes over with copy and concept edits, design, layout, and production.  Most magazines publish on a quarterly or monthly basis.  Many readers forget that those Christmas spreads are actually photographed in the heat of an August afternoon.  This is the rhythm of publishing.

This month I am expecting three of my articles to be on the newsstands.  The issue of Fusion is already out and contains my article about the Feast of Pottery, Alexis Templeton's annual event that combines a stellar cast of ceramic talent, the focus of a pop-up exhibition that lasts only a weekend, and the drop dead gorgeous scenery of the Quidi Vidi gut that feeds into the ocean.  I was happy to see that it is a four-page spread and that the editor used all of the images Alexis supplied.

Studio magazine will have my opinionated review of the Dale Chihuly blockbuster that held court at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.  I've compared this testosterone loaded show with, to me, the more impressive show of Canadian glass sculpture by women artists at Elena Lee Gallery down the street.  I think my last sentence summarizes it, especially the phrase that the flash of "the peacock was outdone by the quiet of the peahen."

From the cover of the glass show by women artists at Elena Lee Gallery.

C magazine should be out any day too.  And that issue contains my review of Kailey Bryan's show at the Rogue Gallery of Eastern Edge Artist Run Centre.  Naturally, I am curious to see what response I will get to my interpretation of her installation and video work.  I was really struck by its inclusiveness and gentleness, which is a very interesting evolution of feminist approach.

On the weekend I received my copy of the new Joanne Copp book by Jonathan Bancroft-Snell.  Joanne Copp passed away March 17, 2010.  I was sent the manuscript and photos for this slim volume prior to publication and along with the potter's daughter I am quoted on the title page.  (Joanne Copp is one of the few potters that has ever had her work on a postage stamp.)  The work of this B.C. based potter has near hypnotic charm.  Her characteristic treatment of gold-leafing the interiors of her simple curving vessels was breath taking.  It gave them an almost mystical presence.  Working with gold leaf is devilishly difficult.  The slightest breath makes it float and shift.  I am most familiar with it as used by iconographers, which helps explain my divine association with it.  The book captures something of the essence of Copp and her pots, shaped by wind, waves and mystery.