CCBC Crafthouse Shop & Gallery

Kirsten Chursinoff, "Low Tide"
Exhibit: June 17 - July 21, 2010
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 17, 6-8pm

The exhibit celebrates the details of tide pools and treasures of beachcombing with the traditional and contemporary techniques of embroidery and quilting. By layering and combining materials such as cotton, silk and wool, the artist uses the natural texture and unique surfaces of thread and cloth to their full potential.

Susan Cain, "Loose Associations"
Exhibit: May 6 - June 13, 2010
Opening Reception: May 6th, 6-8pm

An exhibit of mixed media figures and animals, that explore the relationships between the physical, emotional, and seasonal qualities of containment and expansion.

Jay MacLennan, "Pots That Pour" TBC
Exhibit: March 4 - March 28, 2010
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 4, 6-8pm

An exploration of a variety of domestic pots that pour, including everything from jugs to teapots, batter bowls to ewers. The high fired stoneware communicates the importance of handmade objects and the personal stories they can tell.

Sharing a Musqueam Gift
Exhibit: February 4-27, 2010
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 4, 6-8pm

This exhibition features Debra Sparrow, Robyn Sparrow, Krista Point and Vivian Campell. Curated by Candace Thayer-Coe. This exhibition celebrates the life of Musqueam weaving, the women who weave, and their work which they generously share with us through the hands of their ancestors. The Musqueam are a First Nations people recognized as the first residents of Vancouver.

FRESH CRAFT: Student Award Winner Exhibition 2010
Exhibit: January 9-30, 2010
Opening Reception: Thursday, January 14, 2:30-4:30pm

Come see the work of Award winning students, Jodie Dobmeier and Kaytee Kilgour, recognized at the Craft Council of BC’s annual student exhibition FRESH CRAFT

Jodie, a student in the Jewellery Art and Design program at Vancouver Community College displays her award winning jewellery.

Jodie’s love of jewellery began during her travels in South East Asia when she became inspired by the local crafts. Jodie feels we need to take better care of it and this belief is reflected in her work.

Kaytee a recent graduate from the textile program at Capilano University showcases her award winning tapestry weaving. She finds the whole process – dyeing, designing, weaving and finishing – very rewarding and satisfying.

Kaytee is doing further study at Emily Carr University of Art and Design and hopes to expand her love for the craft by studying print making and exploring a more conceptual approach to textiles.

Sheila Morissette, "in FORMations"
Exhibit: October 22 - November 29, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 22, 6-8pm

This solo, ceramic exhibition features playful formations of miniatures designed to be intimate and special. The repetition of form within the display, informs the viewer by accentuating the subtleties of work that is handmade

Charmian Nimmo, "Elements"
Exhibit: September 10 - October 18, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 10, 6-8pm

Pots…with a twist. Clay, glass and metal come together to create functional vessels with something more. Pieces will maintain their functionality while surprising the viewer with an unexpected aspect of humour or delight in the handles, knobs, or other decorative elements

Naoko Takenouchi, "Celestial Navigation 2"
Exhibit: August 6 - September 6, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, August 6, 6-8pm

The exploration and interpretation of the artist's recent profound experience of walking meditation to the Santiago de Compastela in Northern Spain. The exhibit will feature handblown and sandblasted glass pieces.

Eleanor Hannan, "Small Excursions into Colour and Form"
Exhibit: June 18 - July 26, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 18, 6-8pm

Not so much imitations of as translations from painting - works began as watercolour studies on paper and are embroidered to give brilliance, texture and momentum. “Why turn watercolours into embroideries?” The answer: conceptually they were always embroideries.

Anni Hunt, "Containment"
Exhibit: May 7 - June 14, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 7, 6-8pm

Human beings by their very nature have a tendency to like to hide and reveal things. With her work, Anni Hunt examines our innate fascination with secrecy. She has created a series of vessels, each containing a surprise or secret. "These containers are sacred for special secrets, but the very container that they are in, tells the viewer about the secrets they contain."

Fibre and mixed media are the tools that Anni Hunt uses to transform her vision into art. She has always has a very good eye for changes in color, which is apparent in the rich and colorful texture of her art work. Anni's first box was designed in 2004 for a City and Guilds assessment piece, this, in turn, inspired her to complete a series of boxes centered on a "secret" theme. This body of work is about special vessels/containers for storing secrets, memoirs, and/or life treasures away from prying eyes.

Anni's lifelong passion for textiles and stitch found her exploring quilting in the early 90's, which led to her formalizing her skills at the Gail Harker Creative Studies Center, where she completed her City and Guilds Certificate in Art and Design, and City and Guilds Machine Embroidery Levels 1,2, and 3. This formal training in stitch has developed Anni's style of embroidered images.

"TRANSFORMATION: Artworks Made from Recycled Objects"
Exhibit: March 26 to May 3, 2009
Opening Reception: March 26, 6-8pm
Featuring Nancy Adams, Ken Gerberick, Tam Harrington, Gayle Koyanagi, Lorraine Kwan, Janet Lee, Launi Lucas, Luci Lytle, Eric Allen Montgomery, Robi Smith, Laura vander Linde, Linda Varro and Douglas Walker

Left: Janet Lee and Right: Luci Lytle

This exhibition is a first for Crafthouse Gallery in that it has recycling as its central theme. The fact that the exhibition spans Earth Day on April 22 is no coincidence. The thirteen exhibitors are all environmentally aware creators who use found and recycled artifacts to create sculpture, collage, assemblages, lamps, purses, clocks and fountains. .
Nancy Adams, an ardent recycler, presents a dress made from recycled dress patterns. Ken Gerberick's lamps and assemblages are made from materials which society has used, abused and discarded, often found in Vancouver laneways. Tam Harrington has used metal steamers and colanders to create her reliquary box. Gayle Koyanagi has used bones to create a pair of sculptural shoes. Lorraine Kwan uses cast off minutiae such as glass bottles to create a rocket ship. Inspired by her daughter's marriage Janet Lee has created a series of 3-D assemblages titled "Wedding Songs: A Mother's Hopes and Dreams". Weathered lobster buoys which have been altered and made into sculptures of fish are the work of Launi Lucas. Luci Lytle turns ordinary corrugated boxes inside out to reveal the colours and textures within. Eric Allen Montgomery, renaissance man and assemblage artist presents "Parlour Games", a clock made from a 1925 crokinole board and antique games pieces. Tiny birds, insects, fish and animals are collaged into slide mounts by Robi Smith. Laura vander Linde has combined her enthusiasm for recycling and her design sense to make vinyl record purses. Linda Varro has had a love affair with tarnished silver plated tea sets, coffee pots and cutlery for decades. She has incorporated these into a unique chandelier that drips with Austrian crystals. Douglas Walker has exuberantly welded alto saxophones, French horns and other metal objects to make a magical fountain.

Feel the Love
Exhibit: February 5 - March 22, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 5, 6-8pm

Left: Amy Chang and Right: Anna Clark

Left: Pat Crucil and Right: Erin Dolman

Left: Debra Sloan and Right: Jessie Turner

The Craft Council of British Columbia invites you to attend a Valentine's Day exhibit, Feel the Love, from February 5 to March 22. Witness the extraordinary talent of craftspeople and view pieces that are guaranteed to evoke the Valentine's Day spirit. The exhibit showcases Valentine themed pieces from Anna Clark, Amy Chang, Pat Crucil, Erin Dolman, Jessie Turner, and Debra Sloan.

Amy Chang
Amy's ceramic piece conveys the conversation of two hearts, as they express their pure love for one and other, and the connection between them.

Anna Clark
Anna's jewellery pieces are part of a body of work that is interested in how the plant world and the animal world collude to the benefit of each other in pollination, reproduction, and maybe love.

Pat Crucil
Pat uses fabric as her medium for creative expression. Her Love Quilts are a reflection of loves power as the one thing that holds us all together.

Erin Dolman
Jeweler Erin, works with iconic imagery and heart figures to evoke a subtle sense of romance, and nostalgia. Her jewellery, prompts the viewer to bring their own memories and emotions into each piece.

Jessie Turner
Specializing in natural and contemporary forms of jewellery, Jessie’s heart pieces have many texture and shape elements, representing experience and diversity, while striving for peace and unity.

Debra Sloan
With the Pocket Venus, Debra has created her creative interpretation of the female form. Shaped like a heart the power and energy of the curves are offset by the linear surface details.

"Fresh Craft: CCBC Student Award Winner Exhibit"
January 15 - February 1, 2009.
Opening Reception: Thursday, January 15, 6-8pm

This exhibits promises to be quite exciting given the diverse background of the exhibiting artists. The exhibit includes the works of Sonya McRae, Geri Rinkel, and Jessica Thistlethwaite.

Sonya McRae describes herself as an "anarchistic, agitatin', instigatin' orphan since her mid-teens". She has studied at Langara College and is currently studying at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University. She is inspired by art that speaks to her. Her work is influenced by the world around her and her experiences in it. She is inspired by her friends. She is also inspired by art that is left in places that get eventually painted over or demolished.

Geri Rinkel works with stoneware producing pottery that represents simplicity, familiarity, and comfort. She uses the female form as a source of inspiration. Her interest in textiles extends to her glazes which appear to dress the form of her work. Mother goddess archetypal imagery is found throughout her body of production.

Jessica Thistlethwaite is interested in the interplay between concepts and her medium. She is interested in creating narratives within her forms and hopes that viewers draw their own narratives when viewing her pieces.

"Winter Light"
Exhibit: December 4, 2008 - January 11, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, December 4, 6-8pm

An exhibit of glass by five of BC's renowned glass artists celebrating solstice and the return of light in the depths of winter.

"Winter Light" is an exhibition showcasing works from five of BC's leading glass artists, Jill Allen, Jeff Burnette, Julian Duerksen, Tammy Hudgeon, and Naoko Takenouchi. The exhibition features limited edition pieces, of fused and blown glass. Witness the extraordinary talent of BCs craftspeople, as they present stimulating handmade works that reflect their vision of winter. Tammy Hudgeon views winter as a time for colour and exuberance as shown in the above image of her joyous fused glass trees. In the spirit of the Christmas season, all works are for sale and many would make splendid gifts

"Then and Now: A Celebration of Fine Craft:
British Columbia's 150th Anniversary"
Exhibit: October 23 - November 30, 2008
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 23, 6-8pm

"Then and Now" is an exhibit commemorating the 150th Anniversary of British Columbia, featuring craftspeople with strong ties to the formative years of CCBC. The exhibit features artists Brian Baxter, Tam Irving, James Koester, Francis Lemieux, and Diana Sanderson.

Brian Baxter focuses on maximizing the textures of glass to enrich the quality of light. The design of this architectural work attempts to harmonize with each site. Although he does not use colour at times (and enjoys it), he feels it actually distracts from the richness of the glass itself.

In the eighties, Tam Irving was making wheel-thrown pots fired to stoneware temperatures in a reduction kiln. Glazes were made from local materials and plasticity was celebrated by incising and altering pieces immediately after throwing. Irving has since moved in a different direction with his current pieces showcasing his interest in the abstract use of colour. He has been influenced by the world of the colour-field painters in a series of wall-vases.

James Koester is a Vancouver artist working primarily with metals. His practice includes mixed media sculpture, wrought iron work and other specialized fabrication. He has exhibited throughout North America and has contributed to a number of regional public art projects.

Francis Lemieux will feature original furniture pieces designed by himself and manufactured by Francis Lemieux & Co. His pieces have a reputation for being high quality that can stand the test of time. Serving the Lower Mainland since 1982, Francis Lemieux & Co. offers a wide range of services including custom furniture and millwork fabrication, art services and prototype building.

Diana Sanderson has introduced great fluidity into her work. She recently developed a way to create that general effect by employing felting to soften the rigid forms that she has traditionally woven. Lately, she's enjoyed looking anew at branches and bark and attempting to translate the colours, textures and intertwining into textiles.

Hanna Haapasalo, "City Forest"
Exhibit: September 11 - October 19, 2008

The well being of people is dependent on successful and harmonious relations between nature and the urban environment. In her works, Hanna Haapasalo examines the interaction between these elements. "In cities which create an optimal environment for people, structures have never fully replaced nature; the trees and forest have never left the city". The organic shapes of big trees and straight lines on buildings and other architectural structures make an interesting contrast for the eye and the mind.

Photography and Jacquard weaving are the tools Hanna Haapasalo uses to translate her vision into art. Photography has been her passion for more than twenty years. When she walks outside with her camera she looks for surfaces and wild patterns. Her tapestries are further interpretations of these structures. The computer assisted Jacquard hand loom is highly suited to advance her exploration.

Hanna has always excelled at complex weaving. This connection was strengthened when she studied weaving and textile arts in 2001-03 in Finland and where she graduated as a textile artisan. The double weave technique which she has used in her works not only provides advanced technical possibilities to explore this topic, but it also symbolizes the multilayered nature of this special environment - the City Forest.

Laura Murdoch, "Layered Light"
Exhibit: July 31 - September 7, 2008
Opening Reception: Thursday, July 31, 6-8pm

A collection of hand-blown glass vessels and pendant lights in vibrant colours with layers of intricate repeating patterns. Each patterned layer is different but the sum of all layers are harmonious.

Karin Marita Jones, "Hearts and Nerves": an Exhibition of Gold Inlay on Steel"
Exhibit: June 19 - July 27
Opening Reception: June 19th, 6 - 8pm

Crafthouse Gallery presents new work by metal artist Karin Marita Jones. Karin is formerly known for her work in silver and enamel and is presenting her new collection of steel objects and accessories, embellished with inlaid 24K gold and fine silver patterns in this gallery exhibit.

Deb Dumka and Shirley Inouye, "Ocean's Edge"
Exhibit: May 8 - June 15, 2008
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 8th, 6 - 8pm

Influenced by the water's edge, creations in clay and felt takes an organic direction in form and symbolism.

"Like Wearing a Love Letter" is a show of hand-fabricated contemporary jewellery by Colleen Baran.

“CONTEMPORARY CRAFT IN BC: EXCELLENCE WITHIN DIVERSITY”
Vancouver Museum
February 7 - April 6, 2008

Circumference is a series of ceramic wreathes that investigate the use of the wreathe as a ritual object for life and death.

"Fresh Craft: The CCBC Student Award Winner Exhibit"
Exhibit: Jan 17-Feb 10, 2008

A group show featuring the work of recent graduates from BC college and university programs. Coordinated by Elisabeth Owre, Candace Thayer-Coe and Coralie Triance and featuring the works of Marek Normon, Brandi Rawluk, and Claire Wensween.

Sharon Reay, "Book Ends"
November 1 - December 2, 2007

Classic childhod bedtime stories come alive, in this exhibition of ceramic bookends, featuring favourite characters spilling forth from the pages.

Nancy Hall, "The Climb"
October 4 - 28, 2007

Each rug celebrates an ascent: women's climb from invisibility to recognition; my own struggles as a rural Prairie artist to achieve new heights and to take craft up the steep incline to fine art.

Dominique Brechault, "The Road,"
September 6 - 30, 2007

Jewellery. An exploration on the theme of "The Road", based on a recent personal journey - an 800 kilometre walk to Santiago, Spain, following the Camino Frances.

Christina Luck, "Crowd"
August 2 - September 2, 2007

A crowd of people one might encounter anywhere - some strangers, some friends, some lovers, imagined in carved and painted wood.

July 5 - 29, 2007
Thick glass bowls with fine, crisp, interior patterns, projecting a spray of colour and light.

June 7 - July 1, 2007
Joyous meditations on life, love, colour and travel in fused and slumped glass.

May 3 - June 3, 2007
In this body of work based on West Coast imagery, the nature of random pattern is investigated. Random pattern is both the subject of these works, and the method by which they are produced.

April 5 - 29, 2007
The final Chapter to "Bedtime Stories" is this artist's quilted book of nursery rhymes made entirely with thead, ink and paper.

Bill Boyd
March 1 - April 1, 2007

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 1, 2007