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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, on January 9 to 30 at the CCBC gallery located at 1386 Cartwright Street, Granville Island.

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.

Minds and hands work together to bring beauty to everyday objects. The Art of Craft explores the use of traditional craft techniques to explore complex contemporary issues of identity and culture, meaning and metaphor. But the pieces still call to mind the ancient, bodily pleasures of craft making - plunging hands into clay, burnishing metal until smooth, exhaling breath into hot glass – process as art.

The Art of Craft is an exploration of the breathe and depth of Canadian contemporary craft – exploring the supposition that there is “no such thing as a particularly “Canadian” type of craft, there is no such thing as a single, unifying field of “Craft.” Nostalgic ideas about comfort and safety do not exist in the lived reality of Canadian craft. But this is not a negative. Rather, this is a powerful reminder of the fluidity and openness of craft materials and techniques.”(Alfoldy). Canadian craft and process is given an international context by the parallel exploration of the use of ancient Korean craft techniques in contemporary Korean art.

Canada is this year’s official guest country at the Cheongju International Craft Biennale. Over one thousand artists from more than forty countries participate in the Biennale. The Canada Pavilion is a large scale exhibition of our country’s finest hand-made work enabling a deepening of the relationship between the two countries – allowing the Art of Craft to further explore the somewhat stark, sometimes unformed contrasts between two countries and how their two different cultures have impacted the development of contemporary fine craft.

The first exhibition room houses Unity and Diversity art works demonstrating that Canada is home to a dynamic, inspired craft community, one that is defined through its rich layers of difference. As a result of these distinctions a unified voice begins to emerge, one that is fiercely proud of the high level of sophistication achieved by its crafts, and eager to pursue new directions for the field. Canadian craftspeople are globally recognized for their unique contributions to craft.

The 70 pieces, along with the artists’ statements, led to the creation of seven themes within the exhibition: Water, Land, Contact, Flora and Fauna, Arrivals, Myth and Metaphor, and Departures.

Artists: Karen Colbourne Martin, Diane Gaudreau, Alex Anagnostou, Brad Copping, Taliaferro Jones, Steve Smith, Lynn Légaré, Dawn Detarando, Julia Reimer, Peter Pierobon, Yvonne Wakabayashi, Dorothy Caldwell, Aaron Lowe, Malcolm Zander, Claudio Pino, Erin Dolman, Ann Pocket, Noelle Snell, Louise LBérubé, Teresa Burrows, Alaynee Goodwill, Lyn Fabio, Matthew Shimout, Brigitte Clavette, Elizabeth Goluch, Dawn MacNutt, Cali Balles, Lois Betteridge, Julie Lockau, Jim Lorriman, Melissa Morrow, Bill Reddick, Dominique St-Pierre, Karen Cantine, Michael Hosaluk, Melissa Pedersen, Cathy Terepocki, Lilach Lotan, Peter Fleming, Chung-Im Kim, Margaret Lim, Dorie Millerson, W Collective, Chantal Gilbert, Vanessa Yanow, Linda McBain Cuyler, Kari Woo, Margaret Matsuyama, Linda Brine, Isabella St. John, Kai Chan, Laura Donefer, Stephen Hogbin, Kate Jackson, Brad Turner, Patrycja Zwierzynska, Tanya Lyons, Brian McArthur, Greg Payce, Jill Allan, Peter Kiss, Jerry Ell, Toonoo Sharky, Susan Warner Keene, Lily Yung, Susan Edgerley, Colin Schleeh, Katrina Chaytor

The second aspect of Art of Craft explores the artistic process. By Hand: BC.Yukon reminds us that sophisticated pieces of fine craft are born in the hands and studios. A short video focusing on artisan’s hands during the process of creating craft objects will provide the contextual backdrop for By Hand. Highlightingthe studio, materials, tools, process (from concept sketches and inspiration through to finished piece) – allows the viewer to engage in the various stages represented through various vignettes.

The apparent magic of the artistic process is grounded in hard-working, experienced hands – hands that know their way around a hunk of clay or a tangle of threads. The mystery of artistic inspiration is fed by good light, sturdy tools, and strong coffee. Artists make “studios” where they make art -- whether in a dedicated room or in a corner of the kitchen.

These 51 pieces were selected by jury from submissions by craft artists from British Columbia and the Yukon. Pieces were chosen to represent the range of craft media – wood, metal, ceramics, glass, mix media and fibre.

Artists: Barbara Cohen, Melanie Thompson, Bettina Matzkuhn, Cher Cartwright, Dominique Bréchault, Hanna Haapasalo, Jackie Frioud, Kinichi Shigeno, Lilach Lotan, Lyn Fabio, Angelika Werth, Iris Algom, Jane Kenyon, Jenny Judge, Karin Jones, Laurie Rolland, Lynda Jones, Peter Kiss, Doug Ives, Eliza Au, Jan Phelan, Jennifer Ross, Anne Andrishak, Orly Ash, Nancy Walker, Diana Sanderson, Rosalyn Aylmer, Kaija Rautiainen, Shirley Inouye, Judy Weeden, Bridget Catchpole, Barbara Heller, Linda Doherty, Lou Lynn, Margit Nellemann, Michell Silver, Yoriko Oki, Jasna Sokolovic, Donna Cochran, Helen O’Connor, Jinny Whitehead, Paul Gort, Maggie Tchir, Joan Carrigan, Erin Dolman, Anna Clark, Yoshie Hattori, Deb Dumka, Keith Rice-Jones, Celia Rice-Jones

The third exhibition consists of 47 works selected from the 2009 Cheongju International Craft Biennale Exhibition, Korean Craft Museum, Cheongju, South Korea

Korea stands at the epicentre of international craft production with its long-standing traditions and sophisticated contemporary craft artists. Since 1999, the Republic of Korea has supported craft by staging the International Craft Biennale, which brings together craft artists and their patrons from around the world.

Hanji is a traditional Korean handmade paper, made of Korean mulberry bast fibres and is used to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks. Hanji paper can be folded, crumpled, and adhered loosely to a surface, or it can be worked like papier maché. How Hanji paper is used in contemporary art – from fashion to vessels is explored alongside other tradition Korean craft techniques.

Artists: Kim Kyung Iae; Kim Dong Kooi; Kim Sung Ho; Kim Soon Ki; Kim You Ra;Kim Eun Young; Kim Joon Yong; Park Mi Kyoung;Park Mi Hyang; Park Sung One; Park Jae Whan; Park Jong Duk; Bae Se Hwa; Seo Ae Jin; Soe Young Gi; Seock Chang Won; Shon Kyung Hee; Son Dae Hyun; Shin Dong Won; Shin Myoung Sik; Michelle Oh; Wang Kyung Ae; Won Kwang Sik; Yoon Kyung A; Yoon Joo Cheol; Lee Kang Hyo; Lee Kyoung Han; Lee Sang Keun; Lee So La; Lee Sung Won; Lee Hee; Lee Eun Sil; Lee Jae Young; Lee Jong Guk; Lee Jong Sung; Yi Tae Ho; Jeon Yong Il; Chung Ji Young; Cho Jun Sork; Choi Byung Hoon; Choi Tae Gwi; Hong Jung Sil; Im In Ho; An Chi Yong; Yu Pil Moo; Hong Jong Jing

FRESH CRAFT: Student Award Winners

January 9 to 30