Potters gather on hill

Lively City column by Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 3, 2005


When Penny Swanson first discovered the extensive network of pottery kilns available at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, she was initially a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities.

But in the six years since she first placed a piece in an oven, Swanson has become adept at the creation of functional porcelain, and she even has a favourite kiln - the Murrow Silverado oven.

"Pottery is a craft that encourages - even demands - continuous learning, which is what I love about it," said Swanson, who is now an accomplished potter.

Swanson will be among dozens of local potters whose work will be on sale this weekend when the Burnaby Potters Guild holds its annual Christmas show and sale at the Capitol Hill community hall.

A wide variety of styles and forms of pottery will be for sale, featuring works by more than a dozen members of the guild.

While Swanson prefers to make functional pieces such as bowls, teapots, cups and fish-shaped toothbrush holders - the range of work available will run the gamut.

"We'll have everything from small mustard pots to large tureens with spoons," said Swanson, who spends her days as head of the cataloguing division at the SFU library and volunteer chair of the Burnaby Visual Arts Advisory Committee.

"We'll have functional and non-functional pieces, some raku and other decorative pieces, wood-fired stuff, plus a full range of colours. We do have quite a varied group."

The sale runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this weekend, Dec. 3 and 4, at the little white community hall, 361 S. Howard Ave., at the crest of the hill on Hastings.

CHAN PLAYS WITH VSO

Burnaby's own teenage violin prodigy Jonathan Chan will be the featured performer when the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents two special concerts to celebrate the holiday season.

Chan will play the prelude from Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretal, Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, and Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 tonight at the Orpheum Theatre and on Monday at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey.

Born in Burnaby, Chan began receiving piano and violin lessons at the age of four and has grown into one of the most talented young concert performers in the country. A three-time National Grand Prize winner at the Canadian Music Competition, the 15-year-old violinist has twice played for the Prime Minister of Canada, in addition to having soloed with orchestras across Canada and the rest of North America.

An honour roll student at Moscrop secondary, Chan also attends the Vancouver Academy of Music where he studies the violin with Taras Gabora and Lawrie Hill, and piano with Lorraine Amrose.

The conductor for these shows will be Edward Gardner, a young, British-born batonist known for his exuberant style.

Chan plays Mozart at 8 p.m., on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, and on Monday, Dec. 5 at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey. Tickets to the Orpheum show are $27 to $57, while the Surrey show is $32. Senior, student and subscriber discounts are available. For more information, call the VSO customer service line at 604-876-3434.

IN BRIGADOON

Burnaby resident Clayne Conings will be on stage when Gateway Theatre in Richmond presents the timeless and magical musical Brigadoon from Dec. 8 to Jan 1, 2006.

Brigadoon, the story of an enchanted village that appears only once every 100 years, stars Mark Pawson and Evelyn Thatcher and is directed by David Adams with musical director Allen Stiles. For tickets, visit www.gatewaytheatre