This May Red Deer College was planning to host: Unbound, The International Studio Practice Ceramics Conference. I was one of the presenters scheduled to give a workshop and a talk. It’s will a lot of sadness that I’m passing on the news that the conference has been canceled due to low registration.
I’ve been meaning to mention it earlier as I heard the news at the end of last week, but i’ve been busy with the set up of my upcoming exhibition and well to be honest sorting out my thoughts about the cancellation. I’m pretty bummed to say the least. Obviously this would have been a great opportunity for me as an artist, plus reconnecting with some old friends and making new ones. But let’s get past how it impacts me personally shall we.
I’ve been trying to sort out a reason as to why something such as a well organized, well packed conference such as this can’t seem to fly in Canada. Was the timing too close to NCECA? Are we always the little sister to that conference? But wait, we’re not trying to host a conference for thousands, we are trying to organize a meaningful yet much smaller event, so the question I beg to answer is why isn’t the community supporting this? I realize the cost involved with travel and attendance at such conferences. But they only happen in our neck of the woods so often, why not make it a priority? I’m just curious. I’m not trying to stir anything up, or to place blame. I’m actually just honestly interested in a dialogue about this, and about the larger issue of community in Canada (specifically) and internationally. I’ve been working on musing for almost 5 yrs now, my aim to connect community, to offer a space and a voice for ceramic arts, regionally to internationally. To me it goes beyond musings main service as a bulletin board of calls for entry. I want to connect people and build community. Some days I feel genuine excitement about how the internet fosters this, other days I wonder what more I can do, what more we all can do to better meet the needs of our own practices, our local communities and our international community of makers, clay lovers, supporters, and organizations.
I know musing is normally a site for stopping by to pick up some info about upcoming events, maybe check out a new artist or two. But today I’m asking for a bit of conversation. What do you as a maker, as an artist, want/need to see more of in your local/national/international community? I want to help build it, what ever “it” is. I know what I want it to be, what about you?
Below is the write up from the conference publicity in case you missed it:
“In the 21st century we find ourselves increasingly globalized through the food we eat, the clothes we wear, goods we purchase and the images we consume through TV and the Internet. In this conference we will look at the internationalizing of the ceramics studio practice and the effect that it has on us as makers.” Presenters include: Elaine Henry, Paul Scott, Ginny Marsh, Jeremy Hatch, Ian Johnston, Carole Epp, Robin Lambert, Koi Neng Liew For more information: www.rdc.ab.ca | [email protected] | 403.356. 4900
While this seems like a nice idea – I have to say from the lineup of presenters – yourself included – while ALL fantastic artists – most are from in and around the Red Deer area – or have been there recently. If this is the intended geographical draw for attendees; BC, Alberta, and Manitoba there simply isn't a huge motivation to fly in, pay to attend, and stay in a hotel… Folks that were keen to hear your thoughts on studio practice could have come to Medalta and seen half of you for free….Perhaps with more funding there could have been a broader international presence (especially considering the theme) in the curating…?
Though I am an emerging artist from the US not Canada I also understand the problem of community building. Though I live in clay rich Minnesota I sometimes feel that ceramics artists are too busy working in there studio to stick their heads out and see what's going on in the outside world. As an emerging artist it feels like all the funding and opportunities are going to more established people and there is nothing that is for the truly new artist. Many grants and opportunities that are supposedly for emerging artists go to people who have been working in the field ten or more years. I believe this lack of support for young and new artists leads to a lack of vibrancy and community involvement. I am truly sorry to hear about the cancellation of this event, I hope many more opportunities come your way.
I'm also really sorry to hear this event has been cancelled. I'm a fourth year student at Emily Carr in Vancouver and was interested in being a part of this. For me, the biggest issue was timing. Our grad show opens on May 7th, so there's no way this would have worked.
Wow. No, really. Too bad.
I just had a look at the spring issue of Alberta Craft where "In the Red" participant Mindy Andrews showed a broken tile, explaining that there isn't time to resolve unfinished and damaged work (p.5).
If work isn't getting finished or repaired due to time constraints and financial restrictions, how can anyone plan to be away from the studio for a conference?
And I totally get the duality here because I recognize how invaluable such gatherings are! Conferences and workshops are the stuff that make us better — meeting, learning, being away from our own mountains of stuff, asking questions, trying new things.
I'm a newbie and struggle everyday to make sense of it… regular stuff, though, like always feeling behind, wondering where to put my stuff for good sales, not knowing if I'm doing it right. I often feel like I need to decide between doing one thing or the other and in both circumstances, something is sacrificed.
Maybe we're trying to apply the "9-5 Desk Job" rules to our studio practice?
I don't know, but it's totally bonkers when you consider that NCECA's rocking pretty hard right now.
P.S. Thanks for the "Favourite Artistic Advice" post
P.P.S. How lucky that I'll be driving across Canada in early June and able to see your show!
Like Carole, I am curious about the failure of this conference. As an emerging artist I was looking forward to discussing the state of studio ceramics in my province and my country. And the Paul Scott workshops were an opportunity not to be missed (at least for me). Was it money(how much should artists pay for continuing education?), time(was the conference too long, too short?), lack of interest (and if lack of interest what themes would interest you???), location (RDC has an amazing new visual art facility), timing (is everyone too busy in their studios? If so, when IS a good time to have a conference like this?)? I truly am curious…and disappointed that the conference died before it had a chance to make a difference in my artistic life.
Carole..glad to see there are still people leaving their comments on this topic. I think this event was mostly bad timing. The month of May: the Unbound conference, the post APA week workshop and then the APA meeting in Lethbridge on the last weekend. That is a lot of time, money, and committment for one month. I would like to see conferences and workshops spread out more during the year.
Thanks for your work of informing us all. T.