Residents of the Harbour City do not need to go far when it comes to local pottery.
In fact all it takes is a trip to Nanaimo North Town Centre to find a variety of clay-crafted sculptures and pots.
Currently on display at Art 10 in Nanaimo North Town Centre is This & That, an art exhibit that features a number of unique pottery pieces by local artists Virginia Dunseith and Ruth Porter.
“The two of us really enjoyed very much putting it together,” Porter said about creating the exhibit, which runs until the end of the month. “In the summer time it is really hard to be really enthusiastic because visitors are coming and going. Yet for us it worked out because we were both on holidays and came back and put it together. It was a very positive and fun experience to do that.”
Porter, who has been making pottery for a number of years, explained that she really enjoys the personal touch that pottery has.
“I really like the connection with history ... as well as the usefulness that people can use it every day,” Porter said. “As well as it is not mass produced. There is a personal touch in each of the pieces. It’s just a pleasure working with clay because it is very pliable.”
A handful of the pieces on display at This & That are Porter’s clay plates, which are her favourite to make.
“I love big plates, for me they are like my canvass and that is what I collect from other potters,” Porter said. “I have them all over my house.”
The majority of the pieces on display are also for sale. Although many of pieces are reasonably priced, they can be difficult to sell to people on the Island.
One of the reasons for the tough sell is due to the high concentration of artists and retirees on Vancouver Island, according to Porter.
“We’ve been to Nova Scotia and the prices were way higher, but they have a lot of tourists that come up from the States and we don’t have that,” Porter said.
While hard sales might deter some artists from creating pieces, Porter doesn’t worry about it.
“It probably does for some people, but not for me,” she said. “I like doing what I like to do and that’s why we called the show This and That because we had fun.”
This & That runs until the end of August. For more information please call 250-758-9403.
arts@nanaimobulletin.comTwitter: @nepscod