Urban Wild

9 Members of the Calgary Clay Arts Association investigates the idea of 'wild' within an urban environment
March 30 - May 4, 2013

Mindy Andrews

Cityscape (detail)
2013, Porcelain , wood table

This piece reflects my love/ hate relationship with cities. Having been brought up, and lived many years, with nature all around me, at times I need to create distance between myself and the concrete jungle where I live now. I do this in two ways: first, by cultivating greenery around my workspace; second, by accessing memories of time spent in wild places. The porcelain blocks that I have created lend themselves quite well to depicting a city landscape. The natural images I have painted on their surfaces serve to soften the hard geometric forms.

Connie Cooper

Winter Hare
2012, Porcelain, paper clay, glaze, masonite, glue, oil paint

“In Wildness is the Preservation of the World.” This statement, made by Henry David Thoreau in the mid-1800’s has resonated with me since I read it forty years ago and is a central theme that finds expression in the sculptural work that I do.  Envisioned so long ago; it has more relevance today than ever.  An urban dweller, I live near the Bow and Elbow rivers where we are visited by hares, birds, skunks, coyotes, squirrels and even the occasional deer. That ‘Urban’ is able to interface with ‘Wild’ in our contemporary world that encroaches heavily on habitat is essential on many levels; not only in our quality of life, but in our survival as a species.  The ‘Urban Wild’ theme is a good fit for me. The piece ‘Winter Hare’ carries a hint of spring renewal; the cultivated tulips represent human development.

Also featured in this exhibition
Small Ones 1 & 2
2013, Porcelain, glaze

Louise Cormier

Tic Tac Toe (detail)
2012, Clay

This project of wall mounted plates grew out of my love for the ecological diversity and uniqueness of the Alberta environment as well as, a certain concern for this in the 21st century. The group of nine plates carry images of three migratory birds - the Olive sided Flycatcher, the Evening Grosbeak and the Lesser Yellow leg; all of these are experiencing significant declining populations. Their yearly pilgrimage carries them across the province and through our urban settings. Their journey and ours are intertwined just as the concepts of ‘urban’ and ‘wild/nature’ are interlaced.  In the old game of Tic Tac Toe, one side plays against the other somewhat like the concepts of ‘urban’ and ‘wild’. Yet, new, inclusive and sociable games requiring negotiation and compromise, are evolving – perhaps in tandem with this, our perceptions of ‘urban wild’ will come to signify balance and sustainability.