Back from my vacation

I have just had a Luxurious vacation and am just settling into back-at-work mode, so I apologize for my protracted absence. I will get back to talking about the Vancouver art scene soon (really exiting show at the Shudder Gallery by my favorite artist collective DRIL tomorrow), but first: What I Did on My Christmas Vacation:

On my Christmas Vacation, I visited the fair city of Toronto, far in the east. While there I finally visited the 

Which I have been planning to do, and putting off, for years. this is an Art



Gallery dedicated to ceramic art, and it has a beautiful and extensive collection of both historical and contemporary works. My highlights included the collection of Comedia Dell'Arte figurines, and the Exhibition of  new ceramic art, Breaking Boundaries.

"Four young Canadian artists will rock your perception of ceramic art! Shary Boyle, Marc Courtemanche, Carmela Laganse and Brendan Tang will challenge your perceptions and expectations about materials, form, function and meaning with this daring exhibition of works that are both accessible and ambiguous, drawing on objects and images familiar to us from popular culture. From ceramic furniture for bloodletting to mash ups of the Ming dynasty with sci-fi robots, BREAKING BOUNDARIES asks you to question your expectations and engage your imagination."

The work is beautiful and new, and shows the thinking, craftsmanship, and tradition building practiced in modern ceramic sculpture. Brendan Tang is a Vancouver-based artist whose work was on display at the VAG "how soon is now" exhibition last year. The other artists where new to me, but I will certainly be keeping an eye on them.