Burnstown Sculptor Richard Gill

Sheds Light on 50 years with milestone show.

 

Half a century has passed since Richard Gill artist/sculptor and his wife Jacqui and infant daughter Erin rolled through the hamlet of Burnstown driving a 1968 Volkswagon camper and stopped to change his daughter's diaper; they noticed an old log house for sale. A phone call later a deal was made and the family moved lock stock and barrel from their city home in Toronto.  He never looked back.

Little did he know the boarded-up former tavern/ stoppin' place without plumbing or electricity would become his lifelong home and ceramic studio where he could and would in fact earn a living working his passion in clay. 

Even when tragedy struck shortly after when his wife was killed on an icy morning drive en route to Arnprior where she often taught, he stayed, and with the help of neighbors, friends, and patrons he persevered through the emotional hardship of grief and loss as well as the physically demanding hands-on work of mixing his own clay body, and labor-intensive wood firing. It's rewarding work that grounds him to this day. From pots to plaques his work evolved into the detailed original one-of-a-kind sculpted clay-relief wall plaques that he is so well known for today. 

Every year since that fateful day he has created and shown a completely new body of work, themes inspired by his local surroundings, travels further afield, or requests for custom work.

So this milestone anniversary show is the artist's choice encompassing primarily Canadian content, Ottawa valley, as well as Newfoundland and Mexico. In addition, to mark this milestone Richard has created 50 architectural lamps, shedding light so to speak on a remarkable half a century of creations.

Invited guest, Springtown fine metal artist David Ivens returns to join Richard with high hopes of exhibiting experimental collaborative works in metal and clay in progress which as of this writing, the outcome remains to be seen.  

This milestone show will open primarily on the grounds of Bittersweet Gallery as well as indoors from August 20 to August 28. Opening day festivities include opening remarks by Richard, live music, and light refreshments.