The Pilgrimage
The
Pilgrimage
The Brits
go to St. Ives and me as a Canuck headed to Chosin’ Pottery home and studio of
Robin “Grass” Hopper and Judi Dyelle for the past 35 years.
It wasn’t
until Judi took to me to the Robin’s studio that the lump in my throat was
felt. I was Ok in the shrine of over a thousand beautiful collectible pots, the
bookcase after bookcase of books on art, the collected objects from around the
world and the magical garden. It was the dampness of the studio that
reminded me of his passing. Everywhere around me was alive and in full display.
It was the studio with all the unused clay, the inventory of ceramic supplies,
the hump and slump molds used for production, the unfired bisque, the vacant
wheel and the unlit wood stove that finally found its way to my tear ducts.
Where has the 40 years gone since I as a young student attended a farewell
party for Robin when he left Ontario for BC?
I am taken
aback at how hard this iconic pottery couple worked. The house, the garden, the
publishing, the workshops and the thousands upon thousands of pots made and sold. What is
even more amazing is the diversity of the work- English, Islamic, Japanese,
Greek, south west American and almost every culture is represented somewhere.
These are
big shoes for most of us mortals. I found this tree hugger out in the woods
that is healing through her art. Judi over 50 years ago started her
apprenticeship with Shimoaka and she is still making the world a more beautiful
place with her pots. The flame is still
alive and burning brightly at Chosin’ Pottery. Behind every good man is a surprised woman. Good pots to you, Judi!
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