Ash and Barrel- Murder, parliament, flock, pod, parade, coterie or party

May 01, 2024

Ash and Barrel- Murder, parliament, flock, pod, parade, coterie or party

Ash and Barrel Invitational Show is back in The Hammer at Fairweather Brewery in Hamilton this coming Friday May 3 (6 to 9pm) and Saturday May 4th (11am to 5pm). Ash and Barrel Invitational Show participants are selected for the quality of their work or maybe a particular theme. Membership in a group does not insure you are part of the coterie. This small group has been selected and assembled to show you their best! In the shows formative year Andrew Kellner and Heather Dynes Smit started this show to honour their mentors. Anthony and Bruce. Thank you for the A and B reference and thank you for honouring us in this way. Beer, flowers and surrounded by some of the best work in the province- young, middle age and we patriarchs. Because of the work load of presenting a classy show they later enlisted another of my proteges Jen Drysdale. It is a premier show made easy by Andrew, Heather and Jen. With many of Ontario's best galleries closing it left very few places that Bruce and I could show our work. With over 100 years of ceramic history between us doing the hustle of craft shows and fairs is a "been there done that!"narrative. Glad to hand that over to the young and eager. Ash and Barrel was created to give us a venue. It is interesting to look at our little party of potters -Bruce, Heather, Andrew, Jen and moi. I can see Bruce and Heathers aesthetic connection- very thoughtfully cut and assembled. Bruce the clay architech and Heather the seamstress. Carefully assembled and refined. Andrew and me- meaningful casualness and very much about marks of process. Jen falls somewhere in between with a very direct approach to her work with a refined final piece. I guess one can say we are members of The Mutual Admiration Society. Hope you can drop by this weekend. Down the road in Dundas The Hamilton Potters Guild will be having their Spring Show with over 100 potters showing. The show will feature the grass roots as well as some very seasoned and accomplished makers. Lots to see and do in The Hammer this weekend. Best, T