Robin Hopper
Robin Hopper, R.C.A. is a Canadian ceramist, potter, teacher, author, garden designer and arts activist.
Personal background
He was born in England in 1939. He trained in pottery and ceramics at the Croydon College of Art from 1956 to 1961. In 1968 he immigrated to Canada. He spent the first two years teaching at the Toronto Central Technical School. He began his post-secondary educational career in 1970 at Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario where he founded and became head of the Ceramics and Glass Department. He resigned his post in 1972 to devote his time to his ceramics work. He relocated to Victoria, British Columbia 1977. He is a Founding member [1] and President Emeritus of the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts. Robin’s work in ceramics includes a great deal of ceramic historical and technical research. He continues a studio practice producing one-of-a-kind art works. Next to ceramics, his other lifelong interest has been gardening, particularly the development of his oriental garden.[2]
Body of work
Hopper has both a functional and a decorative side to his production of pottery and ceramic works. His functional works are produced on an artizan basis. His production of functional pottery is by hand craftsmanship for individual pieces of a like design. He has written several books on the subject of functional pottery. This craftsmanship has a particular application in ceramic works, many of which are one of a kind pieces for artistic exhibition. In these works he uses a combination of glazing techniques. These are mainly porcelain decorative plates but he also creates specialty items such as glaze paintings. A number of these works reflect the northern imagery of Canada.[3]
Academic and instructional positions
He has taught throughout Canada, and in England, The United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan and Israel.[1]
Selected collections
His ceramic work is in public, corporate and private collections throughout the world. These collections include:
- The Bronfman Collection, Montreal, Canada [1]
Awards
Robin Hopper has been honoured for his contributions to the arts and public activities.
- He was the first recipient of the Saidye Bronfman Award, 1977.,[4] Canada’s most prestigious annual award in the crafts.
- Granted honorary member of the National Council on Education for Ceramic Arts.
- Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts[5]
Garden
His interest in artistic gardens led to the creation of the Anglojapanadian Garden at ’Chosin Pottery.[2] This garden at Metchosin, British Columbia has been the subject of publications and television programs.[6]
Bibliography
Publications by Hopper
Robin Hopper has written several books. Most of them deal with pottery and ceramics.
- Making Marks: Discovering the Ceramic Surface Hopper, Robin; Krause Publications, Paperback: 304 pages, October 1, 2004 ISBN 978-0873495042
- The Ceramic Spectrum 2nd ed. Hopper, Robin; Krause Publications, 2001, 256 pages, ISBN 0873418212, 9780873418218
- The Ceramic Spectrum 1st ed. Hopper, Robin; Chilton Book Co., 1984, 224 pages ISBN 9780801972751
- Functional Pottery 2nd ed. Hopper, Robin; Krause Publications, 2nd Edition 2000, 256 pages, ISBN 9780873418171
- Functional Pottery 1st ed. Hopper, Robin; Chilton Book Co., 1986, 257 pages, ISBN 9780801974519
- Stayin' Alive Hopper, Robin; Krause Publications, March 15, 2003, 128 pages, ISBN 978-0873495714
- Clay and Glazes for the Potter 3rd ed. Rhodes, Daniel revised by Hopper, Robin; Krause Publications; 3rd Edition Revised and Expanded, November 15, 2000 ISBN 978-0873418638
- Focus One: Contemporary Studio Ceramics; Campbell, Kathleen; Hopper, Robin and; Heath, Terrence; Stoneware, raku ware, porcelain, and earthenware by Canadian and international artists, Goose Lane Editions, 112 pages, 1997, ISBN 9780889151802
Publications about Hopper
- Robin Hopper ceramics: a lifetime of works, ideas, and teachings Hopper, Robin; Autobiography
with photographs by Julie Dyelle, Krause Publications, 2007, 255 pages, ISBN 9780873499965
- Masters of the Crafts, Bronfman Biographical notes
- Bovey, Patricia E. Robin Hopper : Ceramic Explorations, 1957-1987. North York, Ont.: Koffler Gallery; Victoria, BC: Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1988 (rev 2012), 48p.
Video productions
Hopper has produced videos for the education of potters and ceramists[7]
- In 1993 he developed a series of six educational videos on ceramic decoration processes titled “Making Marks”, based on research material for his book of the same title.
- In 1994, he produced a second series of five videos on design and aesthetics was produced, titled “Form and Function”, based on his second book “Functional Pottery”.
- He has subsequently produce:
- “Beginning to Throw on the Potter's Wheel”,
- “Advanced Throwing”.
See also
External images
- Blog with selection of Hopper's works
- National Council on Education for Ceramic Arts
- 'Chosin Pottery
External links
References
- 1 2 3 Bronfman Collection Bio
- 1 2 Garden article in American Style Magazine, Issue 67, June 2009
- ↑ Contemporary Ceramics in The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ↑ Saidye Bronfman Award
- ↑ "Members since 1880". Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ↑ Garden Description with photos and publication bibliography
- ↑ Video Availability List