Cheongju International Craft Biennale (CICB), Unity & Diversity

World's Biggest Craft Exhibition, the Cheongju International Craft Biennale..its going to be very difficult to top this trip. A once in a life time kind of thing with 7000 images to prove it really happened (and was not just a dream!) Alot of firsts for us:

a.) First overseas exhibition for King's Point Pottery, Outside the box-Cheongju International Craft Biennale, CICB 2009, South Korea...for a first, really how do you top the world's biggest?

Image of Canadian Delegation: Photo credit King's Point Pottery
(Linda is in the top row forth from the right)

b.) First -part of Canada's Biggest International Craft Exhibition, Unity & Diversity, the Canadian Exhibition portion of the Outside the box-Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2009 Exhibition...yep it was the biggest Canada has ever done!
Contemporary dancers at the opening.
c.) First position in the 'Unity and Diversity' exhibit layout, The NL icon, our giant "slut" was selected as the introductory piece to the Canadian exhibit...thank you to the show designers who thought we would be a good fit!

Image of Linda and David beside "the secret to the return of the cod" at the entry way to the Canadian Pavilion's Exhibit, Unity and Diversity, Cheongju International Craft Biennale.

d.) First image in 'Unity and Diversity's' massive full colour catalogue....wow fabulous catalogue ..thanks go out to the CCF et al!
Traditional dancers at the opening.
e.) First international Design Magazine ( featured in 'Design House' of Korea)...so cool to be showing next to Chanel and Dior, eh?!
Temple in Seoul.
f.) First visit to Asia: Korea & Japan...hopefully not the last...thousands of years of ceramic inspiration!
Crazy stone statue with taps.
Of course we achieved none of these major milestones without incredible support: CIDP=the Craft Industry Development Program run by ITRD, CCNL & ACOA; NLAC; ITRD; CCF;.... lots of bank loans and lots of help from family and friends! Wow...thanks all very much!

The most amazing thing I saw the entire trip was...of course it was the people...the kindness and generosity we were shown by complete strangers...we're so grateful. Which is not to say we were not floored by all the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, & textures of worlds so very different from what we are accustomed. So much more to add but I'll get this posted and then start on the next installment of Asia.
Dragon roof detail in clay.

It's official...you are invited to show and make a presentation...

It's official, the ceramic artists, Linda Yates and David Hayashida of King's Point, NL, are invited to personally attend the (world's biggest) show, to represent Canada, overseas at the Cheongju International Craft Biennale, CICB in South Korea!! Our Canadian presentation at the 50 nation event will be on 'Ceramic practice across Canada'. We will also be participating in the official Craft Tour of South Korea and a self guided research trip to Japan....we leave in just 3 days!!!


(Image: front of Invitation)

We were notified with just 2 weeks remaining so it has been crazy busy. Thankfully there is some provincial funding but most arts/cultural moneys for this event was cut last federal election. Our giant 12 foot high NL tin kettle 'standing on guard' at the front entrance to the Canadian section would have been next to impossible for anyone but ourselves to install...so we have taken out a loan to pay for the chance to represent our country!

(Image: Back of Invitation)

We have never been over to any part of Asia before so it'll be sooooome interesting! Right now both shoulders are smarting from the shots for going overseas...so's the pocket book....shots are expensive! The fabulous ceramic artist, Isabella St. John of Blue Moon Pottery, St. John's, NL has work in the show, will be doing her own presentation and will be travelling with us... "t'ree from d' bay."

(Image: Map of South Korea)

So thanks go out to: our many loans officers, the Craft Council of NL, NL Arts Council, ITRD of NL, Canadian Craft Federation, Provincial Craft Councils, CIDP (we hope), Potters across Canada, all our friends, family, colleagues and customers who are helping in a zillion different ways!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently business cards in the language of the country you are visiting is essential for building new relationships...logical but just another expense. Have a look at our last minute cards..on the left is the one for Japan and on the right our Korean card!!

(Image: Business Cards)

Please keep a sharp look out for our next blog entry with images from the world's biggest craft exhibition and all kinds of once in a life time Asia inspiration!! Thanks everyone...wish us luck!

Award winning internationally recognized artists...

"You really need to do a much better job of letting the public know about your many awards, nominations, successes...you're suppose to be living on the Rock not hiding your triumphs under one!" that's what people keep saying to us. So here we go ...sharing the top ten recent highlights of King's Point Pottery's successes but this is also THE PERFECT CHANCE TO HAND OUT OUR DUES... (ie. our achievements are mainly due to the incredible support of family, friends, colleagues, industry supporters ... new & long time customers!!! )

(Linda in front of salt-soda fired Secret...) (l to r: Miriam, Mom & Linda at opening.)

01.) 200 crafts persons from across the country have been selected to represent Canada overseas this September 2009 at the world's biggest craft exhibition..50 nations, over half a million attending! King's Point Pottery was selected with 2 pieces to be shipped overseas...what a double honour! We are still shocked by it all & crossing our fingers... hoping that we also might be funded to travel to Cheongju South Korea to do presentations on site. (Our good friend Isabella St John also has a ceramic work going and we three hope to travel to South Korea together!) Thanks go out to the Selection Jury(s)for the show, CCF, NLAC, ITRD and the Craft Council of NL, CCNL for all their amazing support!!

02.) Our pottery was selected for an Excellence Award, "Juror's Choice" in July 2009 by the Craft Council of Newfoundland & Labrador for a one of a kind salt/soda fired kettle submitted for the Annual Members Show. The large piece has since been sold by the Craft Council Gallery to a collector in Ontario. Thank you to the Craft Council Jury and Gallery!!

(Juror's Choice Award salt -soda piece in progress.)

03.) Issue 76, June 2009 "Ceramics Art and Perception" of Australia has an article by Gloria Hickey called "Merchant Vessels". King's Point Pottery was one of the 4 teams invited by Gloria to participate in the wonderful "Merchant Vessels" show at the Art Gallery of NL last summer. What an honour to appear in such a well respected publication. Thanks to Gloria Hickey & Elaine Henry.

(Mini salt-soda fired Merchant Vessels.)

(One of 100's of sketches for website.)

(David Tilley doing on site promo shots with over 300 salmon, one warden & one potter.)

04.) On May 09, 2009 we officially re-launched our new & vastly improved King's Point Pottery website ( http://www.kingspointpottery.com/ ) built by the web designer/photographer/writer....David Tilley ( http://www.wildnewfoundland.com/ ) Don't say that wasn't a ton of work!

(David moderating at NCECA Salt & Soda Connections in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.)

(Alexis, Linda, Robin Hopper, David & Arlynn Nobel at NCECA)

05.) NCECA the huge annual USA clay conference was held in Phoenix and David was invited to facilitate a Connections session/presentation on salt soda firing for which he contacted potters from around the world to showcase their new and innovative work. (We did apply for funding assistance from ACOA & ITRD and still hope that will be approved.) (Linda & David at the ACCAE in Halifax receiving award.)

06.) King's Point Pottery was the recipient of the "Award for Excellence in Product Design" at the Atlantic Canada Craft Awards for Excellence, ACCAE in Halifax in February, 2009. It is like the Oscars for craftspeople in Atlantic Canada! We were also asked to help judge the best new product, best booth and emerging artist at the Atlantic Craft & Trade Show, ACTS. Thanks go out to the Craft Council for nominating us and the ACCAE selection jury for their confidence.

(Award winning salt-soda fired local mineral jars.)

(Award winning Calvin Yates, jack of all trades.)

07.) We won the award for the "Best New Product" at the Annual Fine Craft and Design Fair in St John's for our innovative local rock glazed lidded jars in November 2008. Local provincial rocks and minerals create unusual and interesting results... if you don't mind all the time and effort researching, collecting & processing the various raw materials! Thanks to the CCNL selection jury for the honour and Calvin Yates for the technical assistance.

(Nickey's Nose Cove Capelin Dish, Salt-Soda fired.)
08.) Lark Books USA produces a wonderful book series called 500, where they ask for submissions from artists all around the world. They select the 500 best pieces... and in July of 2008 they published "500 Platters" in which they included a piece called "Nickey's Nose Cove Capelin" by King's Point Pottery! Many thanks go out to Juror Linda Arbuckle, Lark Books and NL photographer Ned Pratt.

(l to r: Bruce Johnson, Gloria Hickey & Linda Yates planning layout at the Rooms.)

(l to r: Alexis Templeton, Isabella St John, Linda Yates & David Hayashida at the opening. Missing from the photo is Deb Kuzyk & Ray Mackie of Lucky Rabbit Pottery)
09.) In June 2008 there was the first major ceramics group show held at the Art Gallery of NL, called "Merchant Vessels". Gloria Hickey guest curated the fabulous show and she generously invited us to participate along with 3 other ceramic artists. What an incredible opportunity and thrilling occasion to share with friends and family. Thanks to everyone who supported us over the years...it was a glorious NL moment that we will always treasure! Our best to the dedicated and talented Gloria Hickey, the other amazing artists, everyone at the Art Gallery, CCNL, ITRD, ACOA....and our customers for making it possible!


10.) Everyone who is involved with clay in North America (and indeed around the world) hopes that one day they might appear in the pages of Ceramics Monthly, CM the world's largest ceramics magazine. In May of 2007 King's Point Pottery had a major article authored by the amazing Gloria Hickey appear in CM!!! To say it was a childhood dream come true is an understatement! We hope this is just the beginning of a very long & passionate journey in clay but no matter the length, we are very grateful for what we have been able to achieve to date and hope we can somehow repay the generosity so many have kindly bestowed on us from the very beginning! ...cue the music.."..we've had the time of our life and we owe it all to you (& u & u...)"

Iceberg anyone!

(Image from D Hayashida)

YES, we still have icebergs. The big brute is in Jacksons Cove about 20 km from King's Point. (Call or drop in for a map or directions.)

This shot is 3 days old of the iceberg at dusk going right in front of the pottery! Awfully grainy I know but couldn't resist!

Lots of different products coming into the shop every week...drop by and see what's NEW!

Whales have arrived in King's Point!

(Image by D Hayashida)

Notre Dame Bay...is it thee famous Humpback of Notre Dame?

Whale Alert: 2 Minke whales and 1 Humpback Whale touring King's Point's slowly melting iceberg! Also a BIG berg in Jackson's Cove!!!(14 June) While I didn't get a picture of the three of them today but I've lots of images that you may not have seen before and a (longish but with fun shots) story to go with them.

To say I have a fascination with Cetaceans, whales is a bit of an understatement. As soon as I arrived here in NL in 1993 I met this character.

(Image from D.Hayashida) A Humpback Whale about 50 feet long and Newfoundland has one of the world's largest summer populations...lots of them to watch!!! Meeting a whale is one of life's truly unforgettable moments (I hope all of you get the chance to meet them in the wild some day soon) and it certainly has changed my life. But not as much as meeting Dr. Jon Lien in 1997.

(Image from Lien Family) The friend of fisherpersons and whales all across Newfoundland and Labrador. His whale research group saved more whales than anyone else in the world! His infectious enthusiasm for the people of NL, the whales and the environment of this province has been catalyst for many people including myself. (Wayne Ledwell and Julie Huntington are doing an amazing job having taken over for Jon in doing whale release....) Dr Lien helped me articulate/build my first whale skeleton, a white beaked dolphin.

(Image from D Hayashida) Before reconstruction.
(Image from Linda Yates) After reconstruction.
Ever since 1997 he has been helping our region with a whale museum project that we hope will one day be one of the world's largest displays of whale skeletons & information pavillions (built from whales that have died from natural causes). The rare arctic Bowhead Whale was the first whale to wash ashore and while the bones were cleaned via Dr Lien & Alma Guy some time ago ...we still have it on our important to do list to have it completed and displayed.

(Image from Linda Yates) Here we see our dedicated volunteers Dennis Burt, Harvey Andrews & Ron Cakes helping move the Bowhead Whale bones into storage. In 2001 with the help of Alma Guy, GBEDA and Linda Brett, the then Executive Director of the Emerald Zone Corporation we started what will become Dr Jon Lien's Whale Ecomuseum Tour, which will include 6-8 towns from our Great Whale Coast region.(Westport, Middle Arm, La Scie, Baie Verte, Springdale, Little Bay Islands, Triton and King's Point) The Emerald Zone, EZC has been the glue that has kept our regional group together and moving forward...people like Chris Tuck & Randy Regular, the past and current development officers at the EZC have been the key facilitators in the trenches!

Of course we have met quite a number of whales here in King's Point since then, including this very inquisitive fellow. Cathy Kinsman of the Whale Stewardship Project helped to name the young whale "Kuus', which is a Beothuck/aboriginal word for 'moon' because of the shape you see when he surfaces to breath. He was a fun-tastic neighbour to us for an entire fall season!

(Image from Linda Yates) This year (2009) there was a record number of beluga whales sighted off the northern penninsula earlier this spring. We have always seen a few solitary belugas but never a giant pod...is it global warming...what does it mean when arctic animals start moving south?
(Image from D Hayashida) Can you guess what all these bones are from? Believe it or not they are the semi-cleaned bones of a gigantic 50 foot female humpback whale that drowned in Crab Gear in 2001. (Wayne Ledwell of Dr Liens Marine Mammal Rescue Group and Captain George Saunders of Cobbs Arm were able to save the youngster travelling with the mother but unfortunately not able to save the female.)

(Image from Linda Yates) This is a picture of two of the amazing (freezing) volunteers Kim Janes and Cal Cutler helping me take apart a frozen yet very smelly-oily 48 ton dead whale. Words can not describe how grateful I am for all the many volunteers that took part in the long difficult recovery process...thank you all so very much...I won't forget it and I'm sure you won't (be able to) either!

(Image from George Saunders) Since you have seen the dry bones, the stinky ribs...here is an image of the whale just after it drowned. The decompostion gases tend ot inflate the body into a temporary giant balloon...later it sinks to the ocean floor and becomes food for smaller sea creatures....the circle of life, eh!

(Image from D Hayashida) Jaw bones of a sperm whale.

The next whale for our regional project was recovered by the town of Triton. Rick Fudge (while on crutches!!) got their whale team together and they went to the Codroy Valley on the west coast and cut out the bones of a long dead 43 foot sperm whale, a.k.a. the world famous "Moby Dick".(Image from D Hayashida) Cal Cutler and Wayne Ledwell with a Sowerby's Beaked.
The next whale for the regional project was a Sowerby's Beaked Whale for the Town of Westport on the Baie Verte Pennisula. Thanks to years of hard work around the volunteer table by Daphne Warren (with Dr Lien's kind assistance) Westport had their bones cleaned.

(Image from D Hayashida) 80 foot Fin Whale near Middle Arm.

The next feat of super human volunteerism was by Ben Hull's energetic team from Middle Arm. They drove all the way over to Branch by Cape St Marys (and with the help of Wayne Ledwell and Tony Power and friends) recovered was is to date our biggest whale at 60 feet long!

(Image from D Hayashida) Minke whale with gulls & rough ice.

The town of La Scie at the end of the Baie Verte Penninsula was the next group to get their whale bones. With the help of Ben Hull and the EZC, the town of La Scie's group recovered the bones from a Minke whale.

Little Bay Island came close a few times to getting their whale bones but lady luck has just not been on their side yet. They will one day recover the bones of an Orca that Dr Lien buried many years ago.

(Image from D Hayashida) Cal Cutler shooting images of Potheads...aka Pilot Whales)

The town of Springdale is the current leader with 2 recoveries to their credit. Again a huge team effort lead by then Mayor Kevin Pollard (now MHA) Don Huxter, Wayne Ledwell, Carl Gillard and the Springdale Heritage Society and Springdale Town Council. They have recovered both a Narwhal and a Pothead whale.

Well there is so much more to tell but we'll leave that for another day!! Thanks for reading. Best Fishes...David

Chocolate - that's why!

(image: some of the contestants for "who's the best?)

What's the newest gourmet reason visit "King's Point Pottery Fine Crafts and Gifts "this summer? To get in touch with your dark side!!

Over this past year we have been passionately researching dark chocolate around the globe! That included way over $200.00 in (delicious) taste- testing of premium world class chocolate bars. After coming to a truly 'sin'-sational conclusion, we placed the minimum order for our number one choice, $300.00 of a single type of dark chocolate bar. And as of today at 5:oopm island time we finally have the mouth watering winner in stock. What do you have to do, to find out who is the single winner and what does (one of) the world's greatest chocolate taste like?

Two things: Visit the pottery this summer for the usual world class shopping and bring your (decadent summer splurge) $12.00 to experience what took us a year of slaving over hot yet dark / antioxidant / flavonoid / bar after bar of choco-endorphin rush...(tough job but someone had to do it) and over $500.00 dollars to bring to the Island of Newfoundland for the very first time! Call us crazy, but we like to think of it as bit of a public service to the serious chocoholics visiting central Newfoundland this summer!

If you can't visit till late in the summer and are rightfully concerned that we might be out of stock of this "King's Point Exclusive" by then...you can call with your credit card and we will hold one bar until you arrive....sorry only one bar/reservation per person. (709-268-2216 North American)

Will it be "Love at first bite?"

Have ice but need bigger glass!

A new neighbour just moved into "downtown" King's Point today. Guess who it is. He's tons of fun but can't take the heat. He's 20% 'above board' but 80% mystery. He's 20,ooo years old but very fresh. Well you might have guessed from all the pictures...a lovely fresh water, ...a piece of a Greenland glacier,.... a titanic killer of an iceberg! They are such amazing sculptural (natural) objects...each side is typically a totally different

look. Thanks to Mr. Dennis Burt we can see all the sides of this cool character!

Look the red roof is the pottery in the background!

If you can safely get a piece of stray iceberg ice into a glass of ?????? your favourite beverage it really is a memorable occassion! Fresh water with a heck of a bubbly fizz ...(has been my experience). Cheers!!

(Reason #003 to visit Newfoundland and Labrador!!!)