Kwan, Sam
Item
Maker Name
Kwan, Sam
Marks
Biography
Vancouver born Sam Kwan, graduate of the Vancouver School of Art, 1973, alongside Ron Vallis, Elise Siegle and Mark Lawrence, taught by Robert Weghsteen, John Reeve and Tam Irving, went on to become a celebrated potter in BC known for throwing skill and beauty of form, his work is highly collectable and treasured. He worked with reduction fired stoneware, saltglaze, and woodfire.
( Annedote; wood fired with Andrew Wong in Mission, an early anagama kiln - to be confirmed.)
His throwing career was cut short by a debilitating stroke in 2012.
Sam’s focus was to make utilitarian pots used in our daily rituals, influenced by the Mingei tradition. He was often featured in exhibitions at Hiro Urakami’s gallery, House of Ceramics. Sam was a long-time teacher at Peg’s Place, 1973-79. For several years he shared a studio, “Old Bridge Street Pottery,” on Granville Island with John Reeve and Ron Vallis. During the 1980s held a studio space at Tanzar Crafts on 4th Avenue, along with Daniel Materna, Elise Siegel and Hiro Urakami.
From 1992 he became an inspiring teacher at Capilano College, creating a communal and interactive learning environment, for instance by building a salt kiln with his students on campus. Around 2006 Glenn Lewis came to Capilano College and worked with Sam to refresh his throwing skills. In 2014 his students held an exhibition in his honour at the Gallery of BC Ceramics, after the Capilano University shut down the Ceramics Programme.
2017 Sam was honoured at the Canadian Clay Symposium as teacher at Capilano College, and tech. for ECUAD summer courses.
Capilano Students;
Anna Delany, Bica Gomes, Carol Demers, Cindy Faulkner, Coralie Triance, Diane Espiritu, Dorothy Doherty, Eliza Wang, Erika Kertesz, Guity Moarefi, Lynn Halverson, Keith Lehman, Glenn Lewis, Priscilla Chan, Ronna Ander, Jackie Frioud, Sandra Ramos and Yoshiko Godo.
( Annedote; wood fired with Andrew Wong in Mission, an early anagama kiln - to be confirmed.)
His throwing career was cut short by a debilitating stroke in 2012.
Sam’s focus was to make utilitarian pots used in our daily rituals, influenced by the Mingei tradition. He was often featured in exhibitions at Hiro Urakami’s gallery, House of Ceramics. Sam was a long-time teacher at Peg’s Place, 1973-79. For several years he shared a studio, “Old Bridge Street Pottery,” on Granville Island with John Reeve and Ron Vallis. During the 1980s held a studio space at Tanzar Crafts on 4th Avenue, along with Daniel Materna, Elise Siegel and Hiro Urakami.
From 1992 he became an inspiring teacher at Capilano College, creating a communal and interactive learning environment, for instance by building a salt kiln with his students on campus. Around 2006 Glenn Lewis came to Capilano College and worked with Sam to refresh his throwing skills. In 2014 his students held an exhibition in his honour at the Gallery of BC Ceramics, after the Capilano University shut down the Ceramics Programme.
2017 Sam was honoured at the Canadian Clay Symposium as teacher at Capilano College, and tech. for ECUAD summer courses.
Capilano Students;
Anna Delany, Bica Gomes, Carol Demers, Cindy Faulkner, Coralie Triance, Diane Espiritu, Dorothy Doherty, Eliza Wang, Erika Kertesz, Guity Moarefi, Lynn Halverson, Keith Lehman, Glenn Lewis, Priscilla Chan, Ronna Ander, Jackie Frioud, Sandra Ramos and Yoshiko Godo.
First name
Sam
Last name
Kwan
Date of Birth
1953
Place of Birth
Vancouver, British Columbia
Studio location
Formal Education
Major Exhibitions
2021 'We Do Not Work Alone', Nanimo Art Gallery, Jesse Birch
2013 High Fire Culture, Locating Leach/Hamada in West Coast Studio Pottery, Satellite Gallery, Belkin, Norah Vaillant.
1980 Retrospect Ceramics 80 , PGBC 25th Anniversary
1970s - Multiple exhibits at the House of Ceramics
Affiliated organizations
Tag
Links to Further Resources
https://www.gillianmcmillan.com/blog/2017/03/26/ceramics-instructors-honoured/
1998 Made of Clay, PGBC
Source
Debra E. Sloan
Linked resources
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