Live performances by clay and glass blowing artists
By Hailey Alexander
Fusion Clay & Glass Ontario kicks off the holiday season with a brand-new virtual exhibition at their two-day art show starting Nov. 19 at 9:00 a.m. in Artscape Wychwood Barns at 601 Christie St. This event offers the perfect opportunity to purchase handmade gifts and support local clay and glass artists in their creative endeavours.
Alongside a website redesign, Fusion will be launching their Connect Online virtual exhibition at this year’s art show. This means that the event will no longer be exclusive to local visitors but will be broadcast on an international platform. Catharina Goldnau, president of Fusion, says she hopes this new approach will support artists looking for virtual outreach.
“We [Fusion staff] feel that virtual presence is important. We’re hoping to interest people beyond Ontario, even beyond Canada. It’s great to see people connect with each other.”
Catharina adds that the pandemic has changed people’s perception of art and that people seem to value involvement both in-person and online. By reaching out beyond a local audience and “making art accessible,” more artists and admirers can connect with one another.
Fusion has admitted 40 clay and glass artists to share their talent at the show this year. An array of polished art and live performances will be on display.
Minna Koistinen, founder of Playing with Fire Glassblowing Workshops, will be leading live glass blowing presentations and sharing new pieces with the community. This year marks her 25th anniversary of working with glass. As a seasoned artist, Minna says that patience produces refined results. “It’s like learning how to fine-tune an organ. There are many things that you need to learn to control your craft.”
Adeline La, this year’s juror, says she is excited to see the artist community come together again after the pause COVID-19 put on local showings. Clay and glass art rely on the 3D element to be appreciated, which makes physical events all the more important.
Adeline will be jurying entries and presenting awards at this year’s showing. As manager of the Gardiner Museum shop on Queens Park, she sees how people respond to art of different mediums. “It’s like storytelling,” she says, adding that what makes an art piece special is, “how the artist executes that storytelling and how the creative process is reflected in the art itself.”