Robin Hopper Explained

Robin Hopper
Birth Date:23 April 1939
Birth Place:England
Death Place:Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Robin Hopper (23 April 1939 – 6 April 2017)[1] was a Canadian ceramist, potter, teacher, author, garden designer and arts activist.[2]

Personal background

He was born in England in 1939, and died April 6, 2017, in Victoria, British Columbia. 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 to operate the family's 'Chosin Pottery Gallery.[3] He was a founding member and president emeritus of the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts. Hopper’s work in ceramics includes a great deal of ceramic historical and technical research. Next to ceramics, his other lifelong interest was gardening, particularly the development of his oriental garden.

Body of work

Hopper had both a functional and a decorative side to his production of pottery and ceramic works. His functional works were produced on an artizan basis. His production of functional pottery was by hand craftsmanship for individual pieces of a like design. He wrote several books on the subject of functional pottery. This craftsmanship had a particular application in ceramic works, many of which were one of a kind pieces for artistic exhibition. In these works he used a combination of glazing techniques. These were mainly porcelain decorative plates but he also created specialty items such as glaze paintings. A number of these works reflect the northern imagery of Canada.[4]

Academic and instructional positions

He taught throughout Canada, and in England, The United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan and Israel.[5]

Selected collections

His ceramic work is in public, corporate and private collections throughout the world. These collections include:

Awards

Robin Hopper was honoured for his contributions to the arts and public activities.

Garden

His interest in artistic gardens led to the creation of the Anglojapanadian Garden at ’Chosin Pottery.[11] This garden at Metchosin, British Columbia has been the subject of publications and television programs.[12]

Bibliography

Publications by Hopper

Robin Hopper wrote several books. Most of them deal with pottery and ceramics.

Video productions

Hopper produced videos for the education of potters and ceramists[13]

See also

List of Canadian artists

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robin Hopper's Obituary . The Times Colonist . 2018-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180305142551/http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timescolonist/obituary.aspx?n=robin-hopper&pid=185171753&fhid=16056 . 2018-03-05 . live .
  2. Web site: Obituary: Metchosin 'mud-pusher' was ceramics innovator . Bell . Jeff . 11 April 2017 . Times Colonist . 2018-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180305063421/http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/obituary-metchosin-mud-pusher-was-ceramics-innovator-1.14870279 . 5 March 2018 . live .
  3. News: Petrescu. Sarah. Two Islanders named to Order of Canada. Times-Colonist. December 30, 2016. January 13, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170118161354/http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/two-islanders-named-to-order-of-canada-1.5888539?platform=hootsuite. January 18, 2017. live.
  4. https://archive.today/20130411222839/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/contemporary-ceramics Contemporary Ceramics in The Canadian Encyclopedia
  5. Web site: Bronfman Collection Bio . 2013-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130813063254/http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/arts/bronfman/hopper1e.shtml . 2013-08-13 . live .
  6. https://aggv.ca/emuseum/search/Hopper Robin Hopper
  7. https://www.uvic.ca/legacygalleries/collection/index.php Robin Hopper
  8. Web site: Saidye Bronfman Award . 2013-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130813063254/http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/arts/bronfman/hopper1e.shtml . 2013-08-13 . live .
  9. Web site: Members since 1880. Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. 11 September 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110526215339/http://www.rca-arc.ca/en/about_members/since1880.asp. 26 May 2011.
  10. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/order-canada-newest-appointees-2016-150-1.3916634 "Order of Canada's newest appointees include Paralympian, Supreme Court judge and astrophysicist"
  11. Web site: Garden article in American Style Magazine, Issue 67, June 2009 . 2013-04-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101221122302/http://www.americanstyle.com/2009/04/living-in-paradise-playing-with-mud/ . 2010-12-21 . live .
  12. Web site: Garden Description with photos and publication bibliography . 2013-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130315121728/http://www.chosinpottery.ca/pages/garden.html . 2013-03-15 . live .
  13. Web site: Video Availability List . 2013-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130330003558/http://www.potteryvideos.com/programs.shtml . 2013-03-30 . live .

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