At Lesley McInally's 'Drift'

The meaning of the word "unique"(taken from the Webster's Dictionary) is: A thing unique; A thing unparelled; or sole of a kind.

All three can be used to describe the the inventory at Lesley's show place in Cookstown called "Drift" and also to the way she became to express herself in the art of pottery.

Graduating in 1994, Lesley gained her honours degree in Ceramic Design from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, in Dundee, Scotland. Following a brief period managing Pitlochry Pottery, she set up her own studio in Glasgow and developed a successful career as a full time ceramic artist producing both functional and sculptural work exhibiting and selling through galleries and gift shops throughout the UK.

In search of adventure, new experiences and better weather, Lesley closed her studio and emigrated with her partner to Canada in 2004. Having taken a step away from the studio and relocating in Canada, Lesley was able to re-evaluate her approach to clay and the direction she wanted to take it. Landscape, seascape, weather and its effect had always had an enormous influence in her work and moving to an other country with such a different climate and such dramatic changes with each season, has played an enormous role in her current body of ceramics.

Each piece begins life as a flat slab of clay which is then marked by hand before thrown and stretched. There is a certain amount of control during this process but the end result allows a sense of freedom to evolve. The slabs are then altered and reconstructed to form sculptural vessels. The lines and marks created during the initial process allow the eye to follow the form. Though very obviously non-functional, some pieces have a small addition of a handle, giving the piece an architectural quality and a more physical sense of identity helping the viewer relate to it as well as honouring the functional roots of ceramics.

As Lesley says, all of us carry the marks of memory and experiences with us as we pass through life. Like us, clay can display its life history and the process of how it come to be.

Her memory of the west coast of Scotland on a wet and windy day, of her first snowy winter and clear blue skies and it's sparkling crisp landscape, inspired her in naming some vessels 'Storm Vessel', 'Wild isolated Place' and 'Snow Dune'. Like a painters canvas, the surface of the clay is built up with various slips and glazes which help in putting these memories to clay. The work is often finished off with 22 ct. gold luster to highlight some of the more subtle markings.

What most impressed me with Lesley's creations was her artistic way in letting the glazes and slips "Drift" down the sides and so give each piece the individual look.

Besides the hand thrown pieces, she also does some on the wheel and sells other artists works.

Lesley's work can be found in Toronto galleries including Muse and Petroff as well as in Waterloo at the Clay and Glass Museum and Harbinger Gallery. Being a member of the Toronto potters, Lesley has just received two awards in their juried show which will showcase at the Gardner museum of ceramic art from August 11th - 28th.

The world is truly a small place. While chatting with Lesley, she told me that she and her partner, after residing in Toronto for a few months, found a property in the country just outside the village of Cookstown: The old Victorian Schoolhouse on the 14th concession Tecumseth Township. And for all of us who once upon a time lived in that area this was the one room "Ross's School", the little school, where my son Mike started his school days with Mrs. Duffin as his teacher.

It was wonderful to meet you Lesley and to admire your art work at your shop at the corner house on the south-west side at the lights.

Birth

Congratulations to Stephanie Maye (nee Faris) and Blair Maye of Bellwood, on the arrival of their first child, daughter Felicity Frances on April 27. Felicity Frances is the first granddaughter of happy John and Connie Faris of Cookstown and of grandparents Mike and Sandra Maye of Woodville.