Robert Burgess
Hand Built Ceramics Teacher
BFA (Hon), B. Ed.
Mr. Burgess took a degree in Visual Arts at UVic before deciding to be a teacher. He has taught in the public, private, and Indigenous school systems within BC, including living on two remote reserves. He spent ten years at Meadowridge School in Maple Ridge, mostly as an art teacher.Outside of art and teaching, Mr. Burgess has an extensive background in outdoor pursuits, especially in whitewater, and has recently acquired a sailboat he is learning to use. He is also active in medieval recreation, where he does armoured combat—though not LARPing.
Joe Lyons
Pottery Teacher
Visual Arts (VIU)
Joseph Lyons discovered his love for clay as a child, in Seattle. As an adult, he attended classes at Pottery Northwest for years before moving to Kauai, Hawaii, where became the apprentice to master potter Dean McRaine. In 2016, Mr. Lyons immigrated to Canada to attend Vancouver Island University. He graduated with honors and a degree in Visual Arts in 2020 and took up a position as Artist-in-Residence at Nanaimo Ceramic Arts. Mr. Lyons enjoys making pots in his home studio while raising two kids in an artistic household with his partner—a children’s book publisher, author, and illustrator.
Pottery
Pottery is a very popular art at Brentwood. Many students who struggle with more traditional drawing and painting or are not interested in performing in front of an audience find a meaningful home in the pottery studio. Here they can apply a hands-on approach to finding their creativity through working with clay. There is a certain calm and clarity that comes when working on the pottery wheel.
Students will build pots by hand and learn how to decorate, glaze, and fire their creations. Hand-built pottery provides another avenue to further explore designing non-traditional pieces. Learning about ceramics is experiential and, as such, students are encouraged to experiment and take risks with materials while developing a personal flair in their work.
3D Pottery
This course teaches wheel-thrown pottery for students who are either complete beginners or who have had some experience. We will explore the ceramic medium creatively and artistically. In addition, the technical processes of pottery are learned. This includes building pots by hand, surface decoration, glazing, and firing.
Hand Built Pottery
In this exploratory course, students will learn a wide range of techniques including the pinching method, coil building, slab construction, sculpture, decorative surface techniques, and glazing. Students will be expected to assimilate art foundations so all students will review or be introduced to the elements and principles of design, historical and contemporary developments, and classroom art critiques. Personal growth will be encouraged through the development of original and individual projects. Learning about ceramics is essentially experiential and, as such, students are encouraged to experiment and take risks with materials while developing personal flair in their work.
Facilities
The 2,000 sq. ft. pottery studio is equipped with 20 potting wheels, generous storage space, drying racks, and three kilns. Students will have access to all the tools and equipment required to take their projects from raw clay to presentation. Decorating, glazing, and firing are all done in the pottery studio with the help of our pottery instructors. Dedicated space is available for students to display their work in the gallery of the pottery studio, itself, as well as in the main Centre for Arts and Humanities campus gallery.
Where Students Choose To Be
+1 (250) 743-5521
admissions@brentwood.ca
info@brentwood.ca
2735 Mount Baker Road
Mill Bay, BC, Canada V8H 1K8