SPOTTED STRETCH

Artist: Barb Sachs

Medium: Raku

18" x 16"

Barb Sachs is a ceramic artist who has been living and working in Dundas for almost three decades. Her early education included time spent at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’ Museum School and her first introduction to clay as a medium was in The Creative Arts Programme at Champlain College, Longueuil, Quebec. Barb went on to earn a BFA at York University in Toronto. 

Upon rediscovering clay and being introduced to the 'raku' firing process in 1991 at DVSA, Barb enjoyed a rebirth – exhibiting and selling her work across Ontario and Canada. In 1998, the Ontario Government chose one of Barb's ceramic polar bears to present to President Nelson Mandela. Bears have since been presented to various dignitaries and heads of state, including Her Majesty the Queen. 

In the making process, each piece is formed and shaped from thin slabs of sculpture clay. The piece is then bisque fired, glazed, and is taken through the raku firing process - including post firing reduction in wood shavings. 

Artist’s Statement  
Animal forms have long been my focus in my work. I like to keep the colour palette simple, so as not to distract from the graphic lines of the animals’ form. Using simplified and stylized shapes and forms, I’m interested in playing with the graphic nature of raku fired clay to convey a sense of movement, joy, humour, and ... perhaps a little mischief. 

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