Find below an update from 2020 MCC Bursary Fund recipient, Julianna Zwierciadlowska-Rhymer, including some details about the programs she was able to participate in and some images of the her work!
This past year has been a difficult one, many plans and events cancelled earlier in March 2020 and continue to today. When I had originally applied to the Manitoba Craft Council for the bursary in January 2020, my plan was to go to NCECA- The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts- in Richmond, Virginia. Unfortunately it was all cancelled due to Covid19, When this news was announced, we were all in shock and I wasn’t sure what I was to do with the bursary I received. I knew I wanted to use it for an educational purpose with my practice, but everything seemed to be very uncertain. I would like to thank Tammy and other members of the Manitoba Craft Council for being understanding during a time of uncertainty. They allowed me to have some time to research and see what other events would move to an online platform.
By September 2020 I had found Ceramic Materials Workshop with Matt Katz. This course covered a variety of materials, from glaze chemistry, glaze flaws, geology of materials, special effects, colour in glazes and so much more. Matt Katz has taught at Alfred University for over 15 years, he has worked as a Ceramic Engineer and researcher which all bring his expertise to his online courses. He understands the chemistry of what is happening in a glaze and is able to explain the science behind it. Since ceramics is the medium I work in, I thought a course like this would be a great fit and possibly help me create a better glaze palette for my practice. The course provided me with a better knowledge and understanding of glaze technology and I was able to gather the information I was learning and apply this in the glaze lab. After each glaze class I was able to do more research about the glazes I was using and work to improve them. I now have a much better understanding of the materials I use in my practice.
The bursary also allowed me the opportunity to take part in The Ceramic Congress- Korea 2020. The Congress was an online 3 day event which included ceramic artists from all around the world with different practices and showcased artist demos followed by a live question and answer period. This really was a great experience as I was able to watch and learn from different artists I’m influenced and inspired by, learn some of their techniques and learn about new artists. I was able to ask questions in the chat and listen to many great conversations. I may not have been able to attend NCECA, but the Congress allowed artists from all over the world to come together and it was just as informative and exciting. The bursary allowed me to take the Ceramic Materials Workshop, The Ceramic Congress and cover some of glaze materials to create new glaze tests.
Thank you to everyone at the Manitoba Craft council for awarding me the 2020 Bursary Fund. Thank you for your patience when everything was uncertain and changing so quickly, even though my plans changed, I am thankful for these learning opportunities and able to incorporate them into my practice.
Julianna
