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My History:
Born and raised in Canada
1966-68 Attended the Vancouver School of Art
1969-70 Traveled around the world
1972-73 Taught school in Shiraz, Iran
1974-76 Majored in Ceramics and painting - Ohio State University
1976-77 Pottery supervisor on site in Anshan, Iran
1978-95 Molded human clay - my sons
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95-2001 Full-time student and potter Southwest Missouri State University
1999 One month study experience with a team of potters in remote Chinese pottery villages
2001 Present full-time potter
My Story:
I was born in Vancouver, B.C. and grew up on the south side of the city on an island of clay and peat. From early childhood I remember hours of playing in mud puddles of clay. At the age of 13, I was introduced to hand building clay through an older woman artist who was very passionate about her medium. She had clay on her dining room table, kitchen sink, countertops, and any other place where she could work. She was convincing.
In high school at the back of the art room, I found a kick wheel. My teacher gave me the freedom to try anything I wanted. I kicked away, experimented to my hearts content, and almost started a fire in the art room by firing the old, unused kiln.
Later as a student of the Vancouver School of Art (now the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design), I majored in sculpture and again had my hands in mud. After two years, I left school to move to the interior of B.C. and try my hand at farming and communal life.
In 1969 I headed to Europe, travelled the continent and headed east thru Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Afganistan, India, Nepal, Burma, Thialand, HongKong and eventually home to British Columbia, Canada.
Facinated with Iran I later returned there to teach school in 1972-73. I taught Art classes to Junior highers and kintergarden classes to 13 nationalities of little ones in the mornings and English classes to young men wishing to attend universities overseas in the evenings. After one year there I returned to the US and attended Ohio State University where I majored in Painting and Ceramics. I was then invited by the archeology department to return to Iran and work as a potter on an ancient dig site called Anschan. Since I had learned enough of the language to survive in the village I had a wonderful experience learning a whole new area of ancient pottery and getting to know village life overseas. I built a kiln for the dig site, oversaw the pottery finds, reassembled some very old finds, and investigated possible clay sources for the area. Since that experience I have longed to return to Iran and the village life. Perhaps one day it will be possible.
Again back to the U.S. where building a family took over the next 15 years of my life. When my sons were in high school, I returned to university studies and finally graduated with a B.F.A. in ceramics. I quickly completed my studio behind our country home and have continued to find my way with clay since then.
I started doing shows in the spring of 2002 and now average 2-3 shows per month in the spring, summer and fall. I have work in gift shops and galleries in Eureaka, Warsaw, Columbia, Rocheport, and of course Springfield, MO.
Often people come by my studio, watch me work, have tea, and leave with a few pots they find irresistible—that makes me happy. I feel that my real life is just unfolding, and each day is a new adventure in clay.
I hope you will enjoy your visual trip through my gallery. Contact information is on the last page.
Cheers Bari |
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