Event Profile

Organization: ESPLANADE ARTS & HERITAGE CENTRE Location: Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre Phone: 403.502.8580 Website: Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre Event Dates:  

• SAT, JUN 1912:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• SUN, JUN 2012:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• MON, JUN 2110:00:am to 5:00:pm
• TUE, JUN 2210:00:am to 5:00:pm
• WED, JUN 2310:00:am to 5:00:pm
• THU, JUN 2410:00:am to 5:00:pm
• FRI, JUN 2510:00:am to 5:00:pm
• SAT, JUN 2612:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• SUN, JUN 2712:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• MON, JUN 2810:00:am to 5:00:pm
• TUE, JUN 2910:00:am to 5:00:pm
• WED, JUN 3010:00:am to 5:00:pm

• THU, JUL 0110:00:am to 5:00:pm
• FRI, JUL 0210:00:am to 5:00:pm
• SAT, JUL 0312:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• SUN, JUL 0412:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• MON, JUL 0510:00:am to 5:00:pm
• TUE, JUL 0610:00:am to 5:00:pm
• WED, JUL 0710:00:am to 5:00:pm
• THU, JUL 0810:00:am to 5:00:pm
• FRI, JUL 0910:00:am to 5:00:pm
• SAT, JUL 1012:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• SUN, JUL 1112:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• MON, JUL 1210:00:am to 5:00:pm
• TUE, JUL 1310:00:am to 5:00:pm
• WED, JUL 1410:00:am to 5:00:pm
• THU, JUL 1510:00:am to 5:00:pm
• FRI, JUL 1610:00:am to 5:00:pm
• SAT, JUL 1712:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• SUN, JUL 1812:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• MON, JUL 1910:00:am to 5:00:pm
• TUE, JUL 2010:00:am to 5:00:pm
• WED, JUL 2110:00:am to 5:00:pm
• THU, JUL 2210:00:am to 5:00:pm
• FRI, JUL 2310:00:am to 5:00:pm
• SAT, JUL 2412:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• SUN, JUL 2512:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• MON, JUL 2610:00:am to 5:00:pm
• TUE, JUL 2710:00:am to 5:00:pm
• WED, JUL 2810:00:am to 5:00:pm
• THU, JUL 2910:00:am to 5:00:pm
• FRI, JUL 3010:00:am to 5:00:pm
• SAT, JUL 3112:00:pm to 5:00:pm

• SUN, AUG 0112:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• MON, AUG 0210:00:am to 5:00:pm
• TUE, AUG 0310:00:am to 5:00:pm
• WED, AUG 0410:00:am to 5:00:pm
• THU, AUG 0510:00:am to 5:00:pm
• FRI, AUG 0610:00:am to 5:00:pm
• SAT, AUG 0712:00:pm to 5:00:pm
• SUN, AUG 0812:00:pm to 5:00:pm

Description:  

Harvey Fix: My Life in Communications

This solo exhibition features three new series of ceramic sculptures by Medicine Hat artist Harvey Fix. In the major installation called "My Life in Communications," Harvey Fix presents life-sized ceramic torsos with various adaptations such as communications devices inserted into a cavity in the area of the heart. The devices range from an insulator from an abandoned rail line north of Bassano which was collected in 1969, to a circuit board from the first Pulse Code Modulated Carrier, to fibre optic devices used today. This installation represents Harvey's long career in communications with Canadian Pacific Telecommunications and later AGT, which evolved into TELUS. The work is fascinating in its detail and poignantly suggests that in any era, the need for communication is essential to our human nature. 

The two other bodies of work in the exhibition also relate to ongoing artistic and personal interests of Harvey's: in one a school of raku-fired ceramic trout drift in a stream bed of raku-fired pebbles and river rock; and the second is a collection of large ceramic vessels in the shape of bones, influenced by items Harvey has collected from the native prairie landscape of southeastern Alberta.

 

Harvey Fix was raised around clay and the clay industry in Medicine Hat, being influenced from an early age by the historical Medalta and Hycroft Potteries, using the IXL-Brickyards as a childhood playground, and working for Luke Lindoe as a high school student in the original Plainsman Clay plant. Lindoe used one of the historical beehive kilns for drying the clay, which was Harvey Fix’s first exposure to the clay bodies that are mined in this area.
Harvey began his own ceramic work in 1977 and since that time has taken numerous ceramics workshops as far afield as Great Britain (with John Leach), New Zealand ( with Brian Gartside) and China (with Luo Xiaoping), as well as closer to home with Les Manning in Banff and Jim Etzkom in Calgary, amongst others. He has been an active member of the Medicine Hat Potters Association since its inception, and held various positions on the executive. He was also Area Representative for the Alberta Potters Association and held the position of Vice President in 2007 and 2008. Harvey has taught at Medicine Hat College in Continuing Education, as well as through Project Outreach, an extension of the A.P.A.

Highlights of Harvey Fix’s career as a ceramist to date include being the first Artist in Residence at the Comox Valley Art Gallery under a Heritage Canada Cultural Capitals grant, where he was commissioned to provide a permanent ceramic tile mural on the history of the area.
Harvey’s work is held in the collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the City of Medicine Hat, as well as in many private and corporate collections. He has devoted himself fulltime to his ceramic studio in Medicine Hat since retiring from TELUS in 2000.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by TELUS.

Join Harvey Fix on Wednesday June 23 at 7pm for the public reception for the exhibitions. The artist will provide an informal tour of his work.