| The Artists
"Art isn't just about making
pots... It's how you live." - Vincent
Massey
Art and life are synonymous with the Masseys. Their home,
built by Vincent in 1985, neighbours the gallery and pottery
studio on the slopes of Rainbow Mountain adjacent to Whistler.
Driftwood sculpture and firewood stored in intricate baskets
on the porch illustrate the Masseys' commitment to artistic
living that extends beyond the gallery's walls. "Most
people don't understand what goes into making a pot,"
Vincent explained. "But having the studio and gallery
next to each other, people get to see the whole picture as
well as the lifestyle that goes along with it. I like to take
time out to show them the process of how my pots are made."
Raising a family in the heart of Whistler, whether skiing
or mountain biking, the raw elements of nature inspire and
motivate the couple's creative expressions. |
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Vincent Massey
 A
fourth generation artist, Vincent discovered, at the early age
of 15, his passion and flare for pottery. His father, a respected
architect, and his mother, an established painter, fostered
a creative home where Vincent was introduced to artistry as
a part of everyday living. His family's approach to life has
translated to his pots, which combine exhibition with functionality.
Vincent studied at the renowned West Surrey College of Art and
Design in Farnham, England. Here, he specialized in traditional
English and Japanese methods of stoneware, including firing
techniques of wood, salt and raku.
Further apprenticeships with exceptional English and Canadian
potters established him as a professional artist. Vincent continues
to develop the art of pottery through the adaptation of traditional
methods and glazes. He mixes and ages his own clay and experiments
with his own personal glaze recipes to achieve his one-of-a-kind,
spontaneous pots. For 20 years, Massey has supported his family
as an artist. He supplemented his income with carpentry in the
first stages of his career, which lent itself well to building
his own house, studio, gallery and kilns.
As well as contributing to the art of ceramics by teaching workshops
and master classes throughout B.C., he encourages young, aspiring
apprentices. His work is shipped worldwide and eagerly sought
by art collectors, hotels and those wishing to enhance their
cuisine or dining room with unique, yet practical pottery pieces.
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Cheryl Massey
 A
venture into the Northern Gulf Islands led to Cheryl discovering
her passion for weaving as she sat on a beach to create her
first bird-nest-like basket from the grass around her. Under
the teachings of established B.C. weavers, Cheryl transformed
her inquisitive explorations into an art form. She continues
to draw from Mother Nature for her materials every time she
scours B.C.'s beaches for kelp or gathers tule rush at sunrise
in her canoe in local lakes.
The result of her adventures are hats, carrying bags and bread
baskets that combine artistry with practicality. Other baskets,
most notably her signature, spiral-woven kelp basket, demand
more of a showcased spot light. Much of Cheryl's work is influenced
by the First Nations traditions of weaving, particularly her
cedar-bark baskets. Weaving with the materials she has gathered
from the lakes, oceans and forests result in intricate colours
and textures woven into her work that distinguishes itself as
uniquely West Coast. .
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