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Welcome to the Metchosin International
Summer School of the Arts!

MISSA's main program takes place during the first two weeks of July. Registrations are accepted after January 25. Friends of MISSA may register after January 11. MISSA 2010 will run from July 4 – July 17.

History

Mission Statement

Board

Patrons

MISSA Staff

Acknowledgments

History

A group of dedicated artists formed and incorporated on June 26, 1985, the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts (MISSA). That year, five two-week courses were offered. Over the years we have expanded our course selection. A faculty exhibition in 1991 at the noted Fran Willis Gallery gave MISSA a great deal of exposure.

Funding in 1992 was at a crisis point and a group was formed called "Friends of MISSA". With their continued help and support we have raised funds with auctions, raffles and special events. 1992 was a turning point for the school. The school contracted with Lester B. Pearson College to establish office space and part-time Executive Director, Meira Mathison was hired. This permanent office address and support has given the art school the stability needed to expand and grow. In 1993, we expanded our school to include ceramic weekend workshops in the spring and fall. We have an excellent reputation for bringing in internationally acclaimed artists and these workshops have been well attended.

In 1996 our bursary endowment program included a new fundraising event, The Faculty Auction. This auction has proven to be a highlight of our "wind-up" party at the end of the July courses. Each year, MISSA arranges a Celebration of the Arts event, where we honour a special member of the arts community who, by the caliber of their work and their commitment to the arts, has made a significant difference to the growth and development of the arts in the province. The following have been recognized as an Ambassador of the Arts: Jack Shadbolt, Myfanwy Pavelic, Jack Wise, Murray Adaskin, Carole Sabiston, Rosita Tovell, Mavor Moore, Colin Graham, Fran Willis, PK Page, Bill West, Pat Martin-Bates, Walter Dexter, Lorna Crozier, Patrick Lane and Norman Yates. MISSA's 2010 Ambassadors are the Newman Family: Victor, Edith, Marion and Carey.

MISSA now offers courses to over 400 students per year.

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MISSION STATEMENT

MANDATE

To foster the arts in British Columbia by bringing together, in a fiscally responsible manner, in an environment rich in natural and artistic stimulation, internationally recognized artists to share their knowledge and inspire serious students and professionals to explore and develop their artistic fields in a multi-disciplinary milieu.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

1. to provide the maximum benefit to the individual student through an inspired analytical teaching approach with small class size

2. to provide internationally recognized faculty of the highest caliber

3. to provide cross-media interaction

4. to offer artistic programs of variable length

5. to operate on a break-even financial basis

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Board of Directors

Dave Skilling - President

Dave enjoys applying his passion for visual design to his work as a freelance photographer and writer. He has been active in the Victoria arts community for many years and has volunteered with and served on the boards of organizations including the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and Theatre SKAM. Dave looks forward to learning and sharing with the wonderful participants at MISSA each year.

Isabel Tipton, Vice-President

Isabel Tipton

Isabel has been involved in the arts scene since taking up weaving and dyeing in the ‘70s. She has taught for Convergence, the biennial conference of the Handweavers and Spinners Guilds of America, and exhibited in many Weavers Conference shows.

Several years ago, Robin Hopper talked her into joining the MISSA board. She took the course on colour taught by Barbara Shelley some years ago, and has since concentrated on textile art from the sewing machine rather than the loom. She is a member of “Fibres and Beyond”, a group of twelve textile artists formed in 2002.

Ann Pennant, Treasurer/Secretary

Ann Pennant has served on the Board for many years. In her spare time she is a fibre artist.

Robin Hopper, Founding President

Robin Hopper is a man of many parts, mostly worn out, rusty or dysfunctional, due to a lifetime of excesses! He started working seriously with clay at the age of three and is still doing it 66 years later. This lengthy career as a potter has included side trips into working as a Professional Actor, Stage Designer, Property Maker, Stage Manager, Stage Carpenter, Failed Musician, European Travel Guide, Founder of Several Clay/Craft Organizations, Amateur Alchemist, Amateur Geologist, Ceramic Historian, Educator, Author, Garden Designer, Lecturer on Japanese Garden Design and History, Laborer and Star of Stage, Screen and the Potter’s Wheel! He has written six books, countless articles for magazines worldwide and been at the center of 13 educational videos related to working with clay. He has taught in England, all Provinces and Territories of Canada, 42 States of the US, all States in Australia, as well as New Zealand, Japan, Korea, China and Israel. With his wife Judi Dyelle, he owns and operates ’Chosin Pottery, just outside Victoria, B.C., Canada. An extensive website shows their work, studios, gallery and gardens. www.chosinpottery.ca

Jim Bennett

Jim Bennett

Betty Burroughs

Betty Burroughs has been a potter for over 30 years and is still as passionate about clay as ever.  She has had the privilege of studying with such top ceramicists as Robin Hopper, Gordon Hutchens, Les Manning, Vincent Massey, Tom Coleman, Steven Hill, Bill Shinn and many others.  She is a founding member of Pacific Rim Potters, South Vancouver Island Potters Guild and Muddy Women.  MISSA has been a big part of her life, first as a student and now as a Board member and co-ordinator of "Friends of MISSA".  You will find her at the Registration desk with Barb Lovick ready to welcome you when you arrive.

Deborah Czernecky

"I have had a life long passion for nature, spirituality of nature and paint. During the past twenty five years my body and soul have traveled extensively across this land, thus nicknaming Canada, 'my big backyard'. The diverse scenery I have encountered from coast to coast has heightened my sense of landscape formation and structural forms, colors and patterns. Because of its vastness, nature has offered an incredible variety of subjects to examine and pursue. At present, I try to combine elements of abstraction and traditional realism in my work. With respect to the spiritual aspect of my work, the simplicity of a landscape displays great power. It commands respect for nature, exposing how insignificant I am... a small integral part of the environment."

Lydia Kasianchuk

Lydia Kasianchuk

Lydia Kasianchuk has made a difference across the full range of arts and culture in Victoria for over twenty-five years. Lydia directed a community-wide study leading to the first Arts Policy for Greater Victoria, served as the Region’s first Arts Manager and was an inaugural member of the British Columbia Arts Council. She initiated and produced Victoria’s only multi-cultural radio programs and has served on numerous boards, including the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Lydia was named Arts Leader of the Year in 1993, was a nominee for the Woman of Distinction (Arts and Culture) Award in 1997 and in 2001 was named an Honourary Citizen of Victoria for her major contribution to the arts.

Barb Lovick

Barb Lovick

As well as being a member of the Board, Barb is a MISSA student and has also recently joined the MISSA staff.

Gretchen Markle

Gretchen Markle

Gretchen Markle is a painter and teacher living in Metchosin. She has chosen to live close to the natural world which informs all of her work, both representational and abstract.

Carol Rae

Carol Rae

Carol Rae is a Vancouver artist now living in Lake Cowichan. Her art education spans many years and includes California College of Arts and Crafts, Western Washington State College, & Central Washington State College. She specializes in printmaking, but has also enjoyed glassblowing, photography, costume and set design, bookbinding, collage, painting, sculpture, and yodeling. Her work has been featured from coast to coast in both Canada and the US in shows and publications. She has been teaching off and on for 30 years and believes she learns more with each experience. She has been on the MISSA board of directors for several years.

Karel Roessingh

Karel Roessingh is a composer, arranger, producer and musician who has written scores for over five hundred television episodes, and many award-winning films, documentaries, and promotional videos. He has recently written for a number of Bravo Channel features, and is currently working on music for interactive electronic toys. As well as performing on countless recordings for other artists, he has produced more than fifteen of his own recordings, including several for the Canadian Naturescapes series which have been distributed world-wide, two jazz trio CDs and many solo piano CDs, the latest three just released in November. He has performed with symphony orchestras and rock, jazz, folk, show and country ensembles throughout the world, from small-town bars to concert halls and battleships to cruise ships.

Traffic - Karel Roessingh (1.75 MB)

Judy Scott, Past-President

Judy Scott

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Patrons

Patricia Bovey	Walter Dexter	Christine Hulsker	Patrick Lane	Pat Martin-Bates
Angus Matthews	The Hon. Robert G. Rogers, OC &	Jane Rogers	Jan Ross	Carole Sabiston, OBC
Cheryl Samuel	Rosita Tovell	Fran Willis	Daphne Zeitz

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Staff

When you contact the MISSA office, you will most likely speak with Deanna. She will take your registration and answer any questions you might have. During MISSA, Deanna, Meira or Shana will be pleased to assist you.

Meira

Meira Mathison

Large Jug – Meira Mathison

As the Executive Director of MISSA, Meira keeps very busy all year round. Meira is an internationally recognized potter and teacher who has been working in clay for over twenty-five years. She is noted for her high fire altered porcelain work using a variety of textures, color additions, thick slips and multi-layered glazes. Her pots reflect her environment, the west coast rain forest and the deserts of Nevada, where she has worked and taught for many years. Meira is a master of multi-tasking and even though she probably wouldn’t admit it, much of MISSA’s success is a tribute to her dedication, hard work, and creativity.

Shana's MISSA party dress

Shana Watson

Shana 's love of art can likely be traced back to her preschool years of fingerpainting with chocolate pudding. Her tastes in art and chocolate have developed since then and she can be fairly opinionated and passionate about both. When she isn't helping out in the MISSA office, she helps Robin Hopper in his studio and in the gallery at 'Chosin Pottery. The office would not run nearly as efficiently without Shana. Always cheerful and informative, Shana is a delight to talk to on the phone.

Betty and Barb are usually the first to greet students arriving at MISSA. Betty is a long-time MISSA student, is the coordinator of the Friends of MISSA , and also contributes as a member of the Board. She’s always happy to assist students in any way she can. Barb has also attended many MISSA courses, contributes as a member of the Board and can be found, with Betty, at the “MISSA Table”.

Bowl - Betty Burroughs

Betty Burroughs

Betty Burroughs was born and educated in Burnaby, BC, graduating with a B.Ed. from UBC. She taught school for several years in lower mainland locations and in Victoria. Having majored in art in high school and always interested in various art and craft media, it was not until 1973 that she fell in love with clay. Since then, she has participated in numerous pottery courses and workshops and has been a student at MISSA almost every year since it began. She feels very fortunate to have had such excellent instructors as Robin Hopper, Les Manning, Tom Coleman, Steven Hill, Vincent Massey, Bill Shinn, Gordon Hutchens and many others. She works mainly in white stoneware and, besides wheel-work, enjoys handbuilding slab forms and, most recently, extruding. She is a founding member of Pacific Rim Potters, South Vancouver Island Potters' Guild, and Muddy Women. She also serves on the board of MISSA as co-ordinator of "Friends of MISSA". Betty says about her pottery: "My work is functional as well as decorative. I am always thinking how I can improve on what I do and so my work is always changing. I have begun spraying and layering glazes to achieve that "reduction" look in oxidation firings. This year I am experimenting with crystalline glazes. There are just so many possibilities to try that I get excited just thinking about them! I just wish there were more hours in a day.......week.........year!!"

Barb

Barb Lovick

Barb was first drawn to pottery in the 1970s when she began taking lessons from Mavis Mooney.

Because she worked full time in a Middle School she had very little energy to enthusiastically pursue this interest. Often she would be asked, “Are you doing much potting?” Her answer was always, “When I retire…..”

Barb did retire in the New Year 2000! That year she was encouraged and was greatly inspired by Les Manning’s MISSA workshop. Her challenge was deciding on her individual style.

Mugs - Barb Lovick

As a native of the Tofino West Coast, she found nature a foremost focus and when Les Manning counseled to always remember her roots she then had her light bulb moment!

Since retirement, Betty Burroughs and Barb often get together to study/discuss glaze recipes or to “pot”. Betty is a most encouraging, giving friend. Barb’s husband, Ed often refers to them as the ‘mad scientists’. Recently she was invited to join the inspiring Muddy Women pottery group. She loves this group of friends and learns so much from them. Their constructive criticism is a tremendous contribution to her pottery growth.

For twenty years Barb would get dressed up and head off to work. These days she is dressing down (in her “grubs”) and retreats to her little pottery basement studio.

Peggy, Deb, Alec, Keith and Barb are MISSA’s wonderful techs and they keep all of the programs running smoothly.

Peggy Elmes - teching is glamorous!

Peggy Elmes

Vessel - Peggy Elmes

Peggy holds a degree in Art Education from the University of British Columbia. She has produced art work in a variety of media, including printmaking and textile design. Ceramics is her main form of art. From her studio, River’s Edge Pottery in Sooke B.C., she creates wheel thrown and hand built pieces which reflect the marine and rain forest environment of B.C.‘s West Coast. Her involvement with the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts has allowed her to continue her education through workshops taught by many of the most outstanding international ceramic artists. This has been a constant source of inspiration and motivation. Ceramics is good for you - have you had your vitamin clay today?

Carved Box - Deb Taylor

Deb

Deb Taylor

Generous, talented people and a lot of fun are what this place is about. Deb's year starts with MISSA – the gentle ease into the summer with the intimate June session leading up to the fun and frenzy of two weeks in July. This place is good for mind, body and soul.

Alec

Alec Ramlow

Alec pursues his ceramic business in Columbia, Missouri and assists with the ceramics programs.

Keith "Walla Walla" Bacus

Keith is a longtime MISSA student who recently joined our tech team. He's also responsible for bringing the Walla Walla sweet onions that make the excellent onion rings at Bodacious Gumbo Night. In "real life", Keith is a BioMedical Electronics Technician, working for a hospital.

Barb Bergstrom

The tactile nature of pottery first attracted Barb to the world of clay. She spent fifteen years in Ontario where she taught all ages at the community recreation centre, participated in numerous shows, attended many classes and workshops while managing her studio business and raising two children. On returning to Vancouver Island in 2000, Barb took a four-year hiatus and is now in the process of establishing her West Coast studio.

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The Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts is supported by the Province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Gaming Commission and the generous support of:

‘Chosin Pottery

Trinity Ceramics Supply

Aardvark Clay

As well as individuals and past students to whom we extend special thanks for their continued support. Poetry readings by Heather Spears are supported with financial assistance from The Canada Council for the Arts.

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The Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts
Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific
650 Pearson College Drive
Victoria, BC, Canada V9C 4H7

Phone: (250) 391-2420 - Toll Free in Canada 1-800-667-3122
Fax: (250) 391-2412 - email: missa@pearsoncollege.ca

©2006 MISSA