April
Gates
Haliburton, Ontario
April Gates is the top cat at Blackbird Pottery. Her clay journey began with a giant leap of faith!
After years of wanderlust, various studies and masterfully avoiding her calling, she was summoned North to answer for this. There, she dove deep into the unfamiliar slurry of clay work at the Haliburton School of the Art & Design. Seduced at first touch ~ both medium and place fit like a batt.
With a background in image making and a concern for function, Blackbird Pottery was born!
April is influenced by her deep love of rural life, landscape, weathered materials, nostalgia and prose.
Her passion lies in the clay surface, where imagery, and mark making are explored and layered for a graphic approach to contemporary functional forms. Painting, resist, etching, drawing and print are often combined on wheel thrown and slip cast forms.
April’s studio is attached to a historical Schoolhouse in Donald, Ontario, close to Haliburton village. There, she hosts classes, workshops & special events.
