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The 2020 Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics Winner, Joon Hee Kim of Oakville, Ontario is celebrated in this exhibition alongside finalists Magdolene Dykstra (St Catharines, ON), Keeley Haftner, (Den Haag, Netherlands), Grace Han (Coquitlam, BC), Toni Losey (Dartmouth, NS), and Jessica Sallay-Carrington (Montreal, QC).

The 2020 Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics was juried by Michele Hardy, Anna-Marie Larsen, and Maja Padrov. On making their selection, the jurors state:

“We are delighted to announce that Joon Hee Kim of Oakville, Ontario, is the recipient of the 2020 Winifred Shantz Award, a prize given annually to an emerging ceramic artist. Kim capably synthesizes subject with masterful technique to produce engaging narratives about the ways ornament, beauty, and heritage can frame a sense of self in a complicated world. Winifred Shantz fiercely believed in nurturing young artists, and equally endorsed travel as an integral aspect of artistic research. Kim intends to use the prize to develop new skills and conceptual directions during a residency at the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan. The quality of Kim’s production and the clarity of direction expressed in her application resulted in a unanimous decision by the jurors to bestow her with the Winifred Shantz Award.”

The Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics is supported by The Keith and Winifred Shantz Fund for the Arts, held at Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation. This prestigious $10,000 award allows practising early career ceramic artists to undertake a period of independent research, or other activities that advance their artistic and professional practice. To learn more about the award and previous winners, click here.

Joon Hee Kim, “Build MY Life II”, 2018, Glazed Japanese sculptural clay, gold luster. Private Collection. Photo by Joon Hee Kim.

Joon Hee Kim (Winner)

Joon Hee Kim is a Canadian artist originally from Seoul, Korea. As a recipient of the Cecil Lewis Sculpture Scholarship, she completed her MA at the Chelsea College of Arts in London, England. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including a solo exhibition at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery. Her work explores the human existence by examining and reconciling diverse identities and heritages, as well as the compelling forces of beauty and desire.

Joon Hee Kim, “You Must Carry My Bones Up from this Place”, 2016, Glazed English paper porcelain, gold luster, mother of pearl. Collection of the Artist. Photo by Joon Hee Kim.

Magdolene Dykstra

Magdolene Dykstra, “accumulation of dust made flesh”, 2020, unfired clays. Collection of the Artist.

Magdolene Dykstra is an Egyptian-Canadian artist based in St. Catharines, Ontario. She uses unfired clay sculptures and installations to meditate on the multiplicity of the human race. After studying biology and visual arts in undergraduate studies, she received her MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Magdolene has received various grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. Recent exhibitions include a site-specific installation as part of RAW at the Gardiner Museum.

Magdolene Dykstra, “accumulation of dust made flesh (detail)”, 2020, unfired clays. Collection of the Artist.

Keeley Haftner

Keeley Haftner, “Brick for Window (Erin Berry)” (From Bricks for Walls, Bricks for Windows project in Sculptures From Other Sculptors’ Sculptures series), 2019, Unwanted ceramic sculpture from Erin Berry, , I-XL brick grog, Medicine Hat local clay, glaze. Collection of the Artist. Photo by Keeley Haftner.

Keeley Haftner is a Saskatchewanian-Canadian artist based in the Netherlands whose artwork deals with garbage as a material and as a philosophical construct. Haftner’s work has been exhibited internationally in the US, Canada, and Europe at venues including MOCA (Toronto), SÍM (Iceland), Schering Stiftung (Berlin), and the Art Institute of Chicago. She received her BFA (2011) from Mount Allison University and her MFA (2016) from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Keeley Haftner, “Bulges (Alicia Everett)” (From Sculptures From Other Sculptors’ Sculptures series), 2016, Four unwanted ceramic sculptures (tumbled). Collection of the Artist. Photo by Keeley Haftner.

Grace Han

Grace Han, “Touch the Conversation – Two Selves”, 2019, Stoneware. Private Collection. Photo by Katheryn Valenzuela.
Grace Han, “Touch the Conversation – Fermenting NewOld”, 2019, Stoneware. Collection of the Artist. Photo by Katheryn Valenzuela.

Grace Han is a ceramic artist originally trained in Seoul, South Korea. She received her BFA from Dankook University where she specialized in traditional Korean Ceramic techniques. She then worked in one of the largest ceramic companies in Korea, building on her ceramics knowledge and experience outside of academia. She immigrated to Canada and received her MFA from University of Manitoba. Now she is pursuing her career as a ceramic artist in Canada, her foreign home.

Toni Losey

Toni Losey, “Pill Bug Series: Turquoise and Burnt Orange”, 2020, Earthenware. (Wheel thrown, altered and assembled. Oxidation fired to cone 08, multiple layers of sprayed glaze and slip applied, fired to cone 09 multiple times between colour and textured materials application, glaze “buttons” made and applied for final cone 08 firing.) Collection of the Artist. Photo by Toni Losey.
Toni Losey, “Sexy Red”, 2020, Earthenware and porcelain. (Wheel thrown earthenware form. Handbuilt porcelain pieces glaze fired to cone 6 and then integrated into earthenware form. Work then oxidation fired to cone 08, multiple layers of sprayed glaze and slips applied, fired to cone 09. Glaze “buttons” inserted into porcelain openings and glaze dots applied then final fire to cone 07.) Private Collection. Photo by Toni Losey.

Toni Losey, a Ceramicist from Nova Scotia received her BFA for Ceramics from NSCAD in 2017.  Using her experience as a studio potter, she’s developed an exciting body of sculptural work.  Her work has been shown at SOFA Chicago, NCECA, and Ceramic Art London.  She was named one of Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artists 2020.  Losey has taught at NSCAD and presented workshops throughout Canada.  Losey’s work is now shown internationally.

Jessica Sallay-Carrington

Jessica Sallay-Carrington, “Details”, 2019, Mid range stoneware and smoke fired stoneware. Collection of the Artist. Photo by Seth Berkowitz.
Jessica Sallay-Carrington, “Rest”, 2020, Mid range porcelain on smoke fired stoneware. Collection of the Artist. Photo by Jasmine Sallay-Carrington.

Jessica Sallay-Carrington is a queer and non-binary sculptural ceramic artist living in Montreal. In 2014 Jessica received their BFA in ceramics at Concordia University. Attending artist residencies and teaching workshops has brought them to multiple locations around Canada, USA and Europe. Jessica has been featured in multiple publications including CBC Exhibitionists, New York’s ArtTour International Magazine, and the book Ceramique: 90 Artistes Contemporarian. They have also received art grants from CALQ and SODEC.