visual arts by Leanne Campbell North Shore Artists Invade Downtown Streets! A profile of some local talent at VOX '98: The Vancouver well as w i t h pots, cups, vases, small square b o x e s , and c o n d i m e n t pots w i t h tiny s p o o n s . " ! used t o buy the s p o o n s , " says Vanderley, " b u t they s t o p p e d making t h e m . Just last w e e k end I made 200 s p o o n s . It s t o p p e d being fun after the first 50." Each piece of h e r p o t t e r y seems u n i q u e , though V a n d e r l e y admits t o p e r p e t u a t i n g a series painted w i t h pastel field f l o w e r s because p e o p l e keep asking f o r m o r e pieces. She explains h o w a large r a k u vase can alternately gleam and g l o w e r black: it's the p r o c e s s . T h e piece is fired t o 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and plunged into an oil b a r r e l full of sawdust and newspaper, w h i c h ignites, and t h e n the lid is r e p l a c e d t o d e p r i v e it of o x y g e n so the glaze reacts. " L o o k at this fish," c o m m a n d s Vanderley, holding a raku v e r s i o n a b o u t eight inches long. O n e side is s m o o t h and dark, the o t h e r luminous Wh Outdoor Art Exhibition h e n asked h o w she b e c a m e i n t e r e s t e d in p o t t e r y , Jean V a n d e r l e y replies, " F i f t e e n years ago I saw a n o t the point," he smiles. "I d o n ' t w a n t p e o p l e to relate t o p r i c e . I joke w i t h t h e m , I say,'a million dollars but o p e n t o offers.'" G r a h a m ' s metal sculptures depict the h u m a n f o r m f r o m d o l l - t o life-size. T h i s is his s e c o n d year at V O X and he is treating his display as an exhibit I'm c a s s e r o l e dish that I really liked but I didn't w a n t t o pay $ 3 0 f o r it, s o I t h o u g h t I'd t r y t o m a k e o n e myself; $ 2 , 0 0 0 w o r t h of e q u i p m e n t later, I still d o n ' t have my c a s s e r o l e dish." She may n o t have h e r dish but h u n d r e d s of happy clients d o . Vanderley, w h o d e s c r i b e s h e r w o r k as " f u n c t i o n a l , " is o n e of f o u r North S h o r e artists participating in V O X , '98:The Vancouver O u t d o o r A r t E x h i b i t i o n , the largest o u t d o o r art s h o w in W e s t e r n C a n a d a . A l t h o u g h this is Vanderley's first year at V O X , h e r friend s h o w e d t h e r e in 1997 and r e c o u p e d h e r $ 2 5 0 b o o t h fee in sales. w i t h an o i l - o n - w a t e r finish. "It's my s c h i z o p h r e n i c fish," she grins. V a n d e r l e y teaches art t h r e e - a n d a-half days a w e e k at the W e s t V a n c o u v e r C o m m u n i t y C e n t r e t o "all ages, all levels. I find that teaching helps me keep my o w n t e c h n i q u e sharp." A n o t h e r N o r t h S h o r e artist gearR a k u P o t . Photo and Pottery by Jean Vanderley. ing up f o r V O X is metal s c u l p t o r Michael Graham.Two larger-than-life -* - r a t h e r than a sales table. " V O X is a way t o access the a r t c o m m u n i t y and the w o r k of e m e r g i n g a r t i s t s . T h i s is the best o p p o r t u n i t y f o r the c o l l e c t o r in t e r m s of investment," he c o u n s e l s . G r a h a m w o r k e d w i t h Bill Reid's associate of many years, G e o r g e R a m m e l , but d e s c r i b e s himself as selftaught. A l t h o u g h he gave up a c a r e e r as an e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l t e a c h e r t o sculpt and paint, he still gives evening art classes at the L o n s d a l e r e c C e n t r e . G r a h a m has also w o r k e d in w o o d , and several p i e c e s are o n public display. In the g a r d e n of N o r t h V a n c o u v e r ' s W a l d o r f S c h o o l , a figure of a child gazes up into a t r e e . C a r v e d w h i l e G r a h a m w a s a t e a c h e r t h e r e , it is a m e m o r i a l t o a little girl w h o fell o u t of the tree and d i e d . Family Tree. Metal sculpture V O X takes place July 10, 11, a n d 12 o n the R o b s o n and G e o r g i a S t r e e t plazas, o u t s i d e the V a n c o u v e r A r t G a l l e r y . T h i s is the s e c o n d year of V O X , w h i c h is the brainchild of N o r t h V a n c o u v e r i t e B r a d Foster. A l t h o u g h a fee is c h a r g e d t o artists, the s h o w is j u r i e d " t o maintain quality," says Foster, " a n d w e ' v e a d d e d t e n t i n g this year t o give the event a s t a n d a r d i z e d l o o k . " M o r e than 100 artists f r o m a l m o s t e v e r y discipline will be o n hand t o display, sell, and discuss their w o r k . Jean Vanderley's b a s e m e n t hallway is c r o w d e d w i t h shelves groaning w i t h e v e r y kind of b o w l , as a r m s and a head push t h e i r way o u t of G r a h a m ' s back d e c k . T o g e t h e r they are called The Unknown Artist and l o o k like a b r o n z e r e n d e r i n g of the n e r v o u s s y s t e m . The Unknown Artist is j o i n e d o n the patio by Family Tree, a face w i t h a t r e e - t r u n k base leering o u t f r o m u n d e r an o a k - t r e e coiffure. and photo by Michael Graham. A t V O X . G r a h a m will s h o w o n l y these t w o w o r k s and Homunculus, an e x p l o d e d head w i t h a small figure inside--"your conscience," Graham adds helpfully. "I w a n t p e o p l e t o pay h o m a g e t o The Unknown Artist," says G r a h a m . He's s o o b v i o u s l y f o n d of the w o r k that I ask him if it's f o r sale. " E v e r y t h i n g has its p r i c e , but that's