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Feature Gilding m u d Louisa Leibman uses gold to help turn lumps of clay into things of beauty. By Al Price Vancouver artist Louisa Leibman, it really is gold. "I must have been a gypsy in a past life," says the energetic Leibman. She is surrounded by many of her own works and others collected from around the world. "I love all that sparkles -- but not if it's tacky." Leibman's pottery includes two types of gold finishes: silver nitrate in a glaze form which creates a gold sheen in her raku work, and 22-carat gold in suspension which she uses to highlight the distinctive luster on her dinnerware. She was the first potter on the North Shore to use them. Raku is an open firing process that only takes a few hours, as opposed to the standard, highly-controlled firing in a gas or electric kiln, which can take days. Leibman loves the speed at which it happens. "The fire does its thing without you really controlling it," she says. "The fire has the final say." The 22-carat gold glazing is another matter. When it is painted on, the piece must be cleaned with alcohol first in an extremely well-ventilated environment. It is fired at a low temperature compared to most glazes, so it's often the third or fourth firing in a process which goes from the original clay to bisque to the final layers of colour. Born in Argentina and raised in Rhodesia, Angola and South Africa, Leibman discovered clay at the age of four, when she stumbled on a pit of black clay on her grandfather's estate. In school she drew and painted and was taught how to throw a pot on the wheel. After graduation she wanted to study ceramics, but her obstinate father "freaked out." At that time potters were considered craftspeople, not artists. She got married and had her first son while operating her own fashion design and manufacturing business. But the lure of clay remained. Juggling family life and work, she spent three years obtaining a diploma in art and design, specializing in ceramics. Two further years of full-time toil led to a higher diploma. By that time she had the design side and the clay Al Price A ll that glitters is not gold. But chances are, if it's pottery created by internationally acclaimed North After emigrating to Canada in 1991, Leibman started teaching ceramics for North Shore Continuing Education. She established the pottery studio at the Lucas Centre and taught children at the Delbrook Ceramics Studio. She now manages both facilities and teaches numerous classes for all ages. "I love other people to have the same enjoyment I have from it. Clay is about technique. Anyone can do it and get results. But it doesn't immediately change into wonders. You have to work at it." Living in Africa, she was surrounded by people who live their art, from the small stone mosaics on house walls to the strong graphic designs created by hand on dirt floors. Her other major influence was the late Peter Voulkos, who died just recently. "He did sculptural work, such as thickwalled installations. He broke the mold of clay as a craft, and got it accepted as a sculptural art form. Thirty years on, a lot of people still can't get their heads around that." side combined, and she has never looked back. "It's an addiction, " she says. "The beauty of clay is that it is simply a lump, and then becomes something beautiful. I like the fact it can be sculptural or useable. Even a mundane little plate can be enjoyable." North Vancouver Community Arts Council Art in the Garden Tour M a y 2 5 & 2 6 , 2 0 0 2 D o not m i s s this two-day s e l f - g u i d e d tour of t h e b e a u t i f u l N o r t h S h o r e . T h i s tour i n c l u d e s 1 6 o u t s t a n d i n g g a r d e n s , d i s p l a y i n g a r t w o r k f r o m 3 2 artists. L i v e m u s i c i a n s will p e r f o r m at e a c h site. M a p s a v a i l a b l e t h r o u g h t h e N o r t h V a n c o u v e r Arts Council, G a r d e n W o r k s a n d North S h o r e N e w s . T o u r c o s t s a r e b y d o n a t i o n at e a c h g a r d e n site. Writing for the Soul 267 West Q u e e n s R o a d , North with Vicki B e n t z e n J u n e 1, 2 0 0 2 , 9 a m - 4 p m , C h r i s t i e H o u s e Vancouver J o i n u s f o r a o n e - d a y writing w o r k s h o p o n finding y o u r v o i c e a s a writer. D e v e l o p t e c h n i q u e s a n d v a r i o u s written f o r m s a s p a t h s to g r e a t e r creativity. F o r registration c o n t a c t t h e North V a n c o u v e r Arts Council. X For m o r e information, call 604-988-6844 335 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver