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gallery visit I by Belinda Bruce Bad Dog Arts: When I set foot inside t h e inconspicuous Esplanade East c o u r s e a b o u t clay t h r o w i n g t e c h n i q u e s a n d e r g o n o m i c s called " T h r o w i n g Pains." W e e k l y c l a s s e s a n d s p e c i a l t r a i n i n g sessions w a r e h o u s e f r o m its a l l e y e n t r a n c e , t w o d o g s r a c e t o w a r d m e . Rusty, t h e feisty c o c k e r s p a n i e l , b a r k s his best w a r n i n g . the b i g black lab, leaps u p repeatedly, his paws Sam, fill u p q u i c k l y , y e t B a d D o g h a s n e v e r a d v e r t i s e d o u t s i d e o f t h e s t u d i o ; it's a l l w o r d o f m o u t h . S h a n n o n a n d E l i z a b e t h express tapping playfully against m y chest. F r o m the far e n d o f the corridor-like s t u d i o s p a c e , E l i z a b e t h a n d S h a n n o n call o u t t o t h e i r a n i m a l s . R u s t y d a n c e s a r o u n d m y f e e t . S a m rolls o v e r , o f f e r i n g his b e l l y for a rub.Welcome to Bad D o g Arts, an open-concept, s u r p r i s e a t t h e i r s u c c e s s , b u t it's o b v i o u s t h a t B a d D o g A r t s fills a v o i d . In f a c t , w i t h a w a i t i n g list o f a r t i s t s h o p i n g t o g e t s p a c e , the partners are looking into expanding t o encompass 4000 square feet o f space. m u l t i - d i s c i p l i n e w o r k i n g art s t u d i o , b o r n o f necessity a n d r e b e l l i o n . O n Fridays f r o m f o u r t o seven p.m., B a d D o g hosts drop-in "We f o u n d t h e r e w a s a real d e a r t h o f a f f o r d a b l e live/work s o c i a l s . W i n e f l o w s , artists m i n g l e a n d c r o w d s s w e l l t o a s m a n y as f i f t y p e o p l e . "It's a b o u t a w a r e n e s s , " says E l i z a b e t h . "It m a t t e r s t o show work a n d b u i l d a c o m m u n i t y . " A n d t h e y d o n o t see Bad Dog s p a c e s f o r artists o n t h e N o r t h S h o r e , " says w h e e l - t u r n c e r a m i c artist S h a n n o n community Barker. " W e were using studio space at t h e adds painter/ceramic artist Elizabeth centre," themselves disappearing. "The difference between Harris-Nichols, " b u t w e always w a n t e d t o bring o u r d o g s . " a n d s o m e o f t h e s t u d i o s w e ' v e s e e n c o m e a n d g o h e r e , " says Shannon, "is that we're well-run. W e keep o n t o p of the "It w a s n ' t w o r k i n g o u t b e c a u s e o u r d o g s l i k e t o w a n d e r , " Shannon. says business side o f t h i n g s -- b e c a u s e w e have t o . " B u t it w a s n ' t j u s t t h e i r ' b a d ' d o g s . T h e h o u r s a t t h e B a d D o g is m a k i n g a d e f i n i t e p a w p r i n t o n t h e f u t u r e . T h e studio n o t only fulfills t h e o w n e r s ' needs b u t e v o l v e s in c o m m u n i t y c e n t r e d i d n ' t a l w a y s jive w i t h t h e t i m e s S h a n n o n , Elizabeth and sculptor Robin Atchison w a n t e d t o work. (Robin has a b o r d e r collie n a m e d S e q u o i a , also k n o w n as Boo). T h e trio d e c i d e d t o search for a w o r k space o f their o w n , a place w h e r e t h e y c o u l d g e t t h e i r p a w s dirty. T h e y f o r m e d a p a r t n e r s h i p , found a warehouse a n d set u p shop with t h e intention of Shore r e s p o n s e t o t h e desires o f n e w artists o n t h e N o r t h Shore. A s S h a n n o n s a y s , " B a d D o g A r t s is a l i v i n g , m o v i n g , b r e a t h i n g a n i m a l . " A s I p r e p a r e t o l e a v e , R o b i n a r r i v e s ( m i n u s B o o ) . His current work, probably the most experimental of the group, includes a mix o f o d d heads and dolls, pieced together with d i f f e r e n t m e d i a . H e s h e d s his c o a t , ready t o d i g i n . providing an inviting a n d challenging place f o r North artists t o share ideas, get p r o f e s s i o n a l t r a i n i n g a n d w o r k a t a n y t i m e o f t h e d a y o r n i g h t . " R o b i n , for e x a m p l e , " says S h a n n o n , m o t i o n i n g t o his a r e a , " o f t e n w o r k s a t t w o o r t h r e e a . m . " Bow WOW. B a d D o g A r t s has kilns, w h e e l s , a p r i n t m a k e r a n d o p e n w o r k i n g space. T h e a b s e n c e o f walls invites d i a l o g u e , i n t e r a c t i o n a n d m e n t o r i n g . " B a d D o g is a n e n v i r o n m e n t w h e r e t h e r e a r e n o rules a n d artists a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o p u s h t h e e n v e l o p e a n d explore creativity in a safe, supportive p l a c e , " S h a n n o n says. LEFT TO RIGHT: ROBIN A T C H I S O N , S H A N N O N BARKER (WITH RUSTY), ELIZABETH HARRIS-NICHOLS. Resident painter Shirley W a l t e r joins t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n , a d d i n g : "We the couldn't d o the degree of mentoring that w e d o w i t h o u t open concept." S o m e days t h e f u r flies. " W e canbe c r a n k y , " l a u g h s E l i z a b e t h . " A n d w e d o n ' t hesitate t o yell at e a c h o t h e r . B u t m o r e t h a n a n y t h i n g , it's f u n . " O n M o n d a y n i g h t s , B a d D o g o f f e r s life d r a w i n g c l a s s e s a n d clay w o r k s h o p s ; t h e s t u d i o s k e l e t o n h a n g s in v i e w for a n a t o m y hints. They h o l d s t u d i o sales, artist-controlled e x h i b i t i o n s a n d b r i n g in g u e s t artists f o r lectures a n d w o r k s h o p s . F r o m J a n u a r y 2 8 - 3 0 r e n o w n e d c e r a m i c a r t i s t Les M a n n i n g w i l l b e t e a c h i n g a 8 J a n u a r y I F e b r u a r y