Lynda Northey WHAT Potter WHERE - Home Studio by Appointment, 832-7261 3269 Greenlands Rd., Dunrobin - Keffer Gallery, 128 Queen St., Almonte, 256-2676 SHOWS - January 17-25, Heart and Soul Café and Heart of the Valley Gift Shop, 2741 The Dunrobin Rd., Dunrobin, 832-9942 - Ottawa Guild of Potters annual shows and exhibition - West Carleton Art Society - "Art Exposed", Dunrobin WHY "It's a compulsion - I love it!" See samples of Lynda's work

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Lynda Northey - Painting on Pottery
by Sally Hansen

Her pottery is the main attraction, but her decorative painting runs a close second in Lynda Northey's world of "playing with mud." Delicate floral compositions painted on trays, pots, vases, and mugs complement the symmetry and perfection of her clay "canvases," individually thrown on her potter's wheel and baked to perfection in one of her two kilns.

Twenty-five years of perfecting her technique help explain her skill at the wheel, and I am impressed by the range of creativity her pieces display. On display for the holiday season there are many of the gently-hued, functional series for which she is best known - snowpeople, bluebirds and flowers finely detailed with a lovely watercolour effect on top of smooth, glazed stoneware pieces. So I am surprised when I spot the vase patterned after her husband modeling a Hawaiian shirt.

Her understated sense of humour is evident again in "the cat". Its open mouth forms the entrance to a bird feeder. I learn that they share their home with five demanding house cats, and an adopted feral cat obviously revelling in all the comforts of domestication. Her supportive husband, Gordon Smith, expands his technical repertoire by mixing glazes to Lynda's exacting specifications, and by helping her implement an endless stream of creative ideas for new projects.

Out of the Classroom
You can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can't stop her from teaching! Twenty minutes after walking into Lynda's bright, spacious studio, your hesitant arts reporter finds herself throwing her first-ever bowl on Lynda's favourite wheel. I learn that Lynda taught elementary school for seven years before launching her career as a potter. The impromptu lesson profoundly deepens my appreciation of my instructor's mastery of her craft, and it heightens my awareness of the uniform beauty and delicacy of her many different pieces.

The Studio is the Message
Her workspace is amazing - huge and bright and offering a wonderful view from her potter's wheel of the multiple hues of different stands of trees receding southward. I learn that she designed every inch of the house herself and was project manager throughout construction. Light was paramount - you can see through the house to the outdoors from every angle. The same love of and attention to detail that are hallmarks of her art are evident throughout the house.

She designed her studio purposely so she could share her knowledge and enjoyment of her art with others. She has four potter's wheels and two kilns so she can work with other artist friends. Most of the work tables are on wheels so she can reconstruct the space as needed. To wash up, she provides a bright yellow bathtub as a communal sink. "I love to share information - we feed off each other and we all grow together. I don't understand being secretive about your art."

On Monday and Tuesday nights she offers a drop-in "class" for other artists and amateurs who gather to share her well-equipped studio. Last year she and five other local artists put together their first group show, that included the art of two teenage emerging artists. Art Exposed will be repeated this spring (watch theHumm's Calendar). For the past dozen years she has provided employment to high school students who want to experience her creative environment. "It's nice to have a youthful point of view. They get to try things, and working here gives them an understanding of just what is involved in my business of producing finely crafted pieces."

The Art is the Journey
"The biggest challenge for me is time - to find enough of it to explore the many, many ideas swirling around in my head." Recently Lynda has begun to spend more time on larger pieces with textured details and interesting glaze surfaces. She puts in long days, broken by the demands of her feline friends. Most mornings she is in the studio by 6AM, and artist friends frequently don't leave until 10PM. Like many other local potters, however, Lynda finds time to contribute to the "Empty Bowls" project to raise funds for the Food Bank.

She has been a member of the Ottawa Guild of Potters for many years, and participates in their annual exhibition and two annual sales. This spring she also will exhibit with the West Carleton Art Society.

Worth the Trip
It's definitely worth a trip to view the fruits of Lynda Northey's lifelong artistic journey. Her works are available in Dunrobin from January 17th to the 25th at the Heart & Soul Café and the next-door Heart of the Valley Gifts at 2741 The Dunrobin Rd. (832-9942), and on an ongoing basis in Almonte at the Keffer Gallery at 128 Queen St., 256-2676. You may also make an appointment to visit Lynda's home studio in Dunrobin by calling her at 832-7261.