Stephanie Arnot is a visually impaired Canadian ceramic artist. She previously studied Volcanology and Astrophysics, before graduating from Selkirk Colleges Studio Ceramics program, and continuing on the Alberta University of Arts. She enjoys mergeing colour and textures into fantastical objects.
Her current focus is on the relationship between the earth and ocean, using a visual vocabulary that addresses where beaches meet the shore. Her ceramics often incorporate minerals and aggregates she has collected or created herself, bringing them to the forefront of how the viewer interacts with her objects.
She notes:
“Working in clay is a natural extension of my abiding passion for rocks. A soft, geologic deposit dug from the ground, formed by mind and hand, and heated until it returns to stone. All manner of minerals and humans working together to form an enduring object of beauty and function.
I am deeply inspired by the textures and colours found in the earth. River worn pebbles, craggy cliff faces, boiling lava, and endless stretches of sand, the earth is both structural and organic at the same time. I find endless delight in the way water interacts with the shore. I’m boundlessly infatuated with crashing swells against boulders, tiny creature filled tide pools, and gently burbling waves on the beach.
I strive to impart these feelings into my ceramics. I use a combination of colour, granular minerals and handmade aggregates to imbue the sensation of stone into my objects and give greater depth to the clay surface. I also apply a combination of hand sculpting techniques and glaze chemistry to add life and breath to my pieces.
I’m constantly seeking to bridge the gap between the interesting pebble you slip in your pocket, and the coveted china locked in a cabinet.”
Exhibitions
2021 – “What the Cup”, Victoria Mud League, Victoria BC (Curated)
2019 – “Cirque”, City of Saanich, Saanich BC (Solo)
2015 – “TD Art Gallery Paint-In”, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC (Juried)
2015 – “Boobies and Wieners: Ménage a Trois”, Hot Art Wet City Gallery, Vancouver BC (Group)
2015 – “YouthSpace Fundraiser Gala”, Windrush Gallery, Metchosin BC (Curated)
2015 – “Summer Small Works”, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC, (Juried)
2014 – “TD Art Gallery Paint-In”, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC (Juried)
2014 – “Boobies and Wieners: Bigger and Longer”, Hot Art Wet City Gallery, Vancouver BC (Group)
2014 – “Christmas Small Works”, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC (Curated)
2003 – “Dragon Bones: When Dinosaurs Rules China”, Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria BC (Group)
2003 – “Art in Public Places”, Ministry of Education, Victoria BC (Curated)
Education
2020 – Studio Ceramics Certificate, Selkirk College, Nelson BC
2017 – Natural History Illustration, University of Newcastle, Australia
Various – Evening ceramics and painting courses through numerous studios and community centres 1997 – current
Commissions/Collections/ Charity
2019 – “Souper Bowls of Hope”, Youth Empowerment Society fundraiser, Victoria BC
2015 – Various Private Collector, Vancouver/ Victoria BC
2014 – “Art Squared Fundraiser”, Coast Collective Gallery, Victoria BC
2014 – Various Private Collectors, Vancouver/ Victoria BC
2003 – Courtenay and District Museum and Paleontological Centre, Courtenay BC
2003 – Cowichan Secondary School, Duncan BC
2003 – Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children, Victoria BC
Profession Experience
2014 – Artist in Residence, Opulent Bazaar, Victoria BC
Media
2014 – Victoria News, July 23, 2014 Victoria BC
2003 – Times Colonist, May 28, 2003 Victoria BC
2003 – Cowichan Valley Citizen, January 26, 2003 Cowichan BC