Opening Reception: Thursday, October 3, 6-8 p.m.
Meet the Artists: Saturday, October 5, 2-3 p.m. 
Farsi Tour: Saturday, October 12, 3-4 p.m.

The Ferry Building Gallery is excited to announce Aileen Vantomme‘s deposit/ed, an exhibition exploring the impact of climate change through ceramic art.

deposit/ed reflects on the massing of shell remnants deposited in tidal pools during extreme heat events. The inspiration for the exhibition came from walks along the shoreline, where the artist encountered the debris left behind by a changing climate.
The freestanding ceramics in this exhibition are coil-built and subjected to repeated oxidation firings in an electric kiln. Each layer of glaze applied to these vessels interacts with previous layers, creating heavily textured surfaces that invite the viewer to explore their intricacies. These tactile works echo the littering of shells along the shoreline, encouraging a pause to contemplate their beauty and fragility. Wall-mounted slab-built ceramics are also featured in deposit/ed. These pieces, displayed in collections, are hand-worked, and glazed to evoke the delicate nature and colour palette of shells.
 

The exhibition serves as a poignant reminder of the permanent changes to our environment and the unsustainable impact humanity has on the ecosystem. Through the medium of ceramics, deposit/ed invites viewers to reflect on these changes and consider the legacy we leave for future generations.

Artist Bio
Aileen Vantomme is a ceramic artist specializing in stoneware. She works exclusively by hand, employing both coil and slab-built methods to create textured forms deeply influenced by her time spent on the Gabriola shorelines. Her work evolves through the adaptation of traditional clay techniques, enhanced by custom-formulated stains and glazes, and is often presented in groupings. Small batch runs emphasize the subtle variations inherent in handmade production.
 

Aileen holds an undergraduate degree in science from McGill University and pursued graduate studies in architecture at the Boston Architectural Center. Although largely self-taught, she has enriched her techniques through coursework in fine art at various art centers and universities across North America. She recently relocated to Vancouver Island from Lions Bay, where she lives with her husband and young daughters.

Thank you to the West Vancouver Foundation Community Grant for supporting this exhibition.