There鈥檚 more to Elaine Brewer-White鈥檚 vases than molded clay.
Hillary and Benita 鈥� two of the ceramic sculptor鈥檚 latest abstract pieces 鈥� take on entire personas themselves.
Though faceless, the bright colours and rugged textures of the vases have the same characteristics as the exuberant figurines she has become well known for over the past 30 years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about colour and form for me,鈥� Brewer-White said.
鈥淭he goal for me is that no two will ever be the same at all. It鈥檚 abstract, they鈥檙e supposed to be different every way you look.
鈥淲hen I show them sometimes I put big flowers in them because they are meant to hold floral arrangements, but they are also meant to be intriguing on their own.鈥�
The vases, all of which have names, are part of Brewer-White鈥檚 latest venture into pottery.
The 鈥渦sable artwork鈥� began while Brewer-White was caring for her mother, who has dementia.
鈥淚 had to take a couple years off work to look after my mom,鈥� she explained.
鈥淎nd the only time I could get into the studio was for very short bursts, so I discovered pottery. Something small, something that wouldn鈥檛 take long that was still satisfying that creative urge. And I found that I really liked it. It opened my work up to another market.鈥�
It also was a way for Brewer-White to pay homage to her mother, without even realizing it.
She was an abstract quilter and painter, and Brewer-White鈥檚 vases resemble the fabric artwork that she grew up with.
鈥淚t鈥檚 funny, because I only discovered it half-way through the process,鈥� Brewer-White said.
鈥�(The vases) they鈥檙e like pieces of fabric, the texture and colour. And that鈥檚 really what got me going because when I was caring for (my mother), and she wasn鈥檛 able to do her quilting anymore, it still really was there with me. She definitely was an inspiration. And it was very deep, I didn鈥檛 even realize it at first.鈥�
In addition to vases, Brewer-White has also created a collection of eclectic mugs, which she is selling at the West Coast Women鈥檚 Show in Abbotsford this weekend.
But don鈥檛 plan on buying a matching set. Like the vases, no two mugs are alike. A veteran of improvised theatre performing, Brewer-White brings this same approach to her art and pottery.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a thought process that you never let go of, so even though I鈥檓 not performing anymore, it鈥檚 still with me,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 approach my artwork with, 鈥業鈥檒l try something new and if it doesn鈥檛 work, it doesn鈥檛 matter.鈥� Mistakes are part of the process, that鈥檚 still how I work.
鈥淪ometimes I鈥檒l try to make a different colour format or a different glaze and it doesn鈥檛 work. I don鈥檛 do tests, and sometimes I really pay for it, but that鈥檚 how I was trained. With that thought process, with an improviser鈥檚 mind, I think I have a much greater field of inspiration and imagination, because anything goes.鈥�
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
The West Coast Women鈥檚 Show is on Oct. 16 to 18 at the TRADEX in Abbotsford, 1190 Cornell St.
Now in its 15th year, the show is the largest of its kind in Western Canada and features more than 400 vendors, including a new Artisans Marketplace where Brewer-White will have her pottery on display.
For more information on the event, which includes shows by Joshua Morrow from TV series The Young & the Restless and rock star Bif Naked, visit .
Photos by Miranda Gathercole. Top: Though she is busy with her pottery and commissioned pieces, Elaine Brewer-White still finds time to create her signature figurines. Bottom: Many of Brewer-White鈥檚 eclectic mugs will be on sale at the West Coast Women鈥檚 Show this weekend (Oct. 16-18).
