VIDEO BY @OLEE1K
Born in Chemainus, British Columbia, 87-year-old ceramicist/photographer Glenn Lewis recently invited us on a tour through his Vancouver-based studio and his current solo exhibition at WAAP. We had the chance to ask him about his practice and his prolific history of art-making across the globe. Glenn Lewis' art focuses heavily on ceramics, photography, and nature, and he's been an important member in the Canadian art scene for over 65 years. B.C. has always been his home, but he has extensively travelled, showcasing his art in the U.K., U.S.A., France, Germany, Holland, Spain, and much more. Discover his art, his inspirations, where he's come from, and where he's going, and watch the full interview above.
GLENN WEARS ACNE STUDIOS CASUAL JACKET, STRIPE BUTTON-UP SHIRT, WOOL-BLEND TAILORED TROUSERS, COTTON BUCKET HAT, AND TRIPPEN SPORT OFFICE'S.
Vancouver School of Art Honours degree recipient in 1958, Lewis then obtained a teaching degree from the University of British Columbia in 1959. He continued his studies under Bernard Leach, the artist-potter in Cornwall, England from 1961 to 1963. He then founded a pottery studio called Longlands in 1964 in, Hennock, Devon, but in the same year left to teach ceramics at UBC for the next ten years.
GLENN WEARS NANAMICA DOWN CARDIGAN, CARHARTT WIP L/S DORADO SHIRT, BEAMS 2 PLEAT CORDUROY PANTS, AND MOMA 2AW003'S.
Although an intensely important part of his artistic repertoire, his work with traditional pottery evolved with an interest in the progressive avant-garde in the 1960s, with conceptual and performance art. Much of his work between the 1960s and the 1980s included some aspect of sculpture but he also worked with photography, film, video, and performance, becoming increasingly interested in nature and topiary. He was involved in a number of artists’ collectives which included Intermedia, the New Era Social Club in 1968 and founded the Western Front in 1973.
GLENN WEARS A.P.C. MALO LOGO SHIRT, VPC TEE SHIRT, AND CHARLIE BASEBALL CAP.
His attention to new media eventually led to his appointment as Head of Media Arts at the Canada Council in 1987 until 1990 and was awarded the prestigious “Emily” award from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in 2000. From 1993 to 2006 he built a scent focused plant nursery called Fragrant Flora and founded The Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden. All of this was an outgrowth of his photography in gardens around the world based on his research of the elements inherent in paradise myths that he did in the 70s and 80s.
In 2006 he moved from Roberts Creek to Vancouver and devoted himself full-time to his artistic practice.
GLENN WEARS NANAMICA DOWN CARDIGAN, CARHARTT WIP L/S DORADO SHIRT, BEAMS 2 PLEAT CORDUROY PANTS, AND MOMA 2AW003'S.
GLENN WEARS A.P.C. MALO LOGO SHIRT, VPC TEE SHIRT, CHARLIE BASEBALL CAP, FILIPPA K RELAXED WOOL TROUSER, AND OFFICINE CREATIVE KOMBINED 003 SNEAKERS.
GLENN WEARS NANAMICA DOWN CARDIGAN, CARHARTT WIP L/S DORADO SHIRT, BEAMS 2 PLEAT CORDUROY PANTS, AND MOMA 2AW003'S.
