The Artist - Tracy Van de Wiel

I chose to enter this competition because of my respect for the support the Monarchy has always shown the Arts.

When considering what form the piece would take, during the planning stage of my entry into the competition, I felt it was important to acknowledge the origins of Western civilization and the Ancient center of Western Art. So, the traditional Greek Cup forms of the Kylix and the Kantharos inspire the form I chose. These cups have two handles and pedestal shaped bases. They were used for wine at celebrations as well as everyday. The piece I have made is an enlarged, two-handled cup with a pedestal shaped foot.

I chose to use Nova Scotia Earthenware clay because, not only is it fabulous to work with as a material, but the fact that it comes from the very earth beneath our feet (so to speak), meant it would naturally give this legacy piece a special significance.

I made the cup on the pottery wheel, and then, in the tradition of folk pottery, brushed a white clay slip over the surface to provide a light ground for the decoration. Then, I carved through this white slop to reveal the rich red/brown of the Nova Scotia clay underneath, making the earthenware show through in bands that would frame the further decoration.

Each element in the decoration holds significance as well. The Mayflower is central. It was declared as our Provincial Flower because it blossoms when there are still traces of snow left from winter, suggesting high achievement in the face of adversity. A shape that is derived from The Mace, which is an ancient symbol of Royal Authority, frames the Mayflowers. The decoration also incorporates the Maple Leaf, which is an important symbol of Canada.

I applied the white clay slip and the decoration very carefully, and tried to maintain a painterly quality that would be a record of the piece being made by hand. The evidence of brush strokes also portrays the "one of a kind" preciousness that this Legacy piece required.

The two handles on the cup symbolize Canada and the Monarch and our combined celebration of Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee. There are 50 golden dots on the handles - one for each year of Her Majesty's reign, and one frame left without gold, symbolizing the years to come.

Tracy Van de Wiel

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