Curated by: Sandra Alfody
From his award-winning ceramic works to his innovations in glass, Roman Bartkiw (1935-2010) was one of the pioneers of the art ceramic movement in Canada. This exhibition celebrates the rich history of Bartkiw’s professional career and features a selection of his clay and glass pieces from the large collection of his works that are now part of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s Permanent Collection.
The exhibition highlights the breadth and depth of his work. Although Bartkiw was always on the move he was consistent in his dedication to his studio work, and to capturing his love of nature in his work. The apples and birds on display in this exhibition reinforce the importance of these themes in his oeuvre.
Roman Bartkiw was born in Montreal in 1935, a second generation Ukrainian Canadian who was raised on a farm on the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario. He attended the Ontario College of Art and also studied glass blowing at the Sheridan School of Design (Ontario) and Alfred University (New York). In the 1960s and 70s, Bartkiw worked both as an artist and a teacher. He owned pottery and glass blowing studios in Ontario, taught from his Toronto studio and was later the Head of the Ceramics Department of the Ontario College of Art. He also taught pottery and glass blowing in Ontario, Nova Scotia, the Northwest Territories, and Denmark. In 1981 Bartkiw opened a pottery studio in Port Wade, Nova Scotia, and later studios and showrooms were opened in Granville Ferry and Paradise. From 1989 to 1990 he was a Master Craftsman (glass blowing and glass pressing) at the Upper Clements Theme Park. His work is found in the Royal Ontario Museum, the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery. Bartkiw was an Associate of the Ontario College of Art and a member of the Royal Canadian Academy. He died in Wolfville, Nova Scotia in 2010.
This exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Roman Bartkiw.
