Peter Powning RCA
Sculpture ~ Ceramics ~ Photographic Prints
Professional
Address: Markhamville, New Brunswick
Telephone: studio 506-433-1188
Email: peter@powning.com
Website: www.powning.com
Since 1970, Peter Powning has lived and worked as an artist in the hills of southern New Brunswick. He is involved in developing broader cultural involvement and awareness through his work and in his community life. He is an advisor to the NB College of Craft and Design, vice president of ArtsLink, a non-profit arts advocacy organization, president of the Sussex Choral Society and a member of the building committee for the Fundy Civic Centre. He is regularly asked to speak to students, arts organizations and conferences across the country.
He works in a wide range of media, usually in combinations, including glass, cast bronze, stone, ceramics and steel. In addition he produces large photographic prints of ephemeral work. He is the 2006 Sadye Bronfman Award recipient, which in 2007 became the Governor General’s Bronfman Award. In addition to gallery and museum exhibitions he is engaged in producing large public commissions. He is currently working on completing four public commissions for installation in 2010, three of which have been in progress for three years. He is also consulting with a developer in Toronto on another set of public commissions due for installation in 2012.
His studios include a non-ferrous metals foundry, forge, glass slumping and casting facilities, woodworking and metal fabrication shops, photography studio and ceramic studio. He has many years of experience working on both public and private commissions. His approach to commissions is creative, collaborative and focused.
Peter Powning is married to author Beth Powning.
Curriculum Vitae
SELECTED PUBLIC COMMMISSIONS
Memory Vessel, Irving Memorial Park, Saint John, NB. 2010.
Fantasm, lobby of Festival Tower, Toronto International Film Festival, ongoing to 2010.
Split Rock, rooftop meditation garden, Toronto International Film Festival, ongoing to 2010.
Portal, outdoors, Daniels Chicago Project, Mississauga, Ontario, 2010.
Nest, Botsford Street Fire Station, Moncton, NB. 2008.
Bolt, Saint John Energy, Saint John, NB. 2008.
Light Spirals, outdoors at Residences of College Park, Bay and College, Toronto 2006-2008.
Reader’s Bench, Jacob’s Yard Sculpture Garden, UNB, Fredericton, N.B. 2004.
Punctuated Blue, Saint John Free Library, 1992.
Strata, Market Square Convention Centre, 1984.
SELECTED SHOWS
Beaverbrook Art Gallery, curated solo exhibition. 2012.
Studio 21 Art Gallery, Halifax, N.S., small solo. April, 2010.
SOFA Chicago, with Lafreniere and Pai Gallery, November 6-9, 2009.
“Transmutations”, Ingrid Mueller ~ Art + Concepts Gallery, solo show with catalogue, Fredericton, NB. October 2009. images
“Unity and Diversity” Exhibition at the Canadian Pavilion of the Cheoungju International Biennale in South Korea. September 23- November1, 2009. Inclined Self, cast bronze, lead and glass.
“React”, Lieutenant Governor’s residence, Fredericton, NB, 2009.
“Flow”, Old Government House, Fredericton, NB, 2009. Catalogue.
Solo Exhibition, Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, June-July, 2008
“Meaning and Metaphor”, curated by Alex McCurdy, Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB. 2008
«Objets de Cultures: de la Nouvelle-France à aujourd’hui» , Du 20 janvier au 16 mars 2008, Centre Materia, Québec.
Habitat Gallery, Tyson’s Corner, Virginia, November 2007– Solo Exhibition
The Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Canada, February 2007
“Art Wall”, Hotel Murano, Tacoma, Washington, commissioned sculpture. 2007
The Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, June, 2006 – Solo Exhibition
Florence Biennale, International art exhibition by invitation, Italy, Dec.. 2005.
23rd Annual International Glass Invitational, Habatat Galleries, Boca Raton, FL. Dec.. 2005.
La Freniere and Pie Gallery, Ottawa, October 2005 – Solo Exhibition
SOFA Chicago, with Habatat, one of five featured artists. October 2005.
Harbinger Gallery, group ceramics show (Jack Sures, Bruce Cochrane, Jim Smith, Walter Ostrom Jeannie Mah, Les Manning, Mimi
Cabri, Peter Powning), Waterloo, Ont.Oct. 2005.
Masterworks, group exhibition, Mary E. Black Gallery, guest curator Philip Doucet. Halifax, Nova Scotia July - September 2005
SOFA NYC, with Galerie Elena Lee. June, 2005.
Galerie Elena Lee, Montreal, Oct. 2004 – Solo Exhibition
Habatat Galleries, Michigan. North of the Border. May 2004.
Twenty-first Century Ceramics, Canzani Center Gallery, Columbus Ohio. Bill Hunt curator, catalogue. 2003.
Large Work, The Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, 2003. Catalogue – Solo Exhibition
Canadian Glass Art, National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia. 2003.
Contemporary Glass 2003: 20th Annual International Glass Invitational, Habatat
Galleries, invited speaker, Boca Raton, Fla. 2003.
SOFA Chicago with Habatat Galleries, Outdoor work, October, 2002, Catalogue.
Biennale Nationale de Ceramique, Trois Rivieres, Quebec, National Invitational. 2002-2003
International Glass Exhibition, Habatat, Boca Raton.2000-2001.
The Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Canada, Sept. 23 - Oct 14, 2000 – Solo Exhibition
NBCC Gallery, Embrace Confusion, February-March, 2000– Solo Exhibition
Looking Forward: New Views of the Craft Object curated by P. Greenhalgh, V&A Museum, London, exhibition, Ontario, Canada. 2000.
Habatat Galleries, Boca Raton, Florida, October, 1998 – Solo Exhibition
International Glass Exhibition, Habatat, Boca Raton, 1998.
SOFA Chicago, Sculpture Objects Functional Art, International Art Showcase, October, 1998.
SOFA NYC, Sculpture Objects Functional Art, International Art Showcase NYC, NY April 1998.
Fragments, Elena Lee Verre d’Art, Montreal, Quebec. April 1998 – Solo Exhibition
Poetry of the Vessel, AGNS curated by Chris Tyler, catalogue, 1998.
Prix Strathbutler Award Travelling Exhibition. London, UK. Washington, DC. Canada, etc. 1997-2000.
Peter Powning: Elemental Clay & Glass, Solo survey show curated by Gloria Hickey – Solo Exhibition
Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo, Ont. Sept.-Dec. 1996 . Travels under the sponsorship of the NB Museum 97-98. 27 pages full colour catalogue. NB Museum February-March 1997,
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, November 15, 1997- February 2, 1998 – Solo Exhibition
Fletcher Challenge Award Show, Aukland New Zealand, 1996.
Clay: Medium - Based Practices, Dalhousie U. Art Gallery, curator: Arthur Handy, Winter 1996
International Invitational Exhibition of Ceramic Art, Nat’l Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan, 1992.
The International Exhibition of Glass, Kanazawa, Japan, 1992.
North, International touring exhibition. Nordic countries and Europe. 1992-1994.
Canadian Craft Museum, Vancouver. Treasury of Canadian Craft, 1992-1994.
Canadian Contemporary Ceramics, Kunst Klubben Gallery, Oslo, Norway, 1990.
International Ceramics Festival, Mino Japan, 1989 winner of the Bronze Award.
International Invitational, Sylvia Ullman Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio, April, 1987.
New Canadian Sculptural Ceramics, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Invitational, 10 Canadian artists. 1986.
Lynda Greenberg Gallery, Ottawa, September, 1988. March 1990 – Solo Exhibition
Galerie Barbara Silverberg, Montreal, October, 1987. Solo – Solo Exhibition
U.de Moncton, Galerie d’Art, Moncton, NB. Sound sculpture and recent work, 1983 – Solo Exhibition
Cassel Galleries, Fredericton, NB. Raku and bronze, 1982 – Solo Exhibition
Old Fields New Paths, Department of External Affairs juried travelling international exhibition, (Touring Japan, Australia, etc). 1985.
Memorial University Art Gallery, St. John’s, Newfoundland. Exhibited sound sculpture as part of the National Sound Symposium.1984.
Warehouse Gallery, London, England. 1977.
SELECTED AWARDS AND COLLECTIONS
Dalhousie University Art Gallery - purchase for collection, 2007
Macdonald Stewart Art Centre Collection, U. of Geulph, 2007
2006 Saidye Bronfman Award, $25,000 (the Bronfman Award became Governor General’s Award in 2007).
Canadian Museum of Civilization collection 3 pieces. 2006.
Beaverbrook Art Gallery, purchase for collection. 2002
Canada Council Award, 2000.
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, purchase for permanent collection Lunarium, 1997.
Winnepeg Art Gallery, purchase for their permanent collection Trilithon, 1997.
Honourary Fellowship, NB College of Craft and Design, 1998
Certificate of Recognition, NB Arts Board for contibution to the arts, 1997.
NB Museum purchases: Solar Flare and Step Series with the assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts. 1997
Punctuated Blue, Saint John Free Public Library, 2m tall (78 in.). clay/glass commission.
Strathbutler Award. Excellence in the arts. $10,000. 1993.
Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, Broken Arch donated by Joan Chalmers, 1993.
Deichmann Award for Excellence in Craft, $5,000. 1991.
International Ceramics Competition, Mino Japan, Bronze Award. 1989.
Royal Bank Collection, 1989.
The Betty and Issac Hamburger Sculpture Award, Academy of the Arts, Baltimore Maryland, 1987
Canadian Guild of Crafts, Montreal, Award of Excellence, 1986.
CCC Professional Development Award 1985
Canada Council Art Bank (2 pieces)
Bronfman Collection (Claridge, Montreal)
Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery Collection
Chalmers Collection
The Indusmin Collection
NB Museum Purchase Award
General Foods Collection
U.de Moncton Galerie d’Art Permanent Collection
Massey Foundation Collection
EDUCATION
New Works Residency, Banff Centre for the Arts, Jan-Feb. 2001.
1 week ceramic shell workshop. The University of the Arts, Philadelphia. 1992.
Leighton Artist Colony, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Alberta. January-February, 1992,
AutoCAD Training, 120 hour certificate course. CADCAM Systems Ltd. 1991.
NB Community College, 40 hr. Computer Assisted Design Course. 1984.
Baltimore Institute of Art, chemically bonded mold making techniques for metal casting, by
Johnson Atelier staff. 1980.
Croydon College of Design and Technology, London, England. One Year Advanced
Research and Development Course. Awarded MSDC. 1976-77.
University of Connecticut, Art major in sculpture and ceramics. 1968-1971.
Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut. 1967-1968.
SELECTED POSITIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
ArtsLink (Arts Association of New Brunswick), vice president. 2008 ongoing.
Leighton Colonist, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Alberta, 2001, 2005 & 2007.
Governor General’s Visual Arts Awards jury for 2009.
Fundy Civic Centre advisor: Building Committee
RCA. Nominated and elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts, 1998
Canada Council Explorations Program jury, two year term, Atlantic
