Artist Resume

Yolande Brown-Conran

Artist Statement

I grew up in Jamaica where creativity and nature is a lifestyle. Moving to Canada I still have this connection a love for nature and I express that connection and love through Clay. I did my first pottery class here in Canada and feel head over heals for the media. I channelled my love for plants into clay by creating decorative pots  and vases the plants can call home. I decorate with bright underglazes and detailed painting  and make the shapes of my vases and pots with interesting unique twists for the viewer to feel excited and enjoy looking at the beauty of the pot as well as the wonderful plant inside. My inspiration also comes from living in a small studio apartment and working in a small studio space I create happy tiny decorative homes for our plants to be displayed.


Summary of Education 

2012 - 2015 Toronto School Board Pottery Classes
                  Central Technical - With Renata Podluck
                  Danforth Technical - With Kate Leech and Shaun Kelly
2015 - 2016 Studio Classes
                  The Potters Studio - With Shayne Snaiderman
                  Woodlawn Pottery Studio - Shane Weaver

Summary of Memberships
2016 - 2017 Toronto Potters Association - Executive Member - Treasurer
2016 - 2017 Studio Membership at Luc Sculpture - Member Potter

Location where I Produce my Work 
2016 Studio Membership at Luc Sculpture
Work From Home

Location of my Work For Viewing And Purchase
My Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/yolybearbeads
     ♥ My Etsy shop is my main store. All my finished pieces can be purchased here.
     ♥ My shop unique as not only does it have finished pieces ready to ship. It also displays items that i am working on showing as " Under construction" where you can browse though pictures of the item as it is being created. 
    ♥ My shop also has a direct link to me so click on contact and lets talk. I am a chatter box :)

My Blog: http://yolybearz.blogspot.com/
   ♥ This is my Dear Diary and my Artist Journal. Everything I find interesting is here. Its all about me.
   ♥ The First thing displayed are My Collection of pieces in my Etsy shop. Clicking on an item takes you directly to my etsy shop where you can purchase it or even browse some more goodies.
   ♥ 
My Tophatter Auctions: http://tophatter.com/users/25875
   ♥ For the thrill of the Auction Block and great deals I will post items here that can be bid on or purchased directly.
   ♥ It also has links to my Etsy Shop, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

My Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/yolybearz/
   ♥ View my collection of pieces with links to my shop, my ideas and loves.
   ♥ Also posted are updates and happenings

My Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/Yolybeartreasures
   ♥ View my collection of pieces with links to my shop by clicking Shop,
   ♥ Get Updates on my work and a schedule of events.
   ♥ Coupons deals and contests can be found here as well.

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/yolybearz
   ♥ Updates Updates Updates: Items in my collection, Events, Progress of Pieces.
My Periscope: https://www.periscope.tv/yolybearz
 ♥ See me live and come have a chat. I display my pieces and if i have something working on you can keep me company while i create.


Summary of Contests


Summary of Shows

Summary of Exhibitions
2017 Queen Street Art Crawl- Entering

EXPERIMENT #1

Experiment #1

Aim : To Colour slip for various glazing techniques.

Materials: from Tuckers Pottery Supplies

Pill Tube containers
Slip (650 clay mixed with water)
Various Coloured Stains ( 2000 to 2050 series)

Process:

Mix 15g Slip : 10% stain 

Mix 15g Slip : 15% stain

Mix 15g Slip : 20% stain

This side of the picture below the butterfly (carved) then slip inlayed with 15% powder stain:slip ratio

 Observation : 

Coloring slip with underglaze did not work as  the colour came out a muddy pale colour. I need a bright vibrant colour.

This is Greenware. ...it's in the kiln now ... let's see how it turns out.

Bisque: The color is so faint.... maybe yellow wasn't a great colour to use as a test since my clay is white ...lol .... blue for the next one

Conclusion:

1. Tried to color slip with underglaze. ...that sooo did not work. ... the colour came out a muddy pale colour .... that's no good

2.the colour yellow is not the best colour to test with on your white background clay.  Not much contrast. 

FAILS

This post is living .... i will add this all the time here 

Here are some of the projects that I have started or am working on that just have not gone the way I wanted. I'm currently thinking about these and how I can make them work :) wish me luck.

Little foggie dish

1. Work on form

2. Work on glazing to make colors pop

2. Colour slip for various glazing techniques. 

Tried to color slip with underglaze. ...that sooo did not work. ... the colour came out a muddy pale colour .... that's no good >▪<

Now experimenting with stains.... will let you know how that turns out ....this one below the butterfly (carved) then slip inlayed with 15% powder stain:slip ratio

This is Greenware. ...it's in the kiln now ... let's see how it turns out.

Craft Show Setup and Tips

Neat Display
Tweet your price ranges
Take lots of pictures for tear downs and set ups

Events

Here is where I will post events that I will be attending. STAY TUNED :)

#westonfleamarket #toronto #handmade #miniature #premo #sculpy #polymerclay  #cake #icecream #animal #charm #farm

http://www.facebook.com/Yolybeartreasures
also
https://www.etsy.com/yolybearbeads

http://www.facebook.com/Yolybeartreasures

https://www.etsy.com/yolybearbeads

Facebook Events

Events I want to attend
One of a kind  Nov 28 to Dec 8
Toronto Outdoor Exhibition @ Nathan Phillips Square
Pottery and glass.com
Fusion

Places I Have Been

Here are some if the places I have been and want to go to. These include associations , studios , retreats,  wookshops,  classes. Wow so much fun!

Places I have been

Toronto Potters Association

Toronto Bonsia 

Places I want to check out
Bradshaw studios : for rented studio space
Wychward Barns : for rented studio space or events
Habour Front Residences : training and practice facility with professional artist advisors and a business advisory committee. To get in you need a degree or deploma from an art college.
Secret Tea Time : workshop

Potential studio shared studio spaces
The Gladstone
Influx creative
White House  studio project
Karma creative
North Toronto Art Studio
AKIN collective
Pottery Road collective

Adventures of A pottery Beginner: Starting Over

Its been almost 2 years since I did any pottery I think. Life and work got crazy and I moved and my wheel has been in a box ever since.... I registered for a pottery class again that starts April 9th so I am gearing up for that by Trying to practice what I remembered and also with the help of Youtube.

I have an accounts course t=doing as well so I too so I cant practice pottery everyday but lets see how it goes

Earlier this week.... tried pulling up a cylinder....Hardest thing ever but I managed to pull it up

Im not too happy with it but that's the best one that day....which doesn't exist anymore cause I don't know when to stop so I pinched right through it .... trying to reduce the thickness of thoses walls. Its also kinda cone shaped and not cylinder.

April 2: Attempting a bowl

Ok so this bowl.....uneven about to collapse ... I stopped so I could have something to try and trim

And trimming didn't work out so great either...trimmed right trough the bowl

                                                                                                                     

April 2 continued: Cylinder: Not giving up!
Ok I am a lot happier with this one. the walls are more even. and the shape is a little less cone shaped and more cylinder shaped. I didn't break this one so I can try trimming it tomorrow.

 Speaking of trimming I did that bowl in the morning and left it on the window to get hard. It got hard way quicker than I expected and by the time I got home from work it was too hard to trim. But I tried just the same.

This time I put this cylinder in plastic (its still soft but I'm tired and need to go to bed) I'll see how it feels when I wake up.

I woke up...and it was still squishy. .. what a difference. ... ok so I left it out again and kept checking  it till I thought it was dry enough to play around with. 

I'm so happy  with this :)... my carving needs work  but I'll keep practicing  :)

April 3: Gonna try a slip decoration technique I saw on YouTube.