| Susan & Richard Surette |
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“Our works explore this relationship by revealing and investigating the interdependence between the cultural and political environment, written texts and the ceramic object.”
Richard Surette was born in Granby, Quebec. He pursued his post secondary education in Ontario studying history, political science, teaching and design. As an adolescent he began teaching himself painting and sculpting; only later exploring clay as a medium. A largely self-taught artist, Richard has integrated his passion for eastern aesthetics, the land, social histories and politics, into his works. Susan Surette was born in Toronto, Ontario. She pursued her post-secondary studies in pre-medicine, science, teaching, and art history. She has been the recipient of an Ontario Scholarship, the Art History Prize at Concordia University. Susan is currently a PhD candidate in Art History, while a part time lecturer of Ceramic History at Concordia University. In 1975, Richard and Susan moved to the Eastern Townships of Quebec, where they established a home for themselves and their three children, as well as studios primarily in textiles and ceramics. Over the years, their production diversified as they expanded their self-taught curriculum. Some of their explorations included natural dyeing and spinning, welding, woodcarving, papermaking, basketry, stone carving, off-loom and on-loom weaving and drawing. Today, Richard and Susan share studio space, ideas, and technical expertise in creating their ceramic objects. Their production embraces the functional as well as a wide range of concepts, from the intimate and personal sensual relationship between the Raku object and the user to political and social commentary. Essential to all these works is the reciprocal interaction between the human body and its environment, where each piece shapes and is shaped by the other. The works of Susan and Richard are found in private, corporate, and public collections. They exhibit their works throughout Canada and in the eastern United States in galleries, museum boutiques, art and craft exhibitions. They have had several solo and group exhibitions in Ontario and Quebec during their careers. Select Exhibitions 2008 Raku Renaissance, Petroff Gallery, Toronto, ON 2007 Tea Four Two, Petroff Gallery, Toronto, ON Solo Exhibitions Snapdragon, Ottawa, ON Solo Exhibition Shayne Gallery, Montreal, Que. 2006 Tradition, Musee des Maitres et Artisans du Quebec, Montreal Que. 2005 Window of Opportunity, Petroff Gallery, Toronto, ON 2003 Solo Exhibition, Snapdragon, Ottawa, ON Gallery Six One One, Toronto, ON 2001 Gallery Six One One, Toronto, ON 2001 Window of Opportunity, Petroff Gallery, Toronto, ON 2000-2001 Solo Exhibition, Cannington House Gallery, Oakville, ON 2000 Solo Exhibition, Petroff Gallery, Toronto, ON Solo Exhibition, Gallery Six One One, Toronto, ON 1997-1998 Group Exhibitions, St Jean Sculpture Exhibition, St Jean, Que. 1997 George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramics, Toronto, ON Galerie 410, Belgo Bldg, Montreal, Que. George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramics, Toronto, ON 1995-1996 1001 Pots, Quebec 1993-1998 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, ON 1997 Solo Exhibition, George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramics, Toronto, ON 1978-1999 Group Exhibition, Métiers D’art, Montreal, Que. Public & Corporate Collections Ville of Magog, Magog, QC Ombudsman Government of Quebec, QC Lotto Quebec, Montreal, QC Buliva, Canada, Toronto, ON Lincoln National Corporation, IL, USA Government of Canada, Foreign Affairs, Ottawa, ON Ville de Montreal, QC Metiers d’Art, Montreal, QC |
