Robin Hopper
Robin Hopper was born in 1939 Selsdon, Surrey,
England. He began his art education at the Croydon College of Art,
initially in printmaking until 1956 when he commenced studies in
ceramics. Hopper immigrated to Canada in 1968 to teach at the Central
Technical School as the head of the Ceramics Department. In 1970
he set up the Ceramics and Glass Programme and Department at the
Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario, while operating his own studio
at Hillsdale, Ontario. In 1973 he resigned from teaching to devote
himself to work full-time in his own studio. In 1977 he arrived
in Victoria to set up his current studio. It was also in 1977 that
he received the first Saidye Bronfman Award for Excellence in Crafts.
Hopper has taught at the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific,
and has also been instrumental in the organization of the Metchosin
International Summer School of the Arts. He is the author of many
articles and books including "The Ceramic Spectrum", "Functional
Pottery” and a new edition of Daniel Rhodes "Clay and
Glazes for the Potter."
In 1993 he developed a series of six educational
videos on ceramic decoration techniques titled “Making Marks”.
In late 1994, a second series of five videos on design and aesthetics
titled “Form and Function”, based on the content of
advanced wheel-thrown pottery techniques were made. Hopper’s
work in ceramics over a 40 year period includes a great deal of
ceramic historical and technical research, and an ongoing studio
involvement with both functional production and one-of-a-kind art
works, primarily in porcelain.
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