Annette ten Cate

Annette ten Cate is a graduate of the Sheridan Craft and Design Program, in Ceramics and went on to do a year-long residency at the Medalta International Artist in Residence Program. She was honoured to have her exhibition Life on Earthenware travel around Alberta as part of the TREX SW program which reaches galleries, schools and also offers educational opportunities for students. Her studio practice is located in sunny Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, where you will also find Canada’s Historic Clay District. Artist statement: I find inspiration all around me – it could be something as simple as watching a bird interact with a deer, or seeing a red fox trot across a distant clearing. Little vignettes of nature awaken a desire within me to somehow recreate these creatures and their world. As I begin to build an image, using clay and a few simple wooden tools, the creature takes on a life of its own and begins to tell its story of living in a world shared (and usually dominated) by humans. As an artist, as much as my mission is to create pleasing images that make people happy, it is also important to me to somehow convey the importance of respecting and preserving nature and its inhabitants. By introducing humour and whimsy into my pieces, I hope that I manage to generate a connection that encourages people to delight in the natural world around them.

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