Art Talk: Deb Kuzyk (Lucky Rabbit Pottery) & Bernard Burton (Craft Alliance)
Six Nova Scotian artists at Collect 2023 (London, UK)
Join Deb Kuzyk (Lucky Rabbit Pottery) and Bernard Burton (Craft Alliance) for a presentation including Deb’s recent journey to Collect 2023 (London, UK), one of the most influential art fairs for contemporary craft and design.
Deb Kuzyk was one of six Nova Scotian artists invited to participate in a recent educational mission, organized by Craft Alliance Atlantic, to Collect 2023 (London, UK).
Collect art fair highlights over 40 galleries and organizations, representing the work of exceptional contemporary craft artists from around the globe.
Bernard Burton, Executive Director of Craft Alliance will also be on hand to talk about the organization’s educational missions and other projects.
Recorded at ARTSPLACE Gallery in Annapolis Royal (Nova Scotia)
Monday, May 29, 2023
Artist Profile - Deb Kuzyk
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Debra Kuzyk is a clay-based artist living in rural Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia.
She completed a BED at the University of Saskatchewan, a BFA at NSCAD University, and a one-year residency at the Banff Centre. After graduating, Kuzyk spent a decade learning about self-employment in arts related work before teaming up with potter Ray Mackie to establish Lucky Rabbit studio and gallery in Annapolis Royal, NS. in 1999. For over 25 years they produced functional and exhibition pieces which featured Debra’s depictions of local flora and fauna. She sculpted animal finials, embellished the surfaces of Ray’s pots and ran the gallery. In 2017 she established Lucky Rabbit & Co. Artists’ Collective which received an Industry Leadership/Supporter Award in 2022.
Lucky Rabbit closed its doors at the end of 2022, and Debra is now working solo. She continues to create work about the wildlife and disappearing wilderness of Nova Scotia.
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Artist Profile - Bernard Burton
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Bernard is the founding Executive Director of Craft Alliance AtlanticAssociation. He was instrumental in the strategic development of the organization in 2009, after two years of research and consultation.Craft Alliance Atlantic is a non-profit trade association operating under a private-public partnership structure. Bernard has been working in craft, in a pan-Atlantic capacity since 2000. Bernard has been involved in the Canadian craft industry for the past 38years and has been involved in many aspects of the sector including:craft producer, retailer, administrator, collector and volunteer. He has done extensive research in the areas of art licensing and craft experiential tourism, and has organized dozens of educational missions to many industry events like Surtex Licensing, SOFA Chicago,Collect UK, International Contemporary Furniture Fair, Wanted Design and others. In2024 Bernard was named a Fellow of the New Brunswick College of Craft & Design. An honour given by the college to recognize those who have made a significant contribution to the development and well being of the college and thepeople who work there. https://nbccd.ca/happening-here/fellows/
Bernie has a keen interest in International relations, exporting and theglobal craft community. He is currently Vice President of theCanadian Crafts Federation. In his capacity with Craft AllianceAtlantic he has participated and coordinated export, trade &market intelligence missions for the craft sector to Japan, China,Germany, Iceland, Ireland, United Kingdom and the United States. He has also served on other industry Boards, including; the CulturalHuman Resources Council (Ottawa) and the Atlantic ECONOMUSEE Network. He also served on the National Steering Committee for FITT –The Forum for International Trade Training, on studying HumanResource Trends in International Trade. The first ever HR study onInternational trade in the culture sector.
Bernie’s foray into craft began as Director of two retail craft cooperativesand his own craft gallery that paralleled with his interests inmaking with a jewellery production and weaving studio. A consummatecollector of craft for over 40 years, he has never met a piece ofpottery he didn’t love!
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