Derek Kasper was first introduced to ceramics at the University of Regina back in the early 1970s.  His passion for making soon branched out into artistic woodworking and then into building, which turned into a career.  On returning to Victoria in 1989 his long dormant passion for ceramic art finally had an outlet, the Arts Centre at Cedar Hill.  Many fine teachers and passionate students fanned his love for working with clay.  Workshops at Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts and through the South Vancouver Island Potters Guild have honed his skills and deepened his knowledge of the technical aspects of creating large ceramic work.  His skill in fine woodworking is integral to the creation of armatures and support structures critical to his current work, which can be described as ‘hand-built and textured faceted forms’.

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He has been part of many local shows over the last several years, and most recently was the recipient of an Award of Excellence at the Sooke Fine Arts Show in 2014, for a cubical jar created from the joining of 6 large textured bowls along curving mitres.  He recently noted that throughout his creative life he has been fascinated by the idea of combining and re-combining a single shape to make something entirely different.  Texture and shadow and the interplay of light over surfaces to first hide, and then reveal, meaning, are of great interest to him and will no doubt be key elements in works that are fairly jostling to be made.

The self-described “gallerinas” at The Avenue Gallery, Heather, Catherine, Kathleen, Barb, Carol-Ann and Claire have been a pleasure to work with.  Their untiring encouragement, incisive reviews and suggestions, and finely managed promotional abilities reassure me that I can focus on my work while they look after what they do best, showing my work to best advantage, to the right customers. – Derek Kasper