alumni directory

Dennis Evans

Ceramics

Dip · Class of 1968

dennisevansnaramata.weebly.com/

Dennis Gordon Evans was born in Viking, Alberta, in 1946. As a youngster, the prairie landscape began to shape his awareness. In 1964, he enrolled in the Alberta College of Art (now the Alberta College of Art and Design) in Calgary, Alberta, graduating in 1968 with a major in pottery and ceramics.

In 1976, Dennis made a career decision to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts at the University of Calgary, and upon its completion, he went on to study for a Master's degree at the University of Houston, graduating in 1980.

Returning to Calgary in 1980, he became the production manager for a major pottery manufacturing company producing hand-crafted wares that were sold across Canada. In 1986, Dennis opened a production studio under the name Nant Mill Pottery, in honour of his Welsh roots, which produced a functional kitchen-ware line. While working as a production manager and in his own studio, he was contracted as a consultant, which took him to Africa twice. He also worked as a consultant on a First Nations economic development initiative, which created giftware items sold across Canada.

Business commitments in Calgary kept Dennis away from his own studio until January 2006, when he retired to Naramata, British Columbia. Two years before, he had built a small studio-workshop, and with his wife, Patricia, they set about creating a garden setting to surround the studio, which was built upon property that had been an old roadway, adjacent to their home.

No longer constrained by the conventions of the workplace, Dennis was able to return to his creative side. Challenged by his new environment, he has begun orienting himself to the new visual experience found in the Okanagan, and this is reflected in his landscape painting. He also launched his face studies series. Using colour to portray emotion, the faces of friends, neighbours and relatives are transformed into works of art. Limited edition pottery items are also being created. This time, shapes and forms are chosen by the artist to reflect his moods and his newfound freedom to create, resulting in pieces with passion.