Installation of John Reeve pots, Thrown, Belkin Art Gallery, UBC, 2004. Photo Owen Sopotiuk.

We are pleased to inform our community about an important upcoming sale organized by two of our Board members, Ron Vallis and Martin Peters, who operate Dunbar Pottery, of the last pots made by the important BC potter John Reeve (1929 – 2012). The sale will take place at:

VisualSpace Gallery
3352 Dunbar Street
May 3-4, 2024
10am until 4pm.

Ron and Martin have kindly provided the following additional information:

From 2006 to 2010, John Reeve worked intermittently at Dunbar Pottery.  After a health scare in 2010, John returned to New Mexico where he passed in 2012.  John is survived by his children Solly and Hannah and his widow Phylis Blair.  After a recent trip to New Mexico, Chris Brayshaw reported that Phylis is in poor health both physically and economically.  When John left the Dunbar Pottery, he left behind a studio filled with pots.  These were stored away awaiting instructions from Phylis, which were never forthcoming.  She was and remains devastated by John’s death.  In order to raise funds to assist Phylis, we have glazed and fired the bisque pots John left behind.  Chris Brayshaw, who is researching a book on John, reports that these pots were no doubt the last ones he made.  We aim to sell John’s last work and to send all of the proceeds to Phylis.  In that regard Yukiko Onley has very generously offered her VisionSpace gallery at 3352 Dunbar Street for the sale.  Ron and I will also have some pots for sale, the proceeds of which will go to assist Yukiko with expenses.