Tobias Tomlinson
3172 Balfour Ave.
Victoria, BC, Canada V9A 1S1
(250) 383–3893
Tobias has been a working potter for 40 years. His instructors included Harlen House, Hal Regar, Jack Surs, Marylin Levine, Roy Kiyooka, Santo Mignosa and Léopold Foulem.
He worked with other potters in the Jam Factory Pottery Collective in Nelson, B.C., and presently, has his own pottery studio in Victoria, B.C. He has been involved in several shows from creative jugs & teapots, to the Cone Box Project.
Fire and ash of traditional Japanese firing tech-niques used in the Tozan Society’s Naborogama kiln, and the Anagama hillside kiln on Denman Island have brought new inspiration to his work. The translucent porcelain that glows from within has encouraged Tobias to experiments with lanterns forms.
Another inspiration has been the Mission Style or Arts and Crafts tradition from 1900 to 1925. The
hand carved, on of a kind designs are reminiscent of William Morris, the Zanesville potteries of Ohio,
and the Newcomb Pottery in New Orleans.
Tobias Tomlinson was born in Urbana, Illinois in 1949, and lived in several States before moving to Alberta, Canada to complete his Fine Arts Degree
1969-1971 -- B.F.A. in Fine Arts with emphasis in Printmaking and Ceramics from the Univ. of Calgary, Alberta
1971-1973 -- Jam Factory Pottery collective, Nelson, BC
1974 -- Apprentice to a master potter in Grey Creek and Creston, B.C. using Native/found clay materials.
1974-1976 -- Bach. of Education, University of Victoria, study area, Special Needs, Art Education, and Library Sciences.
1976-2005 -- Sooke School District, various elementary positions; as well as the Clay Resource person.
2005-Contin. -- Instructor at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and consultant with pottery instruction with the Victoria School District
1980-con’t. Exhibitions:
1992 -- Garden Sculpture show, Urbana, Illinois
1994 -- Drinking Vessels Exhibition, Santa Barbara, California
1995 -- Creative Jugs-Circle Craft Vancouver, B.C.
1998 -- Erotic Art Show- Open Space Gallery, Victoria, B.C.
2002 -- Collective Ceramic Show- Gr. Vic. Arts Council
2003 - -2004-2005--Victoria City Hall Exhibition space
2005 -- The Cone Box Project- B.C. Potters Guild
2006 -- 2007--Look Show- awarded Univ. of Victoria Faculty Award
2006 -- Artist of Conscience Show-Symposium on Art in Victoria
2007 & 2010 -- Invited Guest member for the Fired Up! Potter’s Victoria, BC
2008 -- Vasefinders International OnLine show
2009 -- ”Compressed” Traveling Show, Courtney, BC, Canada
2009 - -GLTB show at Martin Batchelor Gallery, Victoria, BC
2009 -- Metis Fine Art show CACGV, Victoria, BC
2009 -- ”Illuminations Show”, Lighthouse Gallery, Houston, Texas
2001-con’t Guilds, Arts Groups, and Associations:
• South Vancouver Island Potter’s Guild
• Island Artisans Association
• B.C. Potter’s Guild
• Craft Association of B.C.
• Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria
• Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula
