Longtime SCC staff member Leslie Potter has decided to retire. Les has decades of experience as a practicing artist, teacher, curator, preparator and vital member of the artistic community of Saskatchewan AND of course, as an SCC staff member.

As we celebrate his remaining time with us, the Saskatchewan Craft Council is running Ask Les, an advice column about anything and everything!

What is the difference between installing a ceramics show versus a fibre exhibition versus other media?

Installing an exhibition is akin to creating an art work in a way because each piece acts like an element in the overall “picture”. There is no great difference among the various media because what you are after is a cohesiveness that also presents each single work to its full potential. Of course there are differences in how one is able to display works, but in the final analyses it is how all the works come together to
envelope us, as observers, with a strong statement.

Tell us about the art of balancing the life of a creator, an innovator, an educator, a thinker, a musician, a motivator and a collaborator?

I guess it is a bit of a balancing act, but quite a few years ago I realized that work is play, play is work. Every minute you experience living is important and I think it is essential not to separate your true self from the things you want to do and the things you have to do. And, that makes the balancing act a lot easier.

How did you become the best packer of fine craft?

I think that is an overstatement. However, I do enjoy packing objects and other things. A strong influence was an essay that Pat Adams wrote many years ago entitled, “How to Pack an Elephant”. The essay was in response to entrants submitting works to “Dimensions” which were very, very poorly packed. The SCC had (and has) the right to refuse works that were packed improperly and Pat wanted to help these folks out. It was an amusing article, but it contained all the information one needed to pack just about everything. In essence what he said was, “…if you can turn your package upside down, spray it with water and drop it from a height of 3 feet without damaging your piece, then you probably did a good job packing.”

What are you going to do with your free time?

I think I sort of answered this before, but I am open to all sorts of things. I will be focusing on writing songs, making sculpture, painting and spending time with friends. Spending time is so much better than spending other things, isn’t it?