Operated by the Calgary Contemporary Arts Society

February 16 , 2007 to March 9, 2007

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Beyond Symbolism:
Ceramic Sculpture by Jean LaPointe Mihalcheon

Works from the City of Calgary Civic Art Collection, Calgary Contemporary Arts Society, corporate and private collections

25th Anniversary of the Calgary Contemporary Arts Society

Untitled, 1974; red stoneware. Collection of Thayre Angliss. Photo copyright of Peter Gold, The Gold Studio.Jean LaPointe Mihalcheon is without a doubt one of the most unique artists to emerge out of the Alberta ceramic art community. A visual “poet” working in the area of ceramics, she occupies a ‘stand-a-lone’ position with work that is stamped with her special vision.

Her work falls into four mainstreams: decorative hanging planters, highly stylized sculptural portraits, architectural murals and wall pieces, and her later paper reliefs.  Works from each of these areas of artistic involvement will be featured in this retrospective.

Jean LaPointe Mihalcheon with her thrown form heads, Calgary, Alberta, 1974. Photo courtesy of the artist.Much of Mihalcheon’s work has emerged out of the use of white materials, clays, glazes, and paper. One of her long time concerns has been with surface textures and the ability of her materials to reflect light. She wants the form to spark directly through the material, with light neither distracting, nor overly enhancing sculptural concerns.

Jean La Pointe Mihalcheon in the ceramic studio, Calgary, Alberta, 1973. Photo courtesy of the artist. Mihalcheon is an example of a housewife and mother who placed her artistic career on the backburner after graduating, in order to raise a family. She had studied at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (currently the Alberta College of Art and Design), where she met her husband to be, George Mihalcheon, also a student at the time. Marriage and a family followed, and there was simply no time or the resources needed to develop her artistic career. She waited 16 years before she could again become involved as a productive visual artist. Although she thought of herself as a designer and a water colorist, her return to art took on a different path. In 1968, she enrolled in night classes at the Alberta College of Art to study sculpture under Olle Holmsten, Alberta’s most prominent figurative sculptor at the time. With Holmsten’s guidance, Mihalcheon built upon the foundation of her art training received 16 years earlier and found the means to bring together her long time love of design and her new found interest in sculptural form.

Jean LaPointe Mihalcheon in her studio in Calgary, 1978. Photo copyright by Peter Gold, The Gold Studio.Working primarily in clay, Mihalcheon faced one major obstacle. Handicapped since birth and working with only one hand, she was forced to give equal focus to the technical ‘how’ as she did the artistic ‘what’. As someone who loves the process of problem solving, however, she took these problems in ‘stride’, all the while enjoying her own ingenuity.  Quickly becoming a productive clay artist she was exhibiting just a few short years after returning to the redevelopment of an artistic career.  Although concerned with people and the figurative image, Mihalcheon avoids the personal. The ‘designer’ part of her directs her work towards more universal concepts – Jean LaPointe Mihalcheon in the ceramic studio, The Banff Art Centre, 1989. Photo courtesy of the artist.towards the symbol of human situations. As a ‘poet’ she strives towards the ideal. In the end, the work, without pretension, is of herself – an extension of the unique and creative individual that left Saskatchewan 58 years ago to start an artistic career.

This exhibition is a salute to perseverance while acknowledging the achievements of one of Alberta’s most respected ceramic artists.

Les Graff
Guest Curator

Hanging Pot, 1974; porcelain. Collection of Paul and Irene LaPointe, Edmonton, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist. Hanging Pots, 1974; porcelain. Collection unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Bride, 1978; stoneware and glaze. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist. Dido, 1978. Collection of Carolyn Leier, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Lady with Jug, 1974; red stoneware. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist. For Marion Nicoll, 1985; red stoneware. Collection of the Bethany Care Centre, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Variations of 3 (#1), 1986; porcelain and stoneware. Collection of Thayre Angliss, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist. He/She Series (Noah and Mrs. Noah), 1986; porcelain, acrylic. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Standing Trees #2, 1974; porcelain and mixed media. Collection of Maureen Poscente, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist. Road Series, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Collection unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Snow Fences, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Collection unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist. Winter Series, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Collection unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Winter Series #7, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Courtesy of the City of Calgary Civic Art Collection, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist. Wheat Fields, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Collection of Lauren and Gail Boldt, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Aurora Borealis, 1981; porcelain and mixed media. Collection of Louis LaPointe, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist. Crowsnest Pass, 1985; porcelain and mixed media. Collection of the Foothills Hospital, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Classicus, 1989; paper. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist. Paper Sculpture, 1989; paper. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Peggy Baker, 1989; paper. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo by Gail Boldt. The Architect, 1990; paper. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo by Gail Boldt.
Hopek Dancer, 1990; paper. Collection of Nicholas and Julie Roukes, Calgary, Alberta. Photo by Gail Boldt.  

List of Images (left to right, top to bottom):

  1. Untitled, 1974; red stoneware. Collection of Thayre Angliss. Photo copyright of Peter Gold, The Gold Studio.
  1. Jean LaPointe Mihalcheon with her thrown form heads, Calgary, Alberta, 1974. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Jean La Pointe Mihalcheon in the ceramic studio, Calgary, Alberta, 1973. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Jean LaPointe Mihalcheon in her studio in Calgary, 1978. Photo copyright by Peter Gold, The Gold Studio.
  1. Jean LaPointe Mihalcheon in the ceramic studio, The Banff Art Centre, 1989. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Hanging Pot, 1974; porcelain. Collection of Paul and Irene LaPointe, Edmonton, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Hanging Pots, 1974; porcelain. Collection unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Bride, 1978; stoneware and glaze. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Dido, 1978. Collection of Carolyn Leier, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Lady with Jug, 1974; red stoneware. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. For Marion Nicoll, 1985; red stoneware. Collection of the Bethany Care Centre, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Variations of 3 (#1), 1986; porcelain and stoneware. Collection of Thayre Angliss, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. He/She Series (Noah and Mrs. Noah), 1986; porcelain, acrylic. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Standing Trees #2, 1974; porcelain and mixed media. Collection of Maureen Poscente, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Road Series, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Collection unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Snow Fences, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Collection unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Winter Series, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Collection unknown. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Winter Series #7, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Courtesy of the City of Calgary Civic Art Collection, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Wheat Fields, 1978; porcelain and mixed media. Collection of Lauren and Gail Boldt, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Aurora Borealis, 1981; porcelain and mixed media. Collection of Louis LaPointe, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Crowsnest Pass, 1985; porcelain and mixed media. Collection of the Foothills Hospital, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Classicus, 1989; paper. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Paper Sculpture, 1989; paper. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo courtesy of the artist.
  1. Peggy Baker, 1989; paper. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo by Gail Boldt.
  1. The Architect, 1990; paper. Collection of the artist, Calgary, Alberta. Photo by Gail Boldt.
  1. Hopek Dancer, 1990; paper. Collection of Nicholas and Julie Roukes, Calgary, Alberta. Photo by Gail Boldt.
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