Tim Isaac

Making pottery and raku firing have been the core of my life for almost 40 years. While I got my start in Winnipeg and had studios in Ontario for 6 years, it’s in rural New Brunswick I chose to root myself in 1992.

There’s no shortage of inspiration and freedom to live a creative life living on the Bay of Fundy!

My artistic career in both clay and music has thrived here. Over the years I’ve been fortunate to flow easily between producing functional pottery, making raku wares and sculptural art and commissions, and most recently opening my studio for raku, pottery wheel, and mosaic workshops. I also welcome student and fellow ceramicists to fire and collaborate with me regularly.

New doors continue to open. These include creating large community mosaics with many ‘helping hands’ and taking both the pottery and mosaic experience to school classrooms and special events.

My studio space and practice are entwined with my home and wild yard. I’ve cobbled together a place that functions well for me and is comfortable to visit. Nothing fancy, but a labyrinth of quirky rooms and sheds used for different steps of my creative process. It’s the right place for me as I strive to lead an authentic and creative life.

What led you to become an artist?

Lifestyle. I’m driven to work hard, but I also place a high value on having an independent and flexible schedule. Being an artist allows me to pursue interests like travel and exploring nature that often find their way into my art.

What led you to ceramics?

While at the University of Manitoba, I took an off-campus pottery class, in part to impress the parents of my girlfriend who were both practicing artists. I was immediately hooked! My instructors were all fine art graduates making highly creative work. I was introduced early to appreciating clay as a versatile material, not just used to make conventional pottery.

How did your training and experience help you to create and innovate in your artistic practice?

I took a few fine arts courses in university, but my real training ground was being a member of the Waterloo Potters Co-op. It was a hive of activity with people approaching clay from every angle with a great variety of techniques and styles. I also worked for a production ceramist making ‘high fashion’ slip cast wares that opened the world of mold making to me. It also demonstrated how there’s a market and appreciation for ‘fine craft’.

What stimulates you most about your practice?

Making something from nothing continues to blow my mind. Then to have that object or work of art find a meaningful place in the heart and home of another person is truly humbling.

Sharing my creative space with others is also tremendously rewarding and stimulating.

Whether it’s a visiting artist bringing their fresh energy and ideas or a first timer who’s taking home their first creation with excitement and pride, these interactions and experiences feed me.

What motivates your creativity?

I have an inner drive to create that seems to not rest. I can’t put my finger on it, but all my life I’ve had the need to express myself creatively. Whether songwriting and composing, building my home and studios, or working in clay and mosaic, striving to make my art unique and interesting has always been important to me.

How has living and working in New Brunswick helped and/or inspired you on your journey?

I moved to NB in 1992, drawn here by the rugged beauty along the Bay of Fundy. I’ve thrived in this environment, often incorporating natural materials with my ceramics.

The relatively low cost of rural property and cost of living has also allowed me to Iive the creative life I enjoy.

How does your creative process unfold as you create an artwork?

I tend to allow design to occur spontaneously. I may think about a concept or a project for a long time, but it’s really only when I get my hands into it that my direction clarifies, and it comes to life. This allows for unexpected curves and embellishments that couldn’t have been pre-planned but bring me joy and surprise.

Why do you think it's important to make art and pursue an artistic career?

Art takes many forms and can address a wide range of needs in both the artist and the public. For myself, the art I create soothes my mind and soul. It’s a refuge from aspects of the world that are sad or horrific. Society needs art in all its forms to help process both personal emotions and feelings but also events that affect us all.

What have you learned about yourself and the artistic community through your work?

I’ve learned that I need a good balance between focus time to think and create and sharing time to be social and step into the world. Interacting with fellow artists and potters is enriching and inspiring. I’ve learned to appreciate this network of support.

What do you think is the impact of artists' work on communities and the province as a whole?

I hope that my art helps people to think about our connection to nature and to beauty. I’d like to think my work resonates an appreciation of the natural features this province possesses. By valuing nature, perhaps interest will grow in protecting it as well from corporate interests.

Describe what you are most proud of in your career.

I’m proud to have made my livelihood for the past 37 years solely as a potter. I’m fortunate to have an appreciative following and a great network of galleries that showcase and support my work.

What advice would you give to emerging artists?

On a practical level I’d encourage emerging artists to see their creative time as their greatest asset to protect. Financial burden is one danger to this asset, so allow your success to grow naturally, by keeping a low overhead and avoiding onerous debt. Another danger is to take everything too seriously and become rigid. Stay chill and get out for some fresh air, find the right balance for yourself between work and play.