Hold Being Held: hold. earth, water, air, fire. alchemy. 鈥� the new exhibition opening June 27 at the Comox Valley Art Gallery is centred in clay.

Ceramicists from Montreal, Victoria and the Comox Valley have developed projects for this convergent program that presents contemporary clay-based work 鈥� some is traditional in form, some experimental, some conceptual, all are rooted in ancient ceramics processes.

鈥淚t is through looking back, that we can look forward,鈥� says Alan Burgess, master potter and senior artist of the group exhibition.

The installations represent the creative vision of artists with ceramics/clay-based practices that are emergent or well established, and span up to 60 years.

Individual and corporate histories, the world and the way we inhabit it, and personal and cultural narratives are considered.

All hold an invitation to pause and enter into an idea, a story, a new perception, a moment of stillness, a memory, an embodied experience rooted in the elements.

On Thursday, June 27 beginning at 5 p.m., the community will have an opportunity to meet participating artists Rachel Grenon, Samantha Dickie, Alan Burgess, Gordon Hutchens, Jeff Brett, Bobbi Denton and D Gillian Turner during the art opening event at the gallery. The evening includes artist-led make-art workshops, during which participants can build their own paper-clay Tiny House (Turner) or a Water Effect 2019 (Grenon) porcelain boat.

A reception and artist talks will complete the evening.

More can be learned about this all-ages free event, the artists, and all other CVAG programs at www.comoxvalleyartgallery.com.

The exhibition runs until September.