Ruth Gowdy McKinley
Born
Reena Ruth Gowdy

June 14th 1931
Brooklyn, New York
DiedMarch 29, 1981(1981-03-29) (aged 49–50)
Mississauga, Ontario
EducationB.F.A. New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY; M.F.A. Alfred
Known forFunctional Ceramicist
SpouseDonald Lloyd McKinley
Awardsfirst potter elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1976)

Ruth Gowdy McKinley RCA (June 14th 1931 – March 29th, 1981) was an American-born Canadian ceramic artist noted for her skill in designing functional ceramic ware. She specialized in making teapots, cups and vases.

Early life

Born in Brooklyn, New York, McKinley originally studied classical piano from the age of four and was eventually offered admission to study at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. McKinley then made the decision to work with pottery by enrolling, instead, to study in the Department of Industrial Design at the New York State College of Ceramics in Alfred. McKinley earned her MFA from Alfred University in 1955. She came to Canada in 1967.[1]

Career

In 1967, she became the resident Potter at Sheridan College of Art and Design in Missisauga, Ontario.[2] In 1973, she made her exhibition debut at the Ceramics International 1973 at the University of Calgary and won the Metal award.[3] In 1976, she became the first potter elected into the Royal Canadian Academy of Art.[4] In 1997, her retrospective was held at the Burlington Art Centre.[3] Her work is included in the collections of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec,[5] the Art Gallery of Burlington, the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery,[6] the Gardiner Museum, Toronto; and the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau, Quebec.[2]

The Ruth Gowdy McKinley project records are in Archives Ontario.[7]

Legacy

In 1993, in honour of Ruth Gowdy McKinley, the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery opened in Waterloo, Ontario largely due to the efforts of Gowdy McKinley’s friends and colleagues who wished to honour her memory.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Gotlieb, Rachel. Ezra Shales (ed.). "Always, the next pot will be better". O Pioneers! Women Ceramic Artists 1925-1960.
  2. 1 2 Morrison, Barry. "Ruth Gowdy McKinley". studioceramicscanada.com. Studio Ceramics. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  3. 1 2 "Ruth Gowdy McKinley". www.virtualmuseum.ca. Virtual Museum. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  4. ↑ Jefferies, Sue. "Ruth Gowdy McKinley: A legacy of commitment". Ontario Craft (1987 Summer): 19–22.
  5. ↑ "Collection MNBAQ: Ruth Gowdy McKinley".
  6. ↑ "Collection" (PDF). www.theclayandglass.ca. Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  7. ↑ "Ruth Gowdy McKinley project records". ao.minisisinc.com. Archives Ontario. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  8. ↑ Steggles, Mary Ann. "Objects and Memory: Ruth Gowdy-McKinley and Byron Johnstad". maryannsteggles.com. Mary Ann Steggles. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
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