Athabasca Clay Products

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Primary Sponsor: Consulate General of Switzerland, Vancouver

Major Sponsors:

Alberta Museums Association
Alice B. Donahue Library & Archives
Heritage Resources Management Program, Athabasca University
President's Office, Athabasca University
Royal Alberta Museum
Town of Athabasca

Individual Sponsors:

Conrad Biernacki and Brian Musselwhite, Royal Ontario Museum
Dr. Ross Fox, Royal Ontario Museum
Anne Hayward, Alberta Museums Association
Annelies Kiezebrink, The Netherlands
Dr. Frits Pannekoek, President, Athabasca University
Gene and Gail Sabo, Edmonton
Arthur Smith, Royal Ontario Museum
Els and Henk van Petersen, The Netherlands

Recent Publications:

Discovering Antiques May June 2009 Part 1
Discovering Antiques July August 2009 Part II (Coming soon)

Athabasca Pottery “Discovery Day” (Full Press Release)
June 21, 2009, 2-4 pm
Athabasca Seniors Centre
4810-48 Street
Athabasca

Everyone’s familiar with Medalta pottery. Who didn’t grow up with their crocks and bean pots? But excellent pottery-making clay was discovered in other places besides Medicine Hat. Athabasca Clay Products, a pottery founded by cable TV pioneer Ed Polanski, began in 1964 in the town of Athabasca. In business for four years, it produced about 150,000 wheel-turned and molded items. Both functional and delightfully decorative, these pieces were sold throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. At first, local residents and tourists appreciated their truly Western Canadian designs: the Rockies, whooping cranes, Canada Geese, bulrushes, Alberta’s wild rose, and Haida totem pole thunderbirds and bears. Then avid collectors appeared on the scene. Conrad Biernacki at the Royal Ontario Museum has been researching the pottery, and along with Marilyn Mol at the Athabasca Archives, they have organized an Athabasca Pottery “Discovery Day” on Sunday, June 21. Invited guests include the pottery founder and past employees, the mayor of the Town of Athabasca, curators from the Royal Alberta and Royal Ontario Museums, and collectors. Anyone curious about Athabasca pottery is invited to attend this educational and social event starting at 2 pm at the Athabasca Seniors Centre, 4810-48 Street, Athabasca. For more information contact archivist Marilyn Mol at the Alice B. Donahue Library & Archives: atharchives@athabascalibrary.ab.ca or 780-675-2735.

The primary sponsor is the Consulate General of Switzerland, Vancouver. The Honorary Consul of Switzerland, Mr, Andreas Bayer, will be present at the event and at the reception that is also offered by the Swiss Government.

Event Schedule

1-2 pm	Presenters arrive and set up their displays
2 pm	EVENT BEGINS Archives volunteers meet 'n' greet guests Coffee and squares Viewing of displays
2:30 pm	Welcome and Introduction by Archivist Marilyn Mol and Mayor Colleen Powell
2:30-3:15 pm	Short talks by Marilyn Mol, Phyllis Polanski (not confirmed), Conrad Biernacki, Carrie-Ann Lunde, Dorothy Nielsen and other Athabasca Clay Products Ltd. (ACP) employees, Gail and Gene Sabo, and other ACP collectors, members of the Wild Rose Antique Collectors Club, Jan Mather (editor of Discovering Antiques magazine), Rosie Guay (Athabasca Pottery Club)
3:15-4 pm	Coffee and squares Viewing of displays Visit to nearby Alice B. Donahue Library and Archives (4716-48 Street) to view their display of pottery by Athabasca Clay Products Ltd. Informal chat with Archivist, ACP employees and collectors
4 pm	EVENT ENDS
4-4:30 pm	Presenters pack up and leave

Purpose

1. An educational and social event for the people of Alberta to become more familiar with their heritage
2. To increase awareness of the Athabasca Archives and the benefits it provides to the community
3. To introduce people to the Athabasca Pottery Club, Wild Rose Antique Collectors Club, and Discovering Antiques magazine

The Pottery

In the following sections you will find many fine examples of Athabasca Clay Products as well as some related items, such as hang tags and posters. As mentioned in the introduction, ACP produced both hand turned pieces as well as molded pieces. This section will start with the hand turned pieces, followed by the molded pieces and then, finally, everything else.

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