Mary Borgstrom facts for kids

Mary Borgstrom (born May 18, 1916 – died April 3, 2019) was a talented Canadian artist. She was a potter and ceramist, which means she worked with clay to create art. Mary was known for using "primitive techniques," which are old, simple ways of making pottery. She even won an "Award of Excellence" from the Canadian Guild of Crafts in Quebec for her amazing work.

Her Life Story

Mary Borgstrom was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1916. Later, her family moved to a town called Provost, Alberta.

In the mid-1960s, Mary went to a special workshop in Edmonton, Alberta. There, she learned about primitive pottery from an artist named Hal Riegger. This workshop taught her many new ways to work with clay.

Soon after, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mary became a very unique and important artist in Alberta. Her beautiful artwork was shown all over the world. It appeared in many art collections and exhibitions.

In 1976, Mary was asked to be part of the Arts and Culture program. This program was held during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

Mary Borgstrom lived a long life. She passed away on April 3, 2019, at the age of 102. She died in Provost, Alberta.

What People Said About Her Art

Many people admired Mary Borgstrom's art. Here are some things they said:

• Virginia J Watt, who worked at the Canadian Guild of Crafts, said: "Her art is simple and strong. This makes her primitive style pure and elegant."
• The Alberta Art Foundation said about one of her pieces: "Her artwork shows how civilization grew in a special way on the Canadian prairies."
• The Canadian Guild of Crafts Quebec gave Mary the "Award of Excellence." This was a big honor for her.
• Eileen Lewenstein and Emmanuel Cooper wrote in their book "New Ceramics": "Mary Borgstrom, who lives in a rural area of Alberta, has helped many people become interested in primitive pottery."

How She Made Her Art

Mary Borgstrom often said that nature inspired her art. She would look for her own art materials in the natural areas around her childhood home. This included finding and preparing her own clay.

Later in her life, Mary set up her pottery workshop right there. She used a "primitive technique" for making pottery and working with clay. This method is sometimes called "primitive firing."

In this process, a potter uses a special handmade oven called a raku kiln. Mary would fire her clay pieces, known as raku ware, at very hot temperatures for a long time. This special way of working helped Mary feel a strong connection to her art.

Her Art in Collections

In 1971, twenty-five of Mary's clay artworks were shown at the Canadian Guild of Handicrafts. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts bought some of these pieces. This led to her invitation to the 1976 Summer Olympics art program.

Mary Borgstrom's art is now kept in collections around the world, including in Japan and England. You can also see several of her pieces in Canadian art galleries. These include the Art Gallery of Alberta and the National Gallery of Canada.