Ontario Crafts Council
Encyclopedia
The Ontario Crafts Council (OCC) is a member-based, not-for-profit arts service organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The organization is dedicated to promoting the recognition and appreciation of craft and craftspeople in Ontario and beyond.
spearheaded by the English artist and designer William Morris
, these likeminded women shared an appreciation for handmade work that was becoming increasingly rare as industrialization brought machine-made materials and objects to the market. Motivated by a desire to arouse waning public interest in handcrafted objects, the group organized two exhibitions of craft. The first of these exhibitions was held in 1900 in Métis, Quebec. The second was in Montréal at Henry Morgan’s
department store. In 1905, the group was chartered as The Canadian Handicrafts Guild; in 1906, it was incorporated nationally.
The Canadian Handicrafts Guild is a significant organization in Canadian history whose impact extended well beyond the promotion of arts and culture. During the Depression
, for instance, the Guild opened a weaving
school in Montréal to train instructors to teach weaving to farmers in Manitoba and Alberta. Crop failures in these provinces left land workers with no money to purchase clothing. The instruction program initiated by the Guild enabled workers in Manitoba and Alberta to weave their own fabric for clothing.
In 1931 a group of Toronto individuals interested in craft joined to form the Handicrafts Association of Canada. Adelaide Marriott, who had been involved with The Canadian Handicrafts Guild, informed this new group of the existence of The Canadian Handicrafts Guild. The existence of another national craft organization having been brought to their attention, the Toronto group changed their name to the Ontario Branch of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild. In 1967 the Canadian Handicrafts Guild changed their name to Canadian Guild of Crafts, and it was, ultimately, the Canadian Guild of Crafts Ontario that amalgamated with the Ontario Craft Foundation to form the OCC.
. The Foundation was also set apart by its mandate to serve craftspeople throughout the entire province of Ontario since its funding was largely drawn from tax payer dollars.
was formed of twelve board members from each founding organization. In October 1975, the first meeting of the Interim Board of Directors of the Ontario Crafts Council was held, though the organization was not patented until August 1976. The founding president of the board was Toronto philanthropist Joan Chalmers
.
The Craft Gallery is unique in that many of its exhibitions are framed within a critical context that is relatively uncommon when presenting works of craft. For instance, The Craft Gallery’s 2009 exhibition DIwhy, for which the council partnered with Toronto Craft Alert to organize, examined the social and political origins of the DIY
movement and the ways in which its aesthetic and driving philosophy have infiltrated wider craft and art making practices.
In addition to establishing a strong curatorial focus for its exhibitions, of utmost importance to the OCC is that its yearly programming reflects the diversity of its members. OCC members may apply for exhibitions at The Craft Gallery, and they are encouraged to submit their work to OCC juried shows.
The present-day awards the OCC offers have their origin in the awards established by the women’s committee of The Canadian Handicrafts Guild. The women’s committee recognized a need for scholarships that would enable makers to further their studies in the field. Lacking funds to initiate such an endeavour, the women’s committee arranged an exhibition of a portion of the Salvidore Dali collection of “Art in Jewels,”
owned by the Cheatham Foundation of New York. The exhibition was on display at the Royal Ontario Museum
and successfully raised $4,760 for the scholarship fund. In fact, the exhibition drew in the largest number of visitors for a single exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum to date.
The Mather Award medal was designed by Jim Wies. A hand and the OCC logo decorate one side of the medal, which is cast in bronze in high relief
. The reverse side of the medal has the inscription: “The Ontario Crafts Council awards this medal in appreciation of your contribution to craft in Ontario.” The Mather family commissions the casting of the medals as well as the presentation piece for the medal, designed by Toronto-based artist and woodworker Joel Robson. In the past, this presentation piece was designed by Michael Fortune.
district is the OCC’s retail location. Since the OCC's origins as The Canadian Handicrafts Guild Ontario, retail sales have been an integral component of the OCC. Members of the OCC may submit their work for consideration to be sold at The Guild Shop, the proceeds of which support the livelihood of individual makers, as well as help support general OCC programming. The Guild Shop represents approximately 400 craftspeople from across Canada.
The Guild Shop is known in Toronto as one of the premier locations in the city for purchasing one-of-a-kind, handmade objects. Throughout its existence, a number of well-known celebrities and political figures have shopped at The Guild Shop, including Bill Clinton
, Margaret Atwood
, Jeanne Beker
, Christopher Plummer
, Beau Bridges
, Robin Williams
, Whoopie Goldberg and Rachel McAdams
.
, from 1965 to 1969. An outlet was also open at Trillium Terminal 3 at Pearson International Airport in 1991; however, this location proved unprofitable and was closed after 10 months. At one point, The Guild Shop also had work available for purchase in the CN Tower
gift shop. The Guild Shop has been located at its present location of 118 Cumberland since 1995.
Of the services the OCC provides to members, among the greatest impact on craftspeople are the group health and dental programs; the discount rates on business, home, and auto insurance; as well as the merchant discount rates on Visa, Mastercard, and Interac that are available through the OCC.
Portfolio of Makers is an affordable and simple way for OCC members to advertise their work online. As a result, the database has proven to be a popular resource for craftspeople as well as designers, craft collectors, corporations, and the general public.
, who also designed the iconic Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
logo.
History
The OCC was founded in 1976 through the merger of the Canadian Guild of Crafts Ontario, established in 1931, and the Ontario Craft Foundation, established in 1966.The Canadian Handicrafts Guild (The Canadian Guild of Crafts Ontario)
The Canadian Handicrafts Guild originated at the turn of the twentieth century in Montreal as a result of the dual efforts of Alice Peck (née Skelton) and Mary (May) Phillips. In the same spirit as the Arts and Crafts MovementArts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
spearheaded by the English artist and designer William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, these likeminded women shared an appreciation for handmade work that was becoming increasingly rare as industrialization brought machine-made materials and objects to the market. Motivated by a desire to arouse waning public interest in handcrafted objects, the group organized two exhibitions of craft. The first of these exhibitions was held in 1900 in Métis, Quebec. The second was in Montréal at Henry Morgan’s
Morgan's
Morgan's was a Montreal-based Canadian department store chain. At its peak, the company had stores in Quebec and Ontario...
department store. In 1905, the group was chartered as The Canadian Handicrafts Guild; in 1906, it was incorporated nationally.
The Canadian Handicrafts Guild is a significant organization in Canadian history whose impact extended well beyond the promotion of arts and culture. During the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, for instance, the Guild opened a weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
school in Montréal to train instructors to teach weaving to farmers in Manitoba and Alberta. Crop failures in these provinces left land workers with no money to purchase clothing. The instruction program initiated by the Guild enabled workers in Manitoba and Alberta to weave their own fabric for clothing.
In 1931 a group of Toronto individuals interested in craft joined to form the Handicrafts Association of Canada. Adelaide Marriott, who had been involved with The Canadian Handicrafts Guild, informed this new group of the existence of The Canadian Handicrafts Guild. The existence of another national craft organization having been brought to their attention, the Toronto group changed their name to the Ontario Branch of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild. In 1967 the Canadian Handicrafts Guild changed their name to Canadian Guild of Crafts, and it was, ultimately, the Canadian Guild of Crafts Ontario that amalgamated with the Ontario Craft Foundation to form the OCC.
Ontario Craft Foundation
The Ontario Craft Foundation was established in June 1966 following a series of recommendations developed at two provincial conferences. Succinctly, it was recommended that an organization be established whose primary aim would be to promote the development of craft in Ontario. Thus, the Ontario Craft Foundation was formed. One of the key achievements in the history of the Ontario Craft Foundation is the establishment of Sheridan College School of DesignSheridan College
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a diploma and degree granting Canadian polytechnic institute with approximately 15,000 full time students and 35,000 continuing education students...
. The Foundation was also set apart by its mandate to serve craftspeople throughout the entire province of Ontario since its funding was largely drawn from tax payer dollars.
The Formation of the OCC
The OCC was formed when, in the 1970s, it was evident that there was confusion surrounding the mandates of the two independent provincial craft organizations and overlap of their programming and services. From 1973 to 1975, a series of meetings were held to discuss a merger between the Canadian Guild of Crafts and the Ontario Craft Foundation. A new boardBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
was formed of twelve board members from each founding organization. In October 1975, the first meeting of the Interim Board of Directors of the Ontario Crafts Council was held, though the organization was not patented until August 1976. The founding president of the board was Toronto philanthropist Joan Chalmers
Joan Chalmers
Margaret Joan Chalmers, is a Canadian philanthropist and supporter of the arts.In 1972, she and her parents, Floyd and Jean Chalmers, founded the annual Chalmers Awards, which donates $25,000 CAD to artists in dance, theatre, crafts, film, the visual arts and music.She was involved with the...
.
The OCC Gallery
The Craft Gallery or the OCC Gallery opened in 1976 when the exhibition committees of the Canadian Guild of Crafts Ontario and the Ontario Craft Foundation merged. Historically, The Craft Gallery has been housed in the same building as the council’s administrative offices, and this is still true today.The Craft Gallery is unique in that many of its exhibitions are framed within a critical context that is relatively uncommon when presenting works of craft. For instance, The Craft Gallery’s 2009 exhibition DIwhy, for which the council partnered with Toronto Craft Alert to organize, examined the social and political origins of the DIY
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
movement and the ways in which its aesthetic and driving philosophy have infiltrated wider craft and art making practices.
In addition to establishing a strong curatorial focus for its exhibitions, of utmost importance to the OCC is that its yearly programming reflects the diversity of its members. OCC members may apply for exhibitions at The Craft Gallery, and they are encouraged to submit their work to OCC juried shows.
Studio Magazine
Studio: Craft and Design in Canada is the OCC’s biannually published magazine. It is the descendent of a number of past OCC publications – specifically, of Craftsman, which ran from 1976 to 1980 and was reborn as Ontario Craft in 1981. In 2006, the OCC launched Studio, revamping the publication’s focus and design, and since then has partnered with the Crafts Association of British Columbia, Alberta Craft Council, the Saskatchewan Craft Council, and the Craft Council of Newfoundland & Labrador to make the magazine a nationally distributed publication.Awards and Scholarships
The OCC has an awards and scholarships program through which it distributes approximately thirty awards annually. Awards are given out to both emerging and established makers.The present-day awards the OCC offers have their origin in the awards established by the women’s committee of The Canadian Handicrafts Guild. The women’s committee recognized a need for scholarships that would enable makers to further their studies in the field. Lacking funds to initiate such an endeavour, the women’s committee arranged an exhibition of a portion of the Salvidore Dali collection of “Art in Jewels,”
Dalí-Jewels
Dalí-Joies is a permanent exhibition at the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres , for which the architect Òscar Tusquets has completely refurbished a building annexed to the museum. The two floors that house the collection of jewels have an entrance independent from that of the museum, and can...
owned by the Cheatham Foundation of New York. The exhibition was on display at the Royal Ontario Museum
Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With its main entrance facing Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, the museum is situated north of Queen's Park and east of Philosopher's Walk in the University of Toronto...
and successfully raised $4,760 for the scholarship fund. In fact, the exhibition drew in the largest number of visitors for a single exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum to date.
Mather Award
Since 1981, the OCC has recognized individuals for outstanding contribution to crafts over an extended period with a Mather Award. The namesake of the award, John Mather, was President and Managing Director of Indusmin Limited. Through the company’s association with glass and ceramic production, Mather became a firm supporter of craft, serving as President of the Ontario Crafts Foundation in 1972 and the founding treasurer of the OCC. After Mather’s death in a plane crash in 1977, the OCC honoured Mather through the establishment of the John Mather Award, which is administered by the Executive Committee of the OCC. Originally awarded to three individuals annually, the award is now given to one individual each year, a change that has increased the already high level of prestige associated with the award.The Mather Award medal was designed by Jim Wies. A hand and the OCC logo decorate one side of the medal, which is cast in bronze in high relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
. The reverse side of the medal has the inscription: “The Ontario Crafts Council awards this medal in appreciation of your contribution to craft in Ontario.” The Mather family commissions the casting of the medals as well as the presentation piece for the medal, designed by Toronto-based artist and woodworker Joel Robson. In the past, this presentation piece was designed by Michael Fortune.
Past Recipients of the Mather Award
- 2010: Lily Yung
- 2009: David Kaye, Lillian Forrester, Jonathon Bancroft-Snell
- 2008: Anne Chambers, Peter Fleming, Carolynn Pynn-Trudeau
- 2007: Melanie Egan, Alice Fournier, Kent Farndale
- 2006: Herbert O. Bunt, Gilles Latour, Rosemary Swan
- 2005: Judy Donaldson, Ruth Haig, Brian Truscott
- 2004: Bruce Cochrane, Pat James, Robert Têtu
- 2003: Keith Campbell, Doug Farndale, Ann Roberts
- 2002: Aggie Beynon,Winifred Shantz, Harold Takayesu
- 2001: Paulus Tjang, Melinda Mayhall, Susan Jefferies
- 2000: Jan Waldorf, Donn Zver, Jonathan E. Smith
- 1999: Anne Sneath, Gail Crawford, Peta Hall
- 1998: William Hodge, Judith Tinkl, Ann Suzuki
- 1997: Joan Francis, Edith Pierce,Mary Walker
- 1996: Eric Poschman, Bill Corcoran, David McAleese & Alison Wiggins
- 1995: Scott Barnim, Anne Barros, Alison Vallance
- 1994: Heather Daymond,Wendy Shingler, Adrienne Van Riemsdijk
- 1993: Ron Roy, Shelagh Smith, Frank Tucker
- 1992: Barb Bolin, Mary Corcoran, David Wilde
- 1991: Susan Eckenwalder, Elizabeth Kantor, Ruth Markowitz
- 1990: Eunice Anders, Suzann Greenaway, Steve Irvine
- 1989: Robert Jekyll, Ted Carson, Leta Cormier
- 1988: Paula Letki, C. Kennedy May, Alice Peck Slavin
- 1987: Ankaret Dean, Joan Foster, Ann Mortimer
- 1986: Barbara Mather, Donald A. Stuart, Vincent Tovell, Susan Willoughby
- 1985: Dorthy Burnham C.M., Stephen Hogbin,Walter Sunahara
- 1984: Jean Johnson, Richard LaPrairie, Karen Smith
- 1983: Jean Burke, Elizabeth Dingman, Mary Eileen Hogg C.M.
- 1982: Helen Francis Gregor C.M., Dr. Franc Joubom, Yvonne Williams
- 1981: Tommia Vaughan-Jones, Hero Kielman, Donald McKinley
The Guild Shop
The Guild Shop in Toronto’s YorkvilleYorkville, Toronto
Yorkville is a district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, well known for its shopping. It is a former village, annexed by the City of Toronto. It is roughly bounded by Bloor Street to the south, Davenport Road to the north, Yonge Street to the east and Avenue Road to the west, and is considered part of...
district is the OCC’s retail location. Since the OCC's origins as The Canadian Handicrafts Guild Ontario, retail sales have been an integral component of the OCC. Members of the OCC may submit their work for consideration to be sold at The Guild Shop, the proceeds of which support the livelihood of individual makers, as well as help support general OCC programming. The Guild Shop represents approximately 400 craftspeople from across Canada.
The Guild Shop is known in Toronto as one of the premier locations in the city for purchasing one-of-a-kind, handmade objects. Throughout its existence, a number of well-known celebrities and political figures have shopped at The Guild Shop, including Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
, Jeanne Beker
Jeanne Beker
Jeanne Beker is a Canadian television personality, author and newspaper columnist, who covers fashion and lifestyle news for CTV's FashionTelevision, FashionTelevisionChannel, and The Toronto Star.-Family:...
, Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
, Beau Bridges
Beau Bridges
Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III is an American actor and director.- Early life :Bridges was born in Los Angeles, the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and his college sweetheart, Dorothy Bridges . He was nicknamed "Beau" by his mother and father after Ashley Wilkes's son in Gone with the Wind, the book...
, Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, Whoopie Goldberg and Rachel McAdams
Rachel McAdams
Rachel Anne McAdams is a Canadian actress. After graduating from a theatre program at York University, Toronto in 2001, she worked steadily as an actress until finding fame in 2004 with starring roles in teen comedy Mean Girls and romantic drama The Notebook...
.
Branches
As with the OCC offices and gallery, The Guild Shop has also experienced a number of incarnations throughout its existence. In its beginnings, The Canadian Guild of Crafts Ontario had work available for purchase at its locations on Cumberland Street, Bloor Street, and, at their very outset, in Eaton’s department store. At times, The Guild Shop had secondary outlets at various locations throughout Toronto and the wider province, including in Stratford, OntarioStratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
, from 1965 to 1969. An outlet was also open at Trillium Terminal 3 at Pearson International Airport in 1991; however, this location proved unprofitable and was closed after 10 months. At one point, The Guild Shop also had work available for purchase in the CN Tower
CN Tower
The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...
gift shop. The Guild Shop has been located at its present location of 118 Cumberland since 1995.
Membership Benefits
As a member-based organization, the OCC offers many benefits and services to its members. As a member of the OCC, craftspeople are eligible to apply for OCC awards and scholarships as well as OCC-sponsored juried exhibitions. Members also receive discounted rates on OCC workshops, seminars, and conferences as well as complimentary admission to various galleries throughout Ontario. In addition to these discounts, members pay a reduced rate to advertise in OCC publications and on purchases at The Guild Shop. Members also receive regular communication and invitations from the OCC, including two issues of Studio: Craft and Design in Canada.Of the services the OCC provides to members, among the greatest impact on craftspeople are the group health and dental programs; the discount rates on business, home, and auto insurance; as well as the merchant discount rates on Visa, Mastercard, and Interac that are available through the OCC.
Portfolio of Makers
The OCC’s Portfolio of Makers is an online database of craftspeople accessible through the OCC website from which the public may commission works of craft. The OCC launched Portfolio of Makers online in October 2001. Prior to this, a hardcopy version of the program was available at the now defunct Craft Resource Centre of the OCC. In addition to housing this first, hardcopy incarnation of Portfolio of Makers, The Craft Resource Centre was recognized as being “one of Canada’s largest and most comprehensive libraries specializing in the craft field.”Portfolio of Makers is an affordable and simple way for OCC members to advertise their work online. As a result, the database has proven to be a popular resource for craftspeople as well as designers, craft collectors, corporations, and the general public.
Logo
The OCC logo pictured at the top of this page was designed by Debbie Adams of Adams + Associates Design Consultants Incorporated based in Toronto, Ontario. The weaving symbol that has been incorporated in the bottom, left corner was designed by the well known graphic designer Burton KramerBurton Kramer
Burton Kramer, O.Ont is a prominent graphic designer and artist who lives and works in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Biography:Born in 1932, Kramer began working in the late 1950s and his work was prominent at Expo 67, where he designed the wayfinding system, among other contributions. His work from...
, who also designed the iconic Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
logo.
Notable Members
Numerous past and present OCC members have been awarded the Saidye Bronfman Award. The Saidye Bronfman Award is “Canada’s foremost distinction for excellence in the fine crafts,” and is one of the highest honours a craftsperson can receive. The chart below lists past or present OCC members who have received the award.| Kevin Lockau | 2009 | Michael C. Fortune | 1993 |
| Paul Mathieu | 2007 | Susan Warner-Keene | 1991 |
| Michael Hosaluk | 2005 | Dorothy Caldwell | 1990 |
| Kai Hung Chan | 2002 | Harlan House | 1989 |
| Léopold L. Foulem | 2001 | Lutz Haufschild | 1988 |
| Peter Fleming | 2000 | Carole Sabiston | 1987 |
| Susan Low-Beer | 1999 | Lois Etherington Betteridge | 1978 |
| Marcel Marois | 1998 | Robin Hopper | 1977 |
| William (Grit) Laskin | 1997 |
Further reading
- Crawford, Gail. A Fine Line. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1998.
- Crawford, Gail. Studio Ceramics in Canada. Fredericton,NB: Goose Lane Editions, 2005.
- Elder, Alan C., Sandra Flood, and Stephen Inglis. Transformation: Prix Saiye Bronfman Award 1977–1996. Hull, QC: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1998.
- McLeod, Ellen Easton. In Good Hands: The Women of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild. Montreal: Carleton University Press, 1999.