Breakaway Pottery

Al Scott

Al Scott received his PhD. in Educational Psychology from the University of Alberta in 1969. In 1974, Josef Buchanan introduced him to pottery recreationally at the University of Alberta Students Union evening program. In 1977 a course taught by Meredith Evans led to five years of extension course training by a fourth generation Kyoto potter, Noboru Kubo. After a recess from pottery for fifteen years, during which time Al was fully engaged in the practice of Clinical Psychology, he retired in 1997, moving to Vernon, B.C. and resumed cultivating his interest in pottery. He has subsequently studied glazing with Robin Hopper, throwing techniques from Steven Hill, Tom Coleman and Suze Lindsay, Matt Long and Bill Shinn as well as firing techniques from Randy Brodnax at Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts at Pearson College near Victoria, B.C.

Al has successfully had pottery accepted in juried shows with pieces being in private collections in Canada, the United States, England, Australia, Austria and Japan. Prior to establishing his teaching studio at the Keddleston school on Silver Star Road, Al taught workshops at the Vernon Community Arts Centre. His work is displayed for sale at the Vernon Art Gallery and Gallery Odin at Silver Star Mountain Ski Resort in Vernon.

Al works primarily in Cone 6 oxidation Stoneware using Laguna Bmix5 but also occasionally uses Coleman Porcelain to cone 10 oxidation and in his woodfire kiln. The clay of choice for Raku and Pitfiring is WSO.

Al, a member of the potters guild of British Columbia, is also a member of the Okanagan Potters Association participating in their shows normally held in Kelowna and Vernon.