Lisa Wilkinson

Lisa grew up in southern Ontario and moved to Calgary to pursue a graduate degree in ecology (studying bats) and be close to the mountains. It was also in Calgary where Lisa took her first pottery class and was immediately hooked.

Lisa now lives in Edson where she is a Species at Risk Biologist/Bat Specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks. The job has allowed her to pursue her goal of wildlife conservation, while the location has provided myriad opportunities to enjoy and observe nature. The local potter's guild helped her to expand her potting abilities and branch out in new directions, initially focusing on wheel throwing.

Eventually, Lisa began sculpting, combining her passions: wildlife and clay. Lisa has experimented with different clay types and firing techniques to achieve realistic, and sometimes stylized, sculptures. She favours raku because of the outdoor, hands-on process, involving the subtle interplay of fire, air and temperature. Surrendering her carefully crafted pieces to the vagaries of the raku process can be risky, but the unique results are worth it.

There is a dichotomy in her sculpting because of her training as a biologist; Lisa understands anatomy, physiology and movement of animals, hence her attention to detail and realism. But as a sculptor she is interested in the overall visual appeal of her pieces, working with shape, colour, space and surface design. Trying to achieve the balance is both challenging and inspiring.

Lisa strives to capture signature aspects of her subjects and foster an appreciation for wildlife and wild places through effective use of materials and techniques. "Celebrating nature through sculpture".