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Keith Campbell, the second eldest of five children, was born in 1947 in Hamilton, Ontario, as Keith Thomas Campbell. He was raised in Hamilton until 1951, and Niagara Falls, Ontario from 1951 to 1967.In 1967, Keith moved to Port Credit, Ontario, where he did a three-year diploma in glass and ceramics. He studied under Robert Held, Vivika Heino, and Ruth McKinley. He was the first graduate in glass in Canada. In 1969, he worked as a pottery studio technician at Sheridan College for one year, and was simultaneously assistant to Jack Sures. In 1970, he moved to Chatham, Ontario, where he was a ceramics instructor at St. Clair College from 1970 to 1971. In the summer of 1970 and 1971, he was a ceramics instructor for pottery at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1971, he moved to London, Ontario.
In 1971, he married Terry Malouin, with whom he has a daughter, Alex Maeve.
In 1972, they moved to Toronto, Ontario. That year, he was a glass instructor at Sheridan College for summer school, and he founded the ceramics program at George Brown College in Toronto, developing the program from one full-time faculty member to four full-time faculty members within five years. In 1976, the Ontario Craft Council building completed its renovations, with Keith among the contributors to its needs, under the direction of architect, Raymond Moiyama. In 1977, he and his wife moved to North Bay, where he currently resides. In 1977, he was a founder of the Artsperience program at Canadore College in North Bay. He became the director of the program in 1980.
Keith is a founding member of the Boreal North Sculpture Association (2004); Ceramic Masters Canada (now the Clay & Glass Museum, Waterloo, Ontario); Fusion (in which he has Elder status) (1978); Ontario Potters Association (1975); Nipissing Stage Company (1999); North Bay Arts Council; North Bay Art and Craft Co-op; White Water Gallery in (1977); and the W.K.P. Kennedy Gallery (1987), and he has served on the board of the Institute for Northern Culture and Arts Research INCARD. He is currently on the board of Fusion (1997-).
Solo exhibitions include Keith Campbell: Northern Myth (2006, W. K. P. Kennedy Gallery, North Bay, Ontario), The Emerging Figure (2001, White Water Gallery, North Bay, Ontario), Art in Public Places (1998, Capitol Centre, North Bay, Ontario), The Flying Fat Lady Returns (1994, Attic Gallery, Sudbury, Ontario), Untitled (works created for a visit by Queen Elizabeth II of England to North Bay, 1997, Capitol Centre) as well as exhibitions at Old Bronte Post Office Gallery, Oakville, Ontario (1986), Art Gallery of Temiskaming (1985, Haileybury, Ontario), Ontario Potters Association Gallery (1982), Craft Gallery, Toronto (1981), White Water Gallery (1978), Ontario Potters Association Gallery (1977, Toronto), Canadian Guild of Potters Gallery, Toronto (1976), Crafts Gallery, Toronto (1973), and Leamington Gallery (1971, Leamington, Ontario).
In 1993, Keith received a Governor General's Award (Canada's 125th Commemorative Medal) for his contributions to crafts and his community.
He created a student scholarship in 2000 called The Keith Campbell Scholarship, given to a Canadore College arts student from the sale of work initially made for the visit by Queen Elizabeth II of England to North Bay in 1997.
He received grants from the Ontario Arts Council in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1992, 2004 and 2006; from the Canada Council for the Arts in 1979; and from the Canadian Guild of Crafts in 1970.
Keith's works are in private, public and corporate collections, including the Art Gallery of Temiskaming (Haileybury, Ontario); Benson and Hedges (New York); Ontario Potters Association (Toronto, Ontario); Canadian Clay and Glass Museum, Indusmin Collection (Waterloo, Ontario); Canadore College (North Bay); Fusion: Clay and Glass Association (Burlington Art Gallery, Burlington, Ontario); Imperial Oil (Toronto, Ontario) Koffler Collection (Toronto, Ontario); London Potters Guild (London, Ontario); Ministry of Correctional Services (North Bay, Ontario); National Museum of Civilization (Hull, Québec); Ontario Northland Railways (North Bay, Ontario); R.E.M. (North Bay, Ontario); Royal Ontario Museum (Hidden Treasures Collection, Toronto); and University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta).
(The biographical information featured here was written in consultation with the artist in 2006.)
Interview:
The setting for our interview is Keith Campbell's office, which is in itself a mini exhibition of his complex talent and skill. Campbell is a sculptural artist, teacher,and advocate of the arts.
As a young boy, growing up in Niagara Falls, Keith says that to create was always a "natural thing" for him. As a result he enrolled in the Glass and Ceramics Program at the Sheridan College School of Design in Port Credit where he developed his passion for clay as well as specializing in glass and winning the 1st Glass award in Canada. In 1972, after teaching at Mohawk College and St. Clair College, he initiated and developed the Ceramics program at George Brown College in Toronto where he remained for five years.
In 1977, he moved to North Bay and became employed at Canadore College as a professor in ceramics. He is still currently employed at Canadore and was part of the original group of individuals who created a northern Ontario summer school, "Artsperience" in 1977. Since becoming the Director of Artsperience in 1980, Keith has organized and executed the development and expansion of the unique Summer School of the arts while showcasing top professional artists in all fields.
As a renowned artists and crafts person, he has exhibited his works in over 250 exhibitions winning more the 35 awards. The magical and tactile quality of clay has drawn Keith to this particular medium and the major theme which he reiterates in his work is humour. He described how through his art he likes to make people laugh and look at things in a different way. He stated that at the present time his work not only reflects his "tongue in cheek" approach but he also wants to convey more of a political statement than he has in the past.
Living in the north has impacted Campbell's work in a significant way. Specifically, he strives to incorporate the rich cultural heritage of the north in his art so that people will be more aware of the depth and quality of the northern perspective. Works such as the "snow worm series", a vase etched with Grey Owl's face and the latest "beaver balls" creation are vivid examples of how the north has influenced Keith's artistic expression. Keith emphasizes the importance of interacting with his work and how he wants people to react to his work by touching it and responding to it emotionally and intellectually. Keith's commitment to the north is also manifested in the support he offers to numerous community organizations by donating his works of art as well as his involvement in projects as "Ice Follies" and Eat your Art Out" plate auction for the W. K. P. Kennedy Gallery.
His artistic expression reflects a unique creativity, energy and humour which also permeates his personality, his teaching and his ability to give of himself to his community and to advocate on behalf of northern Ontario
Keith Campbell is in the process of sending works off to numerous provincial and national juried exhibits. At the end of January his work was juried into a national exhibition called "Celebrate Craft" in St.John's, Newfoundland. He is also having a one person exhibition at the Station Gallery in Whitby, Ontario in July and August. This exhibition is being curated by Gil McElroy and is called "Keith Campbell: The turn of the screw".
(By Kathy Eckler, based on an interview in winter, 2006).
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Keith Campbell2006
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Keith Campbell, The Emerging Figure (installation view)2001
White Water Gallery, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
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Keith Campbell, Description of work1997
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Keith Campbell, Artist statement1990s
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