Cathy Lombard

Potter, Ceramic Artist and Sculptor

About the Artist 

    Cathy graduated from OCAD University back in the day…when it was known as the Ontario College of Art and had a comprehensive Ceramic Program. She started out as a member of the Environmental Design Dept but when she discovered ceramics as an elective, she changed direction.

    After graduation from U of G, Cathy worked as a metal artist with a studio in Toronto, where she sold her work through the Merton Gallery and by using the skills of an art consultant to place her work.

    Cathy, like so many other women artists at the time, needed to take a hiatus from her profession to raise a family and for a period longer than she expected, spent her time (proudly) caring for her children while doing an array of non art related jobs.

    Cathy’s work is influenced by nature, natural forms and colours but also design trends, architecture and contemporary design.

Cathy is inspired to forge her own style when she studies other ceramic artists’ work. Currently, on Instagram, she follows Justin Rothshank, Sara Pike, Ron Philbeck, Patrick LeBlond and Akira Satake.

Cathy has many venerable favourites whose work she has always loved. Robin Hopper, Kayo O’Young, Maria Marinez, Bernard Palissy and Clarice Cliff to name a few.

     Cathy is both a skilled thrower of pots and an inventive hand-builder. She takes pride in carving her own stamps which she uses to impress motifs into soft slabs of clay used for functional work and creates small creatures that she sometimes adds to functional pieces. Cathy believes that her approach gives her work a unique look. She thinks that her gentle use of colour is, a result of having taken advanced colour theory at OCA.

   Cathy is looking forward to seeing old and new patrons at the tour this year after the disappointing cancellation of in person visits in 2019 and 2021.