Robin Hopper

Robin Hopper was an internationally known potter, teacher and author. He taught throughout Canada, the U.S.A., and in England, Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, and Japan. His ceramic work is in public, corporate and private collections throughout the world.

Robin’s work in ceramics spanned over many years including a great deal of ceramic historical and technical research, and studio involvement with both functional production and one-of-a-kind art works, primarily in porcelain.

Born in England in 1939, he attended Croydon College of Art (1956-1961). He developed studios in both England and Canada, where he immigrated in 1968. After two years teaching in Toronto at Central Technical School, he set up and headed the Ceramics and Glass Department at Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario. In 1972 he resigned from teaching to devote full energies to his work in ceramics and relocated to Victoria, B.C., Canada in 1977. Robin passed away in 2017.

Robin was the first recipient of the Bronfman Award, Canada’s most prestigious annual award in the crafts, and the NCECA Honors Award for Lifetime Achievement and Service to Ceramic Education. Just before his passing, he received the Order of Canada. He was the author of 'The Ceramic Spectrum', 'Functional Pottery', a new edition of Daniel Rhodes 'Clay and Glazes for the Potter', 'Stayin' Alive', 'Making Marks: Discovering the Ceramic Surface', and Robin Hopper Ceramics: A Lifetime of Works, Ideas and Teachings". He has written many articles in major international ceramics publications and was the Founder and Director of the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts.