Two more North Shore residents are joining the Order of Canada.
West Vancouver ceramic artist Tam Irving, and Canada’s pandemic-era deputy minister of health Stephen Lucas are among the latest to receive the highest civilian honour the country bestows on artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, philanthropists and civil servants.
Gov. Gen. General Mary Simon made the announcement on June 30.
Irving said the induction to the order comes as a great tribute.
“When I got notice of the award, I was pretty amazed and flattered,” said Irving. “I was very happy.”
Although Irving, 92, always had an interest in ceramics, he initially obtained a degree in agriculture and worked as a chemist for Shell until he decided to take up his true passion in 1964.
Irving’s curiosity in the artf orm was first piqued during his childhood while he was living in Cascais, Portugal with his mother who had imported an electric kiln and would ask local potters to throw pots for her so she could decorate them.
Irving was also intrigued by the small-scale factories in Portugal that were turning out earthenware pieces.
Irving became internationally recognized for a distinct technique in his work: making his own glazes from materials that he finds in the environment.
“I had a crushing plant in my studio where I would crush rocks that I found in various parts of the province and then ground them down to fine powder and made glazes from them,” explained Irving. “My pots are very much B.C. because they’re made from B.C. rocks, or at least the glazes are.”
Irving said he felt “extremely honoured” to be representing B.C. through his appointment of the Order of Canada.
The artist said he believes that the use of ceramics in art is special.
“Because it can be anything from pots to sculptures, and there’s a huge range of expression with that particular medium,” he said.
Though many in the fine arts have been named to the Order of Canada, few have been ones who worked in his chosen medium.
“Finally, ceramic pots are being recognized as an art form,” he said.
Having taught ceramics for 20 years, Irving remains a professor emeritus at Emily Carr University of Art and Design.
He encourages young artists to “stick to their guns.”
“Go on doing what moves you,” he said.
Lucas is also being recognized for several contributions to the nation over his career. He worked as a geologist, exploring the Canadian Shield for the Geological Survey of Canada, and acted as deputy minister of Health Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zain Alragheb is a student intern reporting for the North Shore News. She can be reached at [email protected].
