Martha (Nickoloff) James studied ceramics, photography and drawing at the University of Calgary and received her BFA in 1976.
Further studies in Florence, Italy (art history) and the Banff Centre For the Arts (ceramics) followed.
In 1984 Martha was a finalist in The Perfect Setting, a national competition and year long travelling exhibition organized by the Ontario Potters Association to select a large dinnerware set for Government House in Ottawa.
Gordon James attended the Alberta College of Art (now Alberta University of the Arts) and graduated in 1976. His main area of study was pottery and ceramics, but he discovered a love of printmaking while at ACA.
Gordon also studied art history in Florence, Italy in 1974 and printmaking at North Island College in 2016 -17.
Gordon's work has been exhibited in numerous group and dual artist exhibitions in Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia and the USA. His solo exhibition of painting and installation, Site Seer, was shown at the Campbell River Art Gallery in 2002.
Martha has participated in many local, regional and national exhibitions and in 2009 her solo exhibition of ceramic sculpture and photography, Surface Tension, was shown at the Campbell River Art Gallery.
Martha and Gordon met in high school in Calgary. After finishing art school they married and moved to Quadra Island where they set up their first pottery studio and kiln.
In 1979 Martha and Gordon purchased their own property, a 9 acre lot on the south tip of Quadra with a small house, an old orchard and the remains of the original farmhouse which they proceeded to renovate and expand to create the permanent studio. Later additions included the gallery showroom, kiln shed and upstairs printmaking studio.
Today James Pottery continues to create a wide variety of pottery, sculpture and prints.
Martha and Gordon love to welcome visitors to their studio and gallery year-round.
