Crawford, Gail 1932–

(M. Gail Crawford)

PERSONAL:

Born August 26, 1932, in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada; daughter of William E. (a wholesaler) and Sarah M. (a nurse) MacDonald; married Gerald A. Crawford (an engineer), May 5, 1962; children: Jane, Andrew. Ethnicity: ‘British Isles.’ Education: Dalhousie University, B.A., 1955; University of Toronto, M.A., 1974. Hobbies and other interests: Books, travel, theater, opera.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

CAREER:

Canadian Broadcasting Corp., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, radio producer of talk and public affairs programs, 1959-62; Ontario Crafts Council, Toronto, editor, 1988-92, director of publications, 1990-92; freelance writer and editor. Exhibitions: Cocurator of exhibitions ‘A Fine Line: Studio Crafts in Ontario from 1930-Present,’ Art Gallery of Mississauga, 2000, and a touring ceramic exhibition for Burlington Art Centre, 2007-08.

MEMBER:

Writers Union of Canada, University Women's Club (Mississauga branch).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Award from Institute for Education by Radio-Television, Ohio State University, 1961, for a radio production; Jean A. Chalmers grants for the crafts, 1993, 1999; grants from Ontario Heritage Foundation, 1994, and Ontario Arts Council, 1995, 1999; Ontario Crafts Council, John Mather Medal, 1999, and Critical Craft Writing Award, 2003.

WRITINGS:

A Fine Line: Studio Crafts in Ontario, 1930-Present, Dundurn Press (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1998.

Studio Ceramics in Canada, 1920-2005, Goose Lane Editions (Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada), 2005.

Contributor of articles and reviews to exhibition catalogs and magazines, including This Side Up!, Fusion, Crafts Report, Select Homes, and Contact. Editor, CraftNews, 1988-92; guest editor, Ontario Craft, 1999, 2001.

SIDELIGHTS:

Gail Crawford told CA: ‘My feet are firmly implanted in the nonfiction genre and within that, I am drawn to history. My books are examinations of culture, in this case fine craft, and how it developed and flourished in our contemporary culture. I am also drawn to images, so my work is liberally illustrated. In Canada there are no templates for what I do, no prior examples to follow. My approach is rather documentary in style, to which I was introduced as a radio producer with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto."