John Chalke’s ‘clay paintings’ are conceptual ceramic works that dance between sculpture and painting.  Inspired by the landscape of southwestern Alberta no less than its local clay, minerals, textures, and fissures, Chalke’s works are richly textured.  Surface Tension draws on public and private collections from across Canada to explore the horses and cows, bottles and broken crockery, aerial views and archaeology of Chalke’s personal iconography.