I’ve always loved handmade pottery. Over the years, I’ve collected pieces here and there – from little studios on trips around the province to unexpected finds I simply couldn’t leave behind. There’s something about a mug or bowl made by someone’s hands that carries a quiet kind of magic.

In October 2023, I finally had a chance to take a local “intro to pottery” class. I was immediately hooked. While I’ve always had some kind of art hobby – printmaking, collage, quilting – clay became an obsession almost overnight. After that first class, which focused mostly on handbuilding, I signed up for a wheel throwing class soon after. I haven’t looked back.

Since then, I’ve continued learning wherever I can. After those first two formal classes, I dove into self-teaching: videos, books, articles, online workshops, and demos. I’ve taken workshops with Lesley Macinally, Akira Satake, Naomi Clement, and Matt and Rose Katz, and I’ve absorbed countless hours of YouTube tutorials. I became a Silver member of the International Ceramic Arts Network, gaining access to Pottery Illustrated, Ceramics Monthly, and the ClayFlicks library. More recently, I joined Naomi Clement’s Maker’s Spark group to stay connected with other makers on this journey.

Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to purchase a secondhand kiln and pottery wheel, setting up a small studio in my basement. Having my own space has been transformative. No longer limited to the community studio schedule, I can work whenever inspiration strikes, and my skills have grown so much faster with that freedom.

Pottery brings me an incredible sense of calm and focus. As soon as I step into my studio, the rest of the world falls away. I lose myself in the rhythm of clay – learning, experimenting, making real, physical objects I can use in daily life. There is a quiet, profound satisfaction in shaping something from nothing.

Right now, I’m still early in my ceramics journey, focused on building skills and finding my personal voice in clay. I’ve just started learning to mix my own glazes, aiming for colours and surfaces that feel more true to my aesthetic than most commercial options. My next big goal is to develop a signature mug – something that feels uniquely mine – and to become confident throwing large bowls, the kind that elevate an ordinary meal into a small ritual. I’m also diving deeper into handbuilding, exploring the limitless shapes and forms that go beyond the inherent roundness of wheel-thrown pieces.

I’m not sure yet exactly where this journey will lead me, but for now, I’m simply grateful for the clay, the learning, and the quiet hours spent making.