Potters' guild offers custom-crafted gift ideas for holiday shoppers

The Saskatoon Potters’ Guild brought out hundreds of holiday shopper for its Christmas sale at the Albert Community Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
Local artists filled tables with their creations and pandemic stockpiles.
This was the first winter sale since the beginning of the pandemic for the group, more than a dozen artists have been hard at work making clay pieces in different mediums.
With plenty of time on their hands for the last two years, the artists’ collections were starting to get full.
“I think a lot of people had saved up a lot,” said Gail Sherwin. “We had a spring sale but not everybody was in it, and we have a lot of new members to the guild and they were really excited and enthused. We’re happy to have them here.”
While most of the artists were selling their work, others were giving demonstrations — and the process of turning a lump of clay into a piece of art was mesmerizing to watch.
“I think the kids are surprised at how slimy it gets, and they’re surprised that clay is actually dirt,” said Tina Morton, who did clay-throwing demonstrations, where the clay spins on a rotating table, formed with the fingers and some water.
While it’s a satisfying process to watch, Morton says there’s a meditative aspect, and even life lessons that can be gained from the hobby.
“If my mind wanders, often the clay goes with it,” said Morton, who didn’t have any pieces to sell this year as she’s busy building a custom kiln to finish her artwork. “So you learn to have a quieter mind while throwing a pot.”
Sherwin says it’s a hobby that forces you to adapt quickly when things go wrong.
“The thing is, you never really know what you’re going to end up with,” Sherwin told CTV News. “You think, I’m going to make a big bowl, and you end up with a salsa dish, you just don’t know.”
Another example is Harm Maathuis and his work with crystalline glaze, which gives off radiating explosions of colour. The crystals form by firing the clay and very gradually reducing the temperature. He says there’s no way of knowing how it will turn out, but he’s usually pleased with the result.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
EXCLUSIVE | Gay man taking Canadian government to court, challenging policy restricting sperm bank donations
A gay man is taking the federal government to court, challenging the constitutionality of a policy restricting sexually active gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned.

2 B.C. RCMP officers charged with manslaughter in Indigenous man's 2017 death
Two RCMP officers are accused of manslaughter in the 2017 death of an Indigenous man in Prince George, B.C., prosecutors announced Wednesday.
TREND LINE | Canada's health care crisis: Who's accountable, and how can we fix an overburdened system?
On CTVNews.ca and YouTube: Health journalist Avis Favaro joins our Trend Line podcast, for an in-depth episode dedicated to the growing crises facing the Canadian health-care system.
Former CBC journalist dies after random attack on Toronto street, new suspect photo released
A long-time CBC radio producer who was the victim of a random assault in Toronto last week has died, the public broadcaster confirms.
Candice Bergen, former interim Conservative leader, resigning from Parliament
Candice Bergen, the former interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, is resigning from Parliament.
Mexico zoo director killed and cooked 4 pygmy goats for party
The former director of a zoo in southern Mexico killed four of the zoo's pygmy goats and served them up at a Christmas-season party, authorities said.
Canada's new anti-Islamophobia representative apologizes for comments about Quebecers
Canada's new special representative on combating Islamophobia says she is sorry that her words have hurt Quebecers.
Quebec woman stunned to find stolen Audi driven through Ontario mall in 'insane' robbery
A Quebec woman said she was very surprised to find her stolen Audi had been used in what’s being described as an “absolutely insane” Ontario mall robbery.
Food prices set to increase -- again -- as blackout on price hikes ends at some stores
Higher grocery prices are expected to hit stores across Canada soon as a blackout on price increases over the holiday season comes to an end.