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
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.