Linda Abbott
My first teacher, in 1970 in Princeton, N.J.,was Rex Goreleigh, an impoverished artist who needed the income. I had to stand to throw on his one wheel. It went clockwise-- for left handers-- I’m right handed!
I love the adaptability, the solidity and the flexibility that clay offers. I enjoy the challenge of a good handle on a mug and a floating bottom in a bowl where you can’t really discern where the bottom ends and the vertical walls begin. It pleases me that whatever pots I made are a part of people’s every-day lives.
In 1973, I joined the Potters Guild. As I remember, we had one wheel and one kiln. We were situated in the cellar of the bath house at city park. Water (we didn’t ask where it came from!) leaked from the ceiling. At the Christmas sale, I sold a teapot, cream, sugar and 4 cups for $35! I was over the moon with excitement. I still remember them. Over these many years, the support and contact with other potters through the Potters’ Guild has been invaluable.
As a special Ed teacher I found I couldn’t get a job in the 1980 after I let maternity leave lapse. Since I had experience teaching classes at the Potters’ Guild, I tried teaching children at home too, and classes just grew from there over time. I have met hundreds of people of all ages Linda Abbott, Bowl and stages of life. I find real joy helping people explore the many possibilities of what clay offers in an allowing, relaxing atmosphere of fun, exploration and adventure. I am just so fortunate!
Catherine Beres
In 1978 I came to Kingston from southern Ontario to study biology at Queen’s University. My studies, coupled with several positions working as a naturalist and ecologist solidified a deep love of and concern for wildlife and the natural world. My journey with clay was sparked when creating animals, dinosaurs and other creatures for my nephew. His infectious enthusiasm fueled me to create more and whether realistic or whimsical, the pieces never failed to delight. This spurred me to pursue courses in sculpture, drawing and pottery both locally and at Haliburton School of the Arts. Humour and my love of nature continue to inspire my designs. Although I lean towards figurative
sculpture, I often strive to blend sculpture and functional pieces. I am happiest when my pieces make me laugh or connect me to the natural world.
Yuko Body
Yuko Body, Professional Potter
Born in 1965 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. From 1983-88 studied Japanese Folklore at Tamagawa University in Tokyo and started pottery as an extracurricular program. From 1984-87 leaned to hand build pottery from master potter Tohkichi Nagae. Moved to Singapore in 1989 and presented workshops for the Canadian International School of Singapore. Moved to Kingston, Ontario in 2001 and joined the Kingston Potters’ Guild. From 2004 onwards presented hands on, reduction firing, and hand building courses for Kingston Potters’ Guild and in 2015 began as an Instructor of surface decoration at Amaranth Stoneware in Kingston as well as setting up a pottery studio at Tanikan-gama in Shigaraki, Japan. In 2013 exhibited at 1001 Pots in Val-David, Quebec and in 2016 held a solo show at gallery Hozan in Shigaraki, Japan and exhibited at the Parallax Art Fair in London, UK.
Brendan Cull
Brendan Cull, Emerging Potter
Brendan Cull began working with clay in 2016, after taking an introductory throwing course taught by Dan Wainman at the Kingston Potters’ Guild. His work is inspired by Japanese, Korean and British folk pottery, with a special interest in the ceremonies. Teapots have become something of a passion and Brendan’s teapot forms continue to evolve as he learns from fellow teapot makers. Besides tea ware, his work primarily consists of functional pieces for the home. From a technical point of view, he is exploring the interaction between form, clay bodies and glazes, and has enjoyed combining speckled clay with celadon- type glazes in an attempt to unify the glazed and unglazed surfaces of his pieces. The unity of all of these aspects is an ongoing goal in his work. He currently fires in ∆ 6 oxidation environments.
Sean Byrne
Sean Byrne, Professional Potter
After playing with clay for the past 13 years, Sean finally decided to take his work and learning seriously by joining the Kingston Potters’ Guild four years ago. As a graduate of OCAD in Fine Arts, he is currently an elementary Art and Music teacher.
The union of science with art and function with form is what currently drives his work.
His pottery work can be found in a few local restaurants, and his art work in various public and private collections across North America, Europe and Asia.
Jean Clipsham
Jean Clipsham, Hobbyist
I love making teapots, which is why I chose one for “Feats of Clay.” This is my fourth attempt at producing a teapot and I love the shape, the lid fits fairly well and it pours well. I have always wanted to learn how to work with clay, so after I retired from nursing, I joined the Kingston Potters’ Guild. I have been taking classes and workshops for about 3 years now and look forward to continuing to improve my technique.
Louise Daigle
Louise Daigle, Professional Potter
My love and knowledge of pottery began at Central Tech in Toronto 1979-82. A perfect balance of shape and function is the goal I still aspire to when making my pots. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed the challenge of developing glazes to enhance them. Kingston Potters’ Guild has now become my pottery home.
Delvalle
(pronounced Del-VAI-yay)
Delvalle began sculpting natural forms and mask-making in Stratford, Ontario in 1980, studying with local artisans and international masters. She integrates her memories and impressions of the aboriginal culture of her Venezuelan village childhood with contemporary techniques and interpretations, combining practical craft skills and artistic inspiration.
Delvalle has adapted techniques learned from Pottery by Devallemaster artists and craftspeople into her own unique vision.
Cheri Dobbs
Cheri Dobbs, Hobbyist
I have been a potter for about 5 years or so, love to experiment with hand building, mostly working on sculptural pieces, but also enjoy working on the wheel. This noodle bowl is a reduction piece with a shino glaze, and wood ash added to add interest to the pot.
I rarely have an idea about what will appear once I start working with a ball of clay, something always shows up.
Linda Dougherty
Linda Dougherty, Hobbyist
I began working in clay 35 years ago at a pottery studio in Aylmer, Ontario. However, life got in the way and I had long stretches of time without any time to work on my ideas that always seemed to come to me in the middle of the night. I also have interests in photography, felting, sewing… in fact anything to do with creating. I like to take ideas that I see and change them up to create something new.
My family has been a large part of my process. They are very supportive and are always willing to give me advise …whether I want it or not! It is this encouragement and support that gives me the courage to try new things and move towards a body of work that I am proud of.
Irene Chisholm
Irene Chisholm, Hobbyist
I have been having great fun working with clay for the past five years, since I retired. My skills are very slowly improving after having taken several classes at the Guild with Patty Petkovich and Dan Wainman. Being a member of the Potters Guild for the past three years has afforded me a creative environment and much encouragement to explore the many facets of working with clay, fire and glaze.
This pot is the result of my very first Raku workshop. The workshop was a daunting but exciting experience, one that
I hope to repeat soon. v
Tracy Davidson
Tracy Davidson, Emerging Potter
B.A. Honours Fine Arts Studio (University of Waterloo),
B. Ed. (Artist in the Community, Queen’s University).
I am a thirsty artist. Clay, paint, wax, rocks, mud… I make marks to capture gestures - human, animal, tree or landscape - on clay, wood, canvas, paper - with hand, stick, rib, brush, pencil…
Susanne Ellis
Susanne Ellis, Hobbyist
Susanne has always loved the natural beauty of pottery. A long-time resident of Kingston, she has always enjoyed the arts but had little time to explore her interests while working and raising her two wonderful daughters, Carrie and Rebecca. Her first challenge upon retiring from over 30 years in the field of education was to start taking pottery lessons. Now happily “Potting” for five years, she feels that her journey has just begun. She has passed the passion for the art to her older daughter and they enjoy a new tradition of working together on the wheel whenever possible. Even her grandson, James, has joined in the art, helping to create a small pot embedded with his favorite letters. To Susanne, pottery is relaxing and stimulating at the same time. Endless possible forms, decorations and glazes inspire play and experimentation. Pottery also teaches you to forgive yourself, as mistakes are frequent and an important part of the learning process. Susanne prefers more organic forms and textures that have something new to enjoy. Whether functional or decorative, her favorite pieces celebrate the medium with unique shapes, textures and colours that inspire the imagination.
Linda Fraser
Linda Fraser, Emerging Potter
Linda started puttering around in the pottery world when she joined an artist’s workshop in Florida and saw a pottery wheel tucked in the back corner begging to be used! Instead of painting in watercolour as she had intended, she joined an 8 week pottery course on a whim and has never looked back! The minute Linda arrived in Kingston she googled pottery and discovered the Kingston Potters’ Guild and the Tett Centre. Inspired by the beautiful studio and the guild members, Linda joined the guild as a full time member in Dec. 2016. She has enjoyed learning to use the wheel, create slab work, glaze with different techniques and most recently is learning how to fire her pieces and use the kilns.
“Creativity is a drug I cannot live without”– Cecil B. DeMille.
No words are truer for Linda as she lives her passion to create her dreams!
Simonne Ferguson
Simonne Ferguson, Hobbyist
I have always loved pottery, from the very primitive ancient jugs found in early cultures to the mixing bowls and big pickling pots in my grandmother’s kitchen, and always hoped one day I’d be able to try my hands (literally) at making something from clay. Learning to pot was at the top of my retirement goals. Thanks to classes and encouragement at the Guild, I’m now enjoying a hobby I looked forward to for many years. Starting to learn an art form in my 60’s means I’ll never be expert at it, but making pottery has become one of the pleasures of my life. Selling and gifting my pieces means other people are enjoying them too, and I’m always thrilled to find one of my bowls or plates at a friend’s house or in the cupboard of my kids’ kitchens.
Ruth George
Ruth George, Hobbyist
In 1971/72 I attended night classes at KCVI & LCVI and immediately fell in love with clay. In 1972 I joined the Kingston Potters’ Guild. My brother-in law built me a motorized kick wheel, I bought a kiln and set up a small studio in my home. It is lonely working by yourself so that when the Guild built a reduction kiln I joined the reduction kiln group. In 1984 Joan Woods, Ruth King and I built a
propane gas fired kiln in Ruth’s studio. By 2010 I was the only one still making pots so we retired our kiln and I re-joined the Guild reduction group. Since 1974 I have been actively involved with the guild, as a member of the executive from time to time, attending workshops and participating in most of the spring and Christmas sales.
I work in stoneware, in the beginning firing to cone 6 and after switching to reduction, cone 10. The pieces I make are mostly functional, wheel thrown and some slab work. Forty-six years after taking my first class I am still enjoying playing with clay. It is still exciting to hear someone say how much they love the pots they have bought or received as gifts from me. I have made many very special friendships and I hope to continue potting for many more years.
Kathleen Girard
Kathleen Girard, Hobbyist
I began to pot in the mid 70’s at a night school course with Sheila Partington as teacher. Sheila encouraged me to join KPG which I did. At that time I was using cone 6 clay and firing in electric kilns. Most of my decoration was done with slip and glazed with clear glaze. My decoration has always tended toward some sort of vegetation. In 1979 I returned to work outside our home after all 3 of my children were in school. I had less and less time to pot so gave it up until 1994 when I rejoined the guild and began to do reduction firing which I continue to do today.
Mary Helen Garsch
Mary Helen Garsch, Emerging Potter
My submission is the first butter dish I made after taking the technique class and learning how to make different lids. It was glazed by layering two different colours, Blue Rutile and Textured Turquoise, in order to achieve the floating glaze.
I began with the Intro class in 2014 after it was suggested by some “younger” coworkers of mine that I take a pottery class. They said “if you like pottery why not take some classes, it’s fun and you never know, you may be good at it!”
I am planning on retiring next year and I was looking for an activity to get involved in. Since the Intro class I took both Throwing 1 and 2, and a technique class last year. I am hooked and am enjoying the camaraderie of the members at the studio. I was asked to take on the responsibility of Membership on the Guild Executive and have had the opportunity to meet new members as they join the Kingston Potters’ Guild.
Dana Harris
Dana Harris, Hobbyist
I love pottery. I started in 2010 by taking classes with Linda Abbott. After a few classes with Linda I took a couple of classes with Sue Lyon. I was strictly doing hand built pieces at that time. I joined the Kingston Potters’ Guild as a student and was first exposed to the wheel. After many years as a student of Patty Petkovich’s, I spread my wings and purchased my own wheel. I now have a messy studio at home with a wheel, mini slab roller and lots of shelves! I love having a creative outlet that produces functional pieces. It is a frustrating and rewarding hobby at the same time. I continue to challenge myself by enrolling in workshops and classes that interest me and my style. I currently make soap dishes, shaving pots and candle holders for 1000 Island Soap Store in downtown Kingston. I am an executive member of the guild in the role of secretary.
Butter Dish: This piece was one the first butter dishes I made after learning how to make them in at throwing class about 3 years ago. The piece was a complete success. The lid fit, I was able to put a foot on the dish and the glaze turned out amazing. It belongs to good friends of mine who had bought it as a gift for someone but changed their mind once they saw it.
June Lang
June Lang, Hobbyist
June Lang has lived all over Canada and attended pottery classes and workshops wherever she was. She has been a member of the Kingston Potters’ Guild since moving to Kingston many years ago. Over the years June has worked at Cone 6 oxidation firing and Cone 10 reduction firing with both stoneware and porcelain. Currently she is working at Cone 10, using a variety of clays, glazes and underglazes to create functional work. Motifs are mainly from nature, e.g. landscapes, trees and leaves.
