More than 20 potters from Ladysmith to Courtenay will descend on the Country Club Centre this weekend for the Nanaimo Pottery Cooperative’s 2017 Winter Show and Sale.
The show, taking place in the “centre court” area from Nov. 3 to 5 during mall hours, features a mixture of hand-built and thrown functional and decorative pottery.
“We’re hard-working potters. We all work at home in our little studios and it’s a special event for all of us to come together and work together on these sales,” said 15-year member Lee Stead.
“It’s really nice to have the people of Nanaimo supporting the local artists. We feel really honoured… [The] Nanaimo Pottery Co-op has been supported by nanaimo for so long. It’s just wonderful.”
Stead will be displaying both functional and raku-fired decorative pieces inspired by the Island, like whales, starfish and seahorses.
She said she enjoys meeting with potential patrons at pottery sales. She said it helps build a connection between the art and the artist.
“I think it adds to the love of the piece to know that they’ve met the person that made their pottery,” Stead said.
“Pottery is a real specialized art form. It takes years to get good at it and so it isn’t something that everybody does. So when somebody buys a piece of our pottery and they get to meet us and appreciate our work, it’s a pretty special experience.”
The Nanaimo Pottery Cooperative’s next sale is its annual Mother’s Day Sale coming in May 2018.
WHAT’S ON…Nanaimo Cooperative Winter Show and Sale at the Country Club Centre on Friday, Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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