Artisan moulding minds

by EVAN MATTHEWS & BETH RUSSELL

One local artisan gave back to the community last Saturday in a molding of minds, and some pottery, too.

Sharon Anderson led a pottery workshop on Saturday, crafting a variety of handmade clay objects. One of pottery’s main sources of fun, according to one first-timer, is a rookie’s inability to make mistakes.

“It was gratifying to be able to smush up our mistakes and start over,” says Rene Nunweiler.

“It was something I have always wanted to try, and it was so much fun. I loved it,” she says.

“It was gratifying to be able to smush up our mistakes and start over,” says Rene Nunweiler

The Valemount Arts and Cultural Society (VACS) and Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) sponsored the two-part workshop ” titled, Come Play in the Mud ” according to Beth Russell, a member of the workshop committee.

The workshop was put on because people expressed interest in exploring pottery, according to Russell.

“With two talented instructors living right here, and an available grant, we were excited to offer this workshop,” she says.

Those in attendance made items such as spoons, bowls, phone holders, candlestick holders, vases, wind chimes, platters and soap dishes, among other items.

Items such as the spoons, bowls and platters must be glazed in order to be deemed “food safe,” Russell says.

Local potter Bryan Hannis will lead the glazing process and will fire the pieces made as soon as they are dry enough to move.

Firing is done to remove water from the item, so it can be glazed without returning to mud and breaking, according to howtomakepottery.com.

The next step after firing, is to apply a glaze to the object in order to give it a nice finish.

Ten people ” the workshop’s maximum capacity ” attended at Valemount’s Anglican United Church.