Collaborative Pottery Workshop

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About

Inspired by a piece of the history of pottery in Brantford, this hands-on clay workshop will harness collaboration to explore a medium with a rich past. Join us for a free workshop where you will learn handbuilding techniques to create functional vessels from clay.

All ages and experience levels are welcome!

The workshop will take place on Saturday September 27th, from 10am - 1pm.

AGES 8+.

Established in 1849, the Brantford Stoneware Pottery factory grew to be Canada’s second largest ceramics manufacturer over the course of almost 60 years. The factory was located on the corner of Dalhousie and Clarence, just up the street from where Smakdab Pottery Studio operates today. After experiencing two majorly destructive fires in 1872 and 1883, the Brantford Pottery was able to rebuild and maintain popularity through their wide range of products. It gained a reputation for manufacturing containers, dinnerware, and figurines in alignment with the trends and styles of the time. Each piece was created by hand using throwing, press molds, or slip casting techniques, and shipped to various distributors across the country. Nowadays, wares from the Brantford Pottery are less common to come by. Many are considered antique and collectible. Pieces decorated with brushwork decals of birds are some of the most valuable.

In this workshop, we will use the Brantford Stoneware Pottery as a starting point to discuss the ways handmade goods have evolved over the years, and the benefits of practicing working with our hands. We will start with a wheel throwing demonstration, then share in a creative experience as a group. Every participant will have the chance to engage with different stages of the handbuilding process, much like a factory assembly line. Taking turns rolling slabs, cutting templates, and adding surface designs, the group will design a series of vessels which will later be glazed and fired. We hope to offer a barrier-free opportunity for those who may not have had the chance to engage with clay previously, or those who are looking to expand on their skills and work collaboratively. Celebrating teamwork, idea sharing, and community, the pieces created will exemplify the result of many hands coming together.

Once the pieces are glazed and fired, they will be available for participants to each take one home. (Approximately one week following the workshop).

We have limited availability so RSVP is necessary. To book a spot please RSVP through Culture Days OR call Rose at Smakdab Pottery Studio - 519 755 9031.

Organizer

Smakdab Pottery Studio

Smakdab Pottery is a well established local pottery studio in Brantford Ontario offering handbuilding workshops, wheel throwing demonstrations, kids camps, private sessions, custom commissions, and more. Smakdab is dedicated to community work and offering accessible art experiences to all demographics. The space emphasizes creativity, idea sharing, and artistic risk taking in all students. Every session guides participants through the entirety of the pottery process, from a fresh piece of clay to a one-of-a-kind work of functional art.