Eva Gallagher

Newfoundout Pottery 

In Dec 2009 I renamed my first blog to Centered – Focus on Clay and Creativity – as I have finished my year long journey workshop with Steven Hill. The focus will continue to be on thoughts about my work – about creativity, design and function………………. I have been making pottery off and on for 40 years, exploring many different aspects of ceramics. I named my pottery business after “The Newfoundout” – the secluded valley high in the Opeongo Hills of eastern Ontario where we own an abandoned farm and where in 2007 I built a wood-fired kiln. I normally fire in a gas kiln in Deep River, Ontario, at the Deep River Potters’ Guild, but do several wood firings in the summer. This blog originally documented my year long “journey workshop” with Steven Hill. It was an incredible “journey” which had a profound effect on my work and as was the North Bay mentorship. I highly recommend this type of workshop to anyone who is interested in exploring their work and creativity.

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Carol Grant

Ceramic Artist

The beauty of the form is central to all of Carol’s ceramic art. Carol’s purely expressive, abstract porcelain sculptures, challenge her to create pieces with strong lines while conveying an underlying sense of simplicity. The forms are enhanced by the pure white surface without the need to add any other color or decoration. The shapes, intersection of the curving surfaces and the negative spaces that develop are carefully examined and refined during the forming process. With a loose idea of the intended form, the anticipation of how each new sculpture progresses keeps her fully engaged. The visual effect of the pieces when viewed from different angles are also carefully considered. Fragility is a recurring theme, compelling Carol to push the boundaries of the material. The pieces are finished with an exquisite burnished terra sigillata surface.

Carol’s work has been recognized by numerous awards including grants she received from The Ontario Arts Council to study at The International Ceramic Research Centre in Denmark in 2011 and in Jingdezhen, China in 2013. Living in the beautiful town of Deep River where she is able to encounter nature on a daily basis has a profound influence on her concept of ceramic art.

 

Ashleigh Kasaboski

Clay & Ash Ceramics

Ashleigh Kasaboski has managed CLAY&ASH Ceramic Studio for the past seven years.

Her work began in Toronto, Ontario, where she was a member of The Shop, led by Michelle Organ. She then expanded her skills in Haliburton under Lisa Barry’s mentorship, and further honed her craft on Vancouver Island at the Nanaimo Ceramic Arts Studio alongside Arundel Ceramics. It was during this time that she shifted her focus to teaching ceramics.

Currently based in Deep River, Ashleigh is actively involved with the historic Potter’s Guild, which is celebrating its 70th year, teaches at Bumpy Roads Studio in Pembroke, and is creating a new line of ceramic home decor in her home studio. Her work is available at the Valley Artisan’s Co-op and various retailers and galleries across Canada.

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Karen Shewchuk

Potter

Karen joined the Valley Artisans in August 2024.

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