Melanie Barnett
November 12, 2024
The World of Nerikomi: Throwing and Hand Building with Coloured Clay with Etty Anderson and Marina Lopez
January 7, 2025
Winter 2025 Adult Ceramic Classes
Over the past several years, Medalta has become a well-known destination for adult pottery classes, offering locals the chance to learn from our International Artists in Residence. These artists, who come to Medalta to further their own ceramic practice, also teach classes, providing hands-on experience and guidance to local students while enriching the community with their expertise. We have traditionally focused on Beginner Handbuilding, Wheel Throwing Classes, Date Nights, and Saturday Samplers, providing an accessible entry point for those new to pottery.
This year, our Residency Coordinator, Kasia Sosnowski, has reimagined the class offerings in collaboration with our recent Artists in Residence, tailoring them to their unique areas of expertise. While we continue to provide a range of accessible beginner classes, we’ve also expanded our offerings to include more specialized techniques and projects. Last semester, we introduced an 8-Week Handbuilding Introductory Class (with no use of the wheel) and a 4-Week Bust Portraiture Class, both led by Melanie Barnett. This semester, we are excited to offer an Intermediate Wheel Throwing Course with Etty Anderson, designed to help students with some wheel experience take their skills to the next level while exploring new techniques. Melanie has also developed a Ceramic Botanicals course for this semester which focuses on sculpting detailed and intricate botanical designs. We’re looking forward to continue offering diverse learning experiences that allow our local students to explore their creativity while working with our skilled international Artists in Residence.
Ceramic Botanicals 4-week Class with Melanie Barnett
Melanie Barnett, a talented ceramic sculptor and our Year-Long Artist in Residence at Medalta, will be teaching a 4-Week Ceramic Botanicals course this winter. Melanie holds an MFA from NSCAD University in K’jipuktuk/Halifax and a BFA Honours in Ceramics from Brandon University. Drawing inspiration from mycology, climate science, and future possibilities, Melanie’s work explores the intricate relationship between fungi, moss, algae, and the potential for human symbiosis with these species.
Ceramic Botanicals is a four-week course where you’ll learn to sculpt intricate florals, leaves, and organic forms. This class is suitable for beginner to advanced skill levels. Melanie will guide you through techniques to create delicate, lifelike botanical sculptures.
What to Expect:
- Sculpt florals, leaves, and organic forms in a variety of styles and techniques.
- Learn to focus on the finer details and organic patterns that make botanical sculptures so captivating.
- A hands-on approach to working with clay and exploring new ways to create.
- No wheel throwing
Who Should Register?
This course is open to students of all levels. If you’re excited to work with clay in a new and creative way, this class is for you!
Details:
• Dates & Times: Saturday, February 1 – February 22, 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM (4 Classes)
• Cost: $165 + GST (includes one bag of clay and use of studio tools)
Join Melanie for a fun and inspiring experience and leave with 2-4 completed botanical pieces to showcase your new skills.
Spots are limited—register today!
Intermediate Throwing Class with Etty Anderson
We’re excited to introduce our new class “Intermediate Throwing”. This class is geared towards those comfortable on the wheel and with techniques covered in our Beginner class. It has been requested over the years and we are so excited to have Etty Anderson, one of our Year-Long Artists in Residence to lead this class. Etty is a multidisciplinary queer artist whose creative practice spans ceramics, illustration, photography, and music. Etty’s work explores the relationship between color, form, and architectural structures, weaving in historical traditions and craft. Their conceptual practice delves into the tension between art, craft, mimicry, queerness, and class, creating work that challenges and redefines boundaries in exciting ways.
Are you ready to continue to grow your wheel throwing skills while practicing more advance techniques? Join Etty for Intermediate Pottery: Throwing, a class designed for those eager to expand their technical abilities and explore more complex forms.
What to Expect:
- Build on the foundations of centering and throwing.
- Explore advanced forms, techniques and designs
- Work within a flexible curriculum tailored to student interests.
- No handbuilding
Who Should Register?
This class is perfect for individuals already comfortable with centering, opening up forms, and trimming. To ensure success, we recommend completing three introductory pottery classes at Medalta or having equivalent experience in a private or community studio.
Details:
- Dates & Times: Thursday January 6th – March 6th, 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM (8 Classes)
- Cost: $290.00 + GST (includes one bag of clay and use of studio tools)
This is a rare opportunity to learn from Etty’s deep well of creative knowledge and elevate your ceramics practice in a supportive, dynamic environment.
Spots are limited—register today!
Past Events
Heritage Christmas Market
On November 29th & 30th, 2024 our 24th Annual Heritage Christmas Market brought the community together in a festive celebration of local art and craftsmanship. This year’s market was bigger than ever, featuring over 50 local and regional vendors offering a range of unique handmade items including prints, ceramics, fiber arts, glass, and more. It was the perfect opportunity to support local artisans and find special holiday gifts.
The market provided a warm and welcoming space to escape the cold, with live festive music by Kyle Church and Carolyn & Michael Scholz, along with tasty treats from Grit City Distillery. Families enjoyed fun activities like Christmas ornament decorating, and attendees had the chance to win a Medalta gift bowl door prize filled with donations from 15 vendors.
Visitors also took advantage of free admission to Medalta’s museum, exploring our National Historic Site and Industrial Museum while enjoying the holiday atmosphere.
Collection Recollection
Medalta’s history as a maker of iconic cookie jars was beautifully revisited with Collection Recollection, an exhibition featuring the work of artist Elaine Zimmer. The show offered a playful, nostalgic twist on the classic cookie jar form, with Zimmer’s reimagined porcelain pieces that fit in the palm of your hand. These charming creations, decorated with folk art motifs and personal stories, brought new life to the historic tradition.
In addition to Zimmer’s contemporary pieces, the exhibition featured original Medalta cookie jars from our collection curated by our Collections Manager, Jolina Galera. This offered a unique contrast between past and present. The opening reception on September 13 provided a wonderful opportunity for visitors to meet Elaine Zimmer and explore her delightful work that bridges the gap between tradition and innovation.
Kiln Yoga
In October, we hosted a unique yoga experience in our historic beehive kilns, in collaboration with Yoga You4ia. The natural heat of the kilns provided the perfect setting for a Gentle Flow Yoga Class, accessible to both beginners and experienced yogis. To make the experience even more special, live viola music, performed by our Fund Development Manager Michael, filled the space, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
This class not only offered a calming and restorative experience but also supported our non-profit initiatives, with proceeds benefiting the preservation and restoration of the Historic Clay District and our programing goals. We’re grateful to Yoga You4ia for their partnership and look forward to more collaborations in the future.
