Peterborough potter helped craft local guild
Pottery group members are being profiled as part of 25th anniversary celebrations
This year, the Kawartha Potters Guild is celebrating its 25th anniversary. In the mid-1990s, a small group of potters met once a month at one of their homes to connect with fellow artists and share ideas.
Since then, the guild has grown and moved meeting locations numerous times. In 2012, an opportunity arose for them to set up a permanent facility where they could teach, work and sell their pottery at 993 Talwood Dr., in the former City of Peterborough’s recreation centre, and the guild had finally found its home.
Valorie Johnston was one of the founding members. She grew up in Peterborough and went to Crestwood and Fleming College. She started creating pottery in 1976 when she took a course from renowned Maritime potter Tom Smith at the University of New Brunswick. She continued her studies at the New Brunswick School of Fine Art, then moved back to Ontario where she started her own pottery business.
“I fell in love with pottery when I had my first class at UNB. I just knew that I wanted to create pottery as my career. I still love pottery and appreciate how different everyone’s work is,” Johnston said.
She became part of a group of local potters who felt they were ready to start their own guild, and it grew from there. Johnston
describes herself as more of a “production potter.”
“For many years I went to craft shows around Ontario. I create all sorts of baking dishes, mugs, teapots and sets of dishes, and more,” she said. “Most of my work is wheel-thrown, with some hand-built items. I decorate my pottery with brush stroke painting.”
Johnston was a full-time potter for 20 years and started the artisan craft shop called The Melting Pot, as well as selling her work to shops and small galleries. She now does pottery part time, as she has another job in the health-care field.
Her advice to budding potters is to know that “it’s hard work running your own business. I worked seven days a week and put in a lot of 10-hour days. We were away at craft shows many weekends.”
The Kawartha Potters Guild is a community of about 110 talented and enthusiastic potters from Peterborough, Durham Region, Northumberland and further afield. During regular times, they host pottery sales twice a year, hold classes for adults and children, operate a retail store, and more. Until activities resume, gift certificates are available by contacting Administrator@Kawarthapottersguild.com.
Holy Cross Field
Construction is resuming on the new Holy Cross Sports Field and Track, a joint project between the City of Peterborough and PVNC Catholic District School Board. With a projected fall completion, the field will be equipped for football, lacrosse, rugby and soccer, with an eight-lane track.
“This new field will be a real sports asset to our community,” said Coun. Lesley Parnell and chair of the Arenas, Parks and
Recreation Portfolio. “The Otonabee Ward is a great sports hub for our citizens and sports tourism, with multiple fields, arenas and amenities within a short drive. This location will be very convenient for those parents with multiple children in sports. It’s a win-win.”
Father’s Day Gift Bundle
The Canadian Canoe Museum is offering a Father’s Day Gift Bundle for that paddler, camper or outdoors person in our lives. The bundle consists of a CCM logo hat, a paddle from their collection symbolically adopted in their name, along with a presentation folder, stickers and a Northern Originals mug, at a cost of $100. Orders can be placed and paid for online, for curbside pickup by June 19. More information at canoemuseum.ca/fathers-daygift-bundle/.