Clay Pottery Bear Totem

Animal totems can play huge roles in our lives. They aid in self-discovery and capture our imagination, giving us incredible avenues of self-expression and awareness.

Additionally, they assist in understanding our past, and if we are attentive, our animal totems can reveal glimpses of our future.

Webster's Dictionary defines a totem as: "A natural object, usually an animal that serves as a distinctive, often venerated emblem or symbol? Usually a means of personal or spiritual identity."

Native American animal totems most commonly come to mind when discussing this topic. However, animal signs are found throughout all cultures spanning the globe.

Embracing my indigenous heritage I spent time in meditation and prayer to discover my personal totem animal this summer. Not saying that you can’t have more than one, I wanted to share my fist Totem animal with you.

Meaning of the Bear

Protection

Childbearing

Motherhood

Freedom

Discernment

Courage

Power

Unpredictable

Because the bear is cautious, it encourages discernment to human kind

Because of a fierce spirit the bear signals bravery to those who require it

Because of its mass and physical power, the bear stands for confidence and victory Because it prefers peace and tranquility (in spite of size), bear calls for harmony and balance.  

Pottery Market in Bastion Square

Victoria BC has a market down at Bastion Square with gorgeous views and wonderful people touring around from all over the world.  Truly, a dream come true, when you get to be apart of something so exciting.

Four years ago I walked into Clayworks Pottery studio in Edmonton Alberta with a business plan and a goal. What was the plan you ask? Well have a seat and let me tell you.

The plan was that in five years I was going to be on Vancouver Island selling pottery in one of the local markets.  Now working out of a studio called Hands onPottery; little did I know, it was going to be an EPIC adventure of clay, with a side of University and a new community surrounded by my ancestral history, Swampy Cree.

The new or modified plan is to finish a graduate degree, continue to develop my art around my ancestral learning and never stop making Pottery!

All the amazement and wondrous beauty of the island you see in photos and hear stories about I can vouch, IT IS REAL. The trees are huge, the ocean is vast and the creativity flows like honey from an overstuffed beehive.

If you make it out to the island make sure you check out the markets and take in a drive up highway 14 to stop in to China and French beach. You won’t be sorry you did.

For more works by me please see Pottery Cove

Pottery and Coffee

It's warm days and lazy strolls through the farmers market that make finds like this worth living. 


I urge you to head out to the Red Deer Farmers Market this summer to taste a cup of the Papua New Guinea 100% Arabica coffee for only a dollar. Their stall is one van, many varieties of 1Kg packages of coffee and wonderful slip cast, hand made, pottery coffee mugs.


Being a potter, I normally shy away from slip cast products as they tend to easily break, but these mugs seem to have the elegance and strength of porcelain and are a GREAT buy!





If you are looking for something to do on your summer break make sure you head down to the Red Deer Farmers Market and sample a bit of paradise

Beginner Pottery Class

What a great time I had with my first set of classes in Victoria B.C.! The class is a basic beginner’s class. we can currently  accommodate four to seven students at a time. The studio, Hands on Pottery, offers a beginner pottery class where you learn to wedge, centre, create a cylinder and a bowl plus handles and lids and finishing glazing techniques.

The class members were GREAT students; everyone seemed to have a great time and caught on quickly. They all had great results as you can see from the photos. YES I needed to brag a little as they were so awesome. What an amazing pottery studio and community.

To the left is a student’s piece mirroring one of my favourites to watch on YouTube And when you are in Edmonton Don't forget to check out Clayworks for classes and Gifts!

New Pottery Studio

I everyone, I wanted to take a moment to show you around the new pottery studio I am currently hanging out at.

Pottery, Porcelain, and People

 A New Monday evening Pottery class! Great class of beginners tonight, they all did very well so much fun to be teaching a class again. Meeting new people has been a lot of fun since moving here! The studio time was such a treat and reprieve from my studies at the University. I wasn't aware of how difficult it was going to be juggling family, university and pottery but so far so good and I have to say pottery will always be a reprieve for me. and currently a welcome one as my first mid term is in the A.M.

If any of you are interested and will be in the area, feel free to drop by the studio for a look see. Hands on Pottery. 

If you can't take the time to stay for a few classes, no problem! Feel free to brows the the pots for sale and there is a FANTASTIC coffee shop across the way. Buy a mug then take it for a test spin! I recommend the triple americano, and really how can you go wrong when a coffee shop is named Caffe' Fantasico! 

Pottery from University of Free State

Re-posted from the Ceramics Solutions Face Book Page I belong to. 

What an amazing piece of work and collaboration. The working piece resounds of community spirit, pride and displays a great traditional feel to the boundary of the borders. I hope you enjoy - Kelly

Dina Grobler 

All possible through lotto money and the Spier contemporary art project, in co-operation with Jaco Spies (lecturer in Fine Arts at the UFS) and the help of Itumeleng, Loki and Tsegofatso,we have finished a mosaic on the UFS campus.It took us 10 months to finish.We used natural materials like stone and glass and made all our own clay tiles . The tiles depicted the Free state's map, towns as shining lights, Letema paterns and the Free State as part of the cosmos. Long hours of hard work through a very cold winter, and lots of rainy days, but in the end, all worthwhile.

  

Thank you 

Dina Grobler for Sharing a Great Passion towards the arts and sharing this truly amazing Piece.