Written By Olena Riznyk
AILSA CRAIG – Residents had the opportunity to try their hand at pottery this weekend during a hands-on workshop hosted by local ceramic artist Beth Turnbull Morrish.
The event, titled “The Clay Experience: Try the Wheel,” took place at the Turning Bull Pottery studio and introduced participants to the basics of creating pottery on a traditional potter’s wheel.
During the two-hour session, participants gathered around pottery wheels as Turnbull Morrish demonstrated the technique. She then guided them step by step through the process of shaping clay.
“This one is sort of like the gateway just to try it and have fun,” Turnbull Morrish said, explaining that the workshop is designed for beginners who want to experience pottery for the first time.
Participants watched a demonstration and then worked through the key steps of pottery-making themselves, learning how to centre the clay, open it, and shape it on the wheel.
Although the workshop focused on learning and experimentation, Turnbull Morrish said participants would still leave with a finished piece of pottery.
“I’ll do my best to help you get something that you can put salsa in, or cheese, or something like that,” she said with a smile.
Once the pieces are formed, the process continues in the studio after the class ends. The pottery must dry and then go through two firings in the kiln before participants can pick up their finished pieces a few weeks later.
Turnbull Morrish recently opened her studio in Ailsa Craig after previously operating in nearby communities. She said she moved to the area in November and is gradually expanding classes and workshops for the local community. “I went to art school for pottery and I’ve been doing it for about 25 years,” she said. “It’s my actual job—not just a hobby.”
The studio hosts small classes of up to six participants and offers both short introductory workshops and longer courses that allow people to develop pottery skills over several weeks.
Turnbull Morrish said workshops like this give people a chance to explore creativity and try something new. “I think it’s important to let people know how important it is to have art in your life,” she said. “Just like we exercise our body, we should exercise our creativity.”
Most programming at the studio focuses on adults, although Turnbull Morrish also offers summer camps for older children and teens.
Information about upcoming classes and workshops can be found through Turning Bull Pottery’s website and social media pages.
