by Margery Frisch
MANITOULIN—On the last day of September, the trees were displaying their finest colours. But not all who were on the roads were leaf-peepers, many were travelling Manitoulin’s back roads in search of potters (some in out-of-the-way places). It was easy to get lost, but difficult to get upset with gorgeous fall colours and beautiful lake views at every missed turn.
The Pottery Tour took place on September 30 with artists from Mindemoya, Spring Bay and Kagawong taking part. Each potter’s style is unique; each piece holds its own visual appeal.
Jan McQuay of McQuay Click and Clay chose to display her pottery outdoors, the sun and warmth of the day seemed to warrant it. She greeted everyone with a warm smile. Ms. McQuay has been throwing pots since 2005, after taking courses at Cambrian College. Her pieces are practical and functional mugs, bowls, and plates, all with simple design and lovely patterns of her own creation.
photos by Margery Friesch
“I run the Island Summer Market,” she said, “I have a booth there, as well. And we’re going to have a Christmas Market on November 4, in M’Chigeeng, so I will help to run that too.” More than once Ms. McQuay mused about her small display of product, but she’s a busy woman with other projects on the go. “I will have more ready for the Christmas Market,” she promised, with a laugh.
The largest display of the tour was, by far, that of Lynda James. Her colourful and varied pieces spilled out of her shop and onto the deck of her studio. Ms. James has been working at her craft since about 1998, learning and perfecting her pieces while continuing to work at her day job. Now, she no longer goes to craft shows and fairs, she is in the envied position—well off the beaten path—of having people seek her out. She calls her work, Pottery for Fun and Function, the perfect description of her work.
Spring Bay has its challenges when one is searching for an address, especially when the address is not properly printed. “If you put a space between Deer and foot, and put it in your GPS, you should find us,” Glenna Treasure said, probably for the umpteenth time that day. Tucked away, on a road marked. ‘No Exit,’ Pottery to Treasure can be found.
“I just want to keep it a hobby,” Ms. Treasure said when a patron asked why she doesn’t teach pottery. “Once it becomes a job, it’s Gertha Griffiths not fun.” And many of her pieces are fun; light and bright, some with whimsical patterns, but all with clean lines and functionality.
Gertha Griffiths of Lonely Bay Pottery has been working at her craft since around 1982, taking a hiatus to raise the kids, “You know,” she said, “the whole nine yards. I started back up again in 2002, taking courses at Mohawk College in the evenings because I was working, and I moved up here in 2018. This is my side hustle,” she added with a laugh. What’s her main hustle? Retirement! Ms. Griffiths clearly loves what she does, and it shows in her beautiful pieces. Her pottery is available all winter long.
In Kagawong, Jack Olive’s Ceramic Studio runs most of the year. His pieces are dramatic, with distinctive artwork on each one, depicting birds, or fish or trees laden with fruit. He came to Manitoulin from British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. When a piece he was wrapping for a sale, dropped on the floor, unbroken he said, “It’s pretty tough. I actually had a mug fly off the roof of my car and land on the road, and when I drove back later it was still there, still in one piece.”
Feather and Fern Studio is Melanie Hunt’s summertime shop where, in addition to pottery, she displays her weaving, fibre arts and her knitting. Ms. Hunt learned to throw pots “about 19 years ago,” she said, “with Jan McQuay, who you’ve probably already met. I took lessons from her.” Ms. Hunt’s pieces have clean lines and an elegant simplicity to them.
Though her studio is closed in the winter, she manages to do well with the Kagawong summer market on Wednesdays and the large market in Sudbury before Christmas. She’s also open by appointment the rest of the year.
These potters are all social media savvy, if you Google any of them, you will see displays of their work and you will learn where they can be found. Christmas is coming and no gift is as special as a unique piece of pottery.
