WESTie Wednesday : ft CanoeRidge Pottery

WESTie Wednesday with Lorraine Walker of CanoeRidge!

Welcome to WESTie Wednesday, where each week we get to know a proud WEST member and their Etsy shop! Learn about Lorraine and her shop CanoeRidge. 

"At CanoeRidge I sell porcelain and stoneware pottery, all functional, including bowls, plates, mugs, cups, teapots and more."

"My "day job" is being a veterinarian at a small animal clinic in Winnipeg (Academy Road Spay and Neuter Clinic). The largest percentage of my life so far has been becoming and working as a small animal veterinarian. While I love what I do, I have a number of other passions. My husband, family, and travel are the most important. I also love riding my horse and have now discovered the joy of making pottery on the pottery wheel.

I started in a family class with my daughter, then 11 years old. I became addicted, and when I took classes at a studio in Winnipeg for 3 years I absolutely loved it! I am still learning about the creation, stages, and all the chemistry that goes into glazing, which fascinates me."

"Now that I am addicted and have my own wheel, kiln, and other equipment, as much as I'd like to keep it, I really need to sell some of my work as I have no room for it all! Many of my items for sale are currently from the work I fired at a local studio, in a large high fire gas reduction kiln. Because the "turn around" time is very long, I rarely use the Cone 10 clays and glazes now.

I can do some custom orders, but it will be with my Cone 6 electric clays and kiln."

We asked Lorraine “Why Etsy?”

"I was hoping to get some interest in my pottery and find some buyers. Also, I wanted somewhere I can send people I meet locally to see my items and possibly buy something."

"We are lucky enough to live in a house on the Assiniboine River in River Heights of Winnipeg. I love seeing deer, squirrels, woodpeckers, woodchucks, ducks, geese, the occasional bald eagle, and even a fox or two. We had an old canoe from my husband Philipp's family, sitting on the banks at the end of our property. That is where the name for my shop comes from: CanoeRidge. I get the majority of my supplies from the Sounding Stone, a potter's supply store in Winnipeg."

Want to see more? Be sure to check out CanoeRidge on social media:

Facebook

WESTie Wednesday with Nancy Blokland Pottery

Welcome to WESTie Wednesday, where each week we get to know a proud WEST member and their Etsy shop! Learn about Nancy and her Etsy shop Nancy Blokland Pottery!

"I make high fire porcelain and stoneware pottery. I sell online, at shows and markets in Manitoba and Saskatchewan as well as brick and mortar locations." 

"My life has been as a maker: my mother was a master seamstress and my dad was a farmer/gardener, and I have been continuing these traditions my whole life. I started clay making when I was 12, and this wonderful obsession has been part of my story ever since. Etsy allows me to challenge myself to take decent photos of my work, to be part of online commerce and a wonderful community of makers and curators."

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"I love making and selling, and using leaves and flowers from my garden along with the clay is energizing for me. I like hearing shoppers' comments, and this is how I started making yarn bowls and buttons--some of my best sellers!"

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"My (shop's) demographic is typically female, but increasingly more men show an interest in handmade work."

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 We also asked Nancy, "Why Etsy?"

 "To sell to a broader world wide audience and to keep up with current trends."

Want to see more? Be sure to check out Nancy on social media!

Facebook // Instagram // Twitter