This article was previously published on GuelphToday.
Nestled in a backyard in The Ward lies a pottery studio where a little bit of magic happens to create art with a purpose.
What used to be a 100-year-old rabbit hutch is now where Charlene Downey has her art studio set up. It fits her pottery wheels, tables and all the supplies she needs to create.
She’s been a potter for about a year. After her eldest son got him and her some lessons, she was hooked. As she developed her craft she connected with local master potters Eleanor Hendriks and Chris Hierlihy. She worked in Hendriks studio and used Hierlihy’s kiln.
This was after Downey used her back porch to work with clay. She knew she needed an insulated space because clay will freeze in cold temperatures.
When she set out to dig out a foundation to build her own studio, she didn’t expect to find bones or bones in glass jars, but alas she did and police were called to check it out.
There was a lot of bones, said Downey. Police collected garbage bags full of bones.
Two experts couldn’t confirm what kind of bones they were, but if Downey finds a skull she will give them a call.
Builders worked on the studio for two months starting in March and Downey got to work in her backyard studio just this month. There are windows for ventilation, and electricity will be wired in once the renovation to extend her house is complete.
The shed is about 13 square metres and fits shelves of pottery supplies, wheels, and tables where her creations sit while they finish drying. Downey sat at her pottery wheel with a piece of clay and within minutes it transformed into a mug.
A lot of what has filled the shelves is from Facebook Marketplace and in some cases she’s purchased potters’ entire studios worth of supplies.
Next to the studio is a kiln shed where pottery sits in the kiln for firing between 1,200 to 1,300 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. This process is done twice.
Downey has been an artist for decades. She’s worked with leather, soap, silver and other materials to make art with a use. Before working with clay she was a milliner and made hats. Today she makes funky mugs and animal-shaped bud vases.
“We're born to be creative. It's how we express who we are. And when you're being creative, you're putting a little bit of your soul into what you're creating. And the reason I believe that so many artists share their work is because we're sharing our soul,” she said.
The backyard studio is Downey’s safe space.
It was a sight for sore eyes before it turned into an oasis. It was a dilapidated shed along the fence line of the yard. The inside was infested. There was a wood floor where animals dug up to find shelter. There were wasps nests, animal feces and to top it off the neighbourhood king of raccoons lived in the shed which drove Downey’s dogs nuts.
The people who built the new structure knew what they were in for. They came in hazmat suits with masks and cleaned the place out.
Now it’s a functional space.
Her only regret is buying a pug mill the size of Volkswagen Beetle. The pug mill is a mixer used to reclaim clay. She didn't know the dimensions of it and it's far larger than her shed.
What she enjoys about having her own studio is she can leave it messy or clean. Downey spends between six to eight hours a day working on her pottery. She likes looking out the window at the fruit trees where the bumblebees fly around.
She thinks it’s important for people to carve out a space where they feel safe and they can explore their creativity. Artists Downey knows have made studio spaces in their homes, driveways, and yards.
If the gate is open to Downey’s backyard people are welcome to pop by the studio if they want to play with clay.
Her pottery creations can be found at The Hive and The Ward Night Market.
