It’s not what a lot of people would imagine in a smallish town like Ladysmith, but that is one of the reasons that Sarah Wilson chose the location for her business — the uniqueness, and beauty of the community.
Originally from Ireland, Wilson moved to Ladysmith in 2021 to do a two year apprenticeship with Mary Fox through the Mary Fox Legacy Project. Fox, who is an internationally recognized potter, has a studio on Second Avenue in Ladysmith.
“I’m tremendously proud of Sarah and wish her all the best in her exciting new venture," Fox said.
“The Mary Fox Legacy Project is an initiative created to provide opportunities for young potters to develop their skills and acquire the tools needed to embark on a career in the ceramic arts," the project's website says. "The Legacy Project is designed to help the young potters of today through a two-year apprenticeship program, and the potters of the future through a residency program following Mary’s passing.”
Wilson said she fell in love with pottery when she started taking classes in Vancouver.
“I did a two year apprenticeship with Mary, which I finished at the end of 2023," Wilson said. "Then I was out in my own little studio space Baden Powell, for seven months, before this place came up. Yeah, I kind of just jumped on it, when it came available, and spent a few months renovating. I make all my pottery in my studio space in the back.”
The final firing is done up at Fox’s studio.
Wilson said the business is “so far so good, I still have a roof over my head, so doing something. Yeah, it's been received pretty well. Everybody that's come in has said it's a great addition to the town.”
The clay that Wilson uses has a high iron content so at the start of her pieces the work it much darker than what most people would envision.
“It’s not a special clay, it’s mined in Canada, and I get mine from a supplier in Parksville. It’s the iron that gives it the darker red colour. Once it’s fired it gets lighter," Wilson said. “I try not to ‘rabbit hole’ myself, I do a variety of designs."
Wilson said she does a lot of table ware and a couple of her favourites are the ferns and octopus designs.
“That’s where I'm building that up more and then hopefully maybe get into some more decorative stuff at some point, unique pieces," she said. “I'll get requests for like a honey pot or stuff like that, but not anything incredibly unique, yet, but I think that comes with building a name, you know.”
She said staying in Ladysmith after her apprenticeship felt right. So did her gallery space.
“It’s a beautiful, light-filled space in a perfect location that’s perfectly suited as both a gallery and a pottery studio,” she said. “I wanted to share this magical space with others, so I invited fellow artists to show their work here as well.”
Both the gallery and Wilson's workshop are open for people to see.
In addition to Wilson’s own wheel-thrown creations, the gallery presents the work of artists David Ellingsen, photographer, April Ponsford, abstract painter, Roberta Pyx Sutherland, mixed media artist, and Caitlyn Chapman, silversmith; Ladysmith artists Mary Fox, potter, and Danielle Roberts, woodworker; Vancouver artist, Danica Charles, beaded jeweller; and Nanaimo artist, Sandy Harquail, potter.
The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
