Anne

My name is Anne and I am the artist and owner behind Lyds Ceramics. I began studying ceramics at the Haliburton School of Art and Design in 2021, and continue my education through my own work.

The name "Lyds" is a tribute to my grandmother, Lydia Blanche Newell Holmes. An amazing woman and my favourite lady, she showed us endless love, patience, and understanding, and always retained a sense of humour. An angel to us now, she lived to 100 and is a powerful example of someone I hope to be like one day.

As a potter and ceramic artist, I strongly believe that beauty should be incorporated into the objects we use every day. Objects can be deeply personal, holding memories and experiences and provoking strong emotions. They are more than just their functional purpose, they take up space in our lives and become part of our daily routine.

Like everything in life, my style is constantly changing. I love to embrace different projects and forms as I discover them and enjoy bringing new elements into my work.

Alison

My name is Alison and creativity encompasses my whole life.

I love to use different materials to bring my ideas to life: from textiles to paper crafts and card making to music and drawing. These days my primary focus is pottery and writing. 

I didn’t fall in love with pottery until I took a class in early 2022 at The Clay Warehouse in Port Coquitlam. I loved how tactile the clay felt in my hands and how intuitive it was to shape on the wheel. I was terrible at it but I kept going. On a whim I began a very special project to make 80 birds for my mum’s 80th birthday. Making so many birds changed the way I saw pottery; turning it from a hobby into a passion.

I take a lot of inspiration from the natural world which can be seen in my organic shapes, my floral designs and the flocks of birds that emerge from the clay. 

Nature fills me with such awe and brings to the surface many questions about the universe and my place in it. I use poetry and stories to try and explore some of the longing I feel when looking at the sky at night or when I’m standing beneath the tall, tall trees.  

When I’m not creating, I’m hanging with my dog in the sun, riding my bike, baking or reading. I’m always trying to slow down enough to appreciate moments throughout each day.

Need a place to fire your pots?

We rent kiln space! One of the main services our studio offers is kiln firings.

You make, we bake.

Typically firings happen on Tuesdays and alternate between bisque and glaze. Keep an eye on our calendar for changes and updates.

How it Works

​Drop Off

When your pieces are ready to be fired, bring them to us. All clay and glaze fired in our kiln MUST be Cone 6, we will ask for the details of your clay including brand + location of purchase. You can drop off your pieces during drop-in hours listed on our Studio Calendar. When you drop off your pieces you will be asked to measure them out yourself using one of our cardboard templates and to fill out our KILN USER LOG. If these drop-in times do not work for you (our hours are limited) please contact us to make arrangements. Our firings typically happen weekly on Tuesdays and alternate between bisque and glaze. Work must be at the studio by the day before (Monday). In the event that there is not enough work to fill a kiln, the scheduled kiln will be pushed to the next week, which will shift the rotation between bisque and glaze. Please check our calendar regularly for any changes. If you have questions about our firing services or would like to be added to the kiln user e-mail list click here!

Glazing Rules

Kiln users are required to use commercial Cone 6 glazes unless you are experienced with glaze chemistry and mixing and have talked with us first. Users must also ensure all pieces are clean of glaze where they will be sitting on the kiln shelf and provide cookies for your pieces to sit on if you are working with a new glaze. Any significant damage to the kiln shelves as a result of your glaze choices will result in a shelf replacement charge of $65. Any piece deemed unsafe for the kiln or the work of others will not be fired.

Pick Up

Kiln loads will be available for pick up during drop-in hours on the Thursday following each firing. Our studio is small so please plan to pick up your work as soon as possible. If kiln users would rather not transport their wares home for glazing they are welcome glaze at the studio between firings. You will be asked to pay the $15 drop-in fee or use your punch card for this studio time.

Pricing

*these are the firing prices without membership discounts*

$15/half shelf per firing

Private Kiln Rental $110/kiln*

* a private kiln rental means a flexible firing schedule + a personalized firing program. Price is per kiln and based on Cone 6 temperature. Private kiln rentals can be shared between multiple people and different temperatures (cones) can be set. Higher kiln temperatures mean a longer run time and more ware on the kiln, so the price will be adjusted accordingly.

All prices are subject to change. Payment is not taken in advance, please be prepared to pay via cash or e-transfer when you bring your pieces for firing.

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WARNING

We are a community kiln, and your work is being fired with the work of others. Each person is allowed to fire their own clay and projects that they have worked on from home. We do our very best to make sure all clay and glazes being used meet our requirements, and we ask that you take all these requirements seriously. Using the wrong type of clay or glaze for the firing program can severely damage the kiln and the work of others. Use our firing services with caution.