The annual Moostletoe Artist's Studio Tour is coming up on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the River Street Potters are preparing to decorate the second-floor lobby of the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre, show off this year's artwork themes, and welcome guests for studio tours.
The River Street Potters are Faithe Sovdi, Shannan Taylor, Dianne Newman, and Melanie McFarlane. They opened a studio on River Street in April 2022, before moving to their current home on the second floor of the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre (MJCC).
Last year was the first time the four potters participated in Moostletoe — it turned into their biggest sale day ever, and they had a lot of fun meeting all the people who came through their doors.
"It'll be different than last year, because we've had a whole year now in the new studio, and a different kind of focus, too, with more classes than ever," Faithe Sovdi said. Sovdi enjoys teaching, and her imaginative and artful pottery style lends itself well to the task.
"We have such a beautiful space to decorate, with those bright, big windows looking onto Main St. There will be some Christmas stuff, a tree and ornaments, and there will be lots of Christmas stuff from my table, anyway. I can't speak for everyone, we have a diverse set of interests here."
The River Street Potters are joining forces with the Mud Pie Girls, Dorothy Yakiwchuk and Kathy Verbeke, whose studio is across the hall from theirs. That means six different pottery art styles and interests will be represented at the MJCC for Moostletoe.
In addition to Moostletoe, Sovdi and her group are preparing for a December art show in the MJCC art gallery.
"So, we're preparing some pieces for that (December show) and some pieces for Moostletoe, so my focus has mostly just been Christmas. I also have some moon lights, and I've been making funky snowmen and tree ornaments," Sovdi explained.
"I've been focusing more on making interesting things than functional, lately. ... So, that's been my focus, and I have fun with that. I do more sculpting, and Dianne does functional artwork pieces. Melanie makes a lot of functional pieces, and her glazes are just getting more and more beautiful. Shannon makes plates and mugs and plays with glazes, so there's something from everyone, and a lot of diversity."
The 11th annual Moostletoe tour also features:
- Ron Dormer Photography, also at the MJCC with the River Street Potters and Mud Pie Girls
- Laura Hamilton Art Studio at 128 Blue Sage Drive
- Yvette Moore Gallery
- Jess Zoerb at The Art House, 720 2nd Ave NE
- Jude Radwanski's Firefly Art Jewellery at the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery (MJMAG)
- Dave Pelletier at the MJMAG
- Nissa Gieni-Wareham of artisaNGrounds, Suite 423 of the Hammond Building downtown
- Beth Barrett of One Sweet Dream Pottery at 1211 Fifth Avenue Northwest
Moostletoe visitors should pick up a map and 'passport' book and try to make it to each location. Completed passports (stamped at each stop) can be turned in for a chance to win a $250 gift basket with items donated by each artist/group.
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