Meet the team
𓏊𓏋𓎟𓎺
Meet the team 𓏊𓏋𓎟𓎺
Bailey Toth
What inspired you to start working with clay? What sets you apart as an instructor? Why did you become an instructor? Honestly, it was an elective in university that I tried out on a whim. I ended up feeling really dejected after the first class because it was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but the idea that I could make so many different things made me push hard to improve. I became an instructor because of how quickly people connect over ceramics, especially in a situation where you have to be vulnerable as a beginner and make mistakes around people you don't know. It forces you to put aside your self-consciousness and just have fun.
What’s your favorite piece to make? What is your favorite clay body? I love a good mug. Attaching handles isn't everyone's favorite, but I like a good sturdy mug you can hold onto. I really like Plainsman's 340S, its a fan favorite and it's from Alberta, just like me.
What is your original background? Outside of pottery. I have a BA in English lit and a BA in creative writing.
Who’s your favorite artist? Could be a different form. A book you’d recommend. I'd recommend anything written by Brandon Sanderson, especially the Stormlight Archive series.
What is the most rewarding part of being an instructor, to you? After working for 3 years in a production studio producing the same pieces with very little change, I find it really inspiring to see what students want to make. It's always something fun and different and I want to do what I can to make the idea in their head a reality.
What inspired you to start working with clay? What sets you apart as an instructor? Why did you become an instructor? I took a class back in 2015 when I was working finance and I immediately felt like it had the power to melt away my stress. It was almost like meditation but I could make something beautiful at the same time.
Watching students fall in love with ceramics is a driving force for me as an instructor. I want to inspire a passion for ceramics, especially in a city where arts spaces are hard to come by and difficult to maintain. I want people to experience the process of ceramics and not just the final product.
What’s your favorite piece to make? What is your favorite clay body? Biggggg salad bowls! I have the freedom to create unique shapes, instead of the day to day production pieces. Throwing big bowls incorporates both your mind and how you’re breathing, staying focus! It forces you to slow down and enjoy the meditative side of pottery. I like a very plastic clay, like too strong that i almost cannot change the shape of it. Or i would also love a new clay body, so much possibility to explore.
What is your original background? Outside of pottery. I am canadian born n raised from Hong Kong and moved to Vancouver in 2020. I studied in Publishing and marketing, and worked in both back office and front office in investment banking, while teaching pottery part-time. My intention for teaching is that I just want to spend as much time as possible in front of the wheel, doesn’t matter if I’m throwing as a hobby or teaching. It’s such an addictive hobby.
Who’s your favorite artist? Could be a different form. A book you’d recommend. My students are the best artists lol. There are so many different students around me all the time and they are so inspiring, I guess people’ backgrounds are so different, the way people think is so different. Also, somehow I think you don’t need to be a master at a skill to be creative.
What is the most rewarding part of being an instructor, to you? Obviously same as the above, it gives me chance to connect with different people, listen to their stories. While seeing the way people work with clay, you can somehow really see everyone's personality and like the mood of that day.
And, I guess I didn’t really plan to be and instructor, but I try to see this as a different project. As an instructor, it could be so powerful (not like I can change the world) but to get precise on how to manipulate clay and share it to people in front of you. You can help them to become someone like you one day or maybe even more, and to find the joy in clay.
CLAUDIA L
Emma Boreen
What inspired you to start working with clay? What sets you apart as an instructor? Why did you become an instructor? I had dabbled in many different art forms over the years, but had a hard time finding an avenue that felt right. I decided to try pottery after being intrigued by it for years, and as soon as I did, I felt something click! Pottery has allowed me to express my creativity in a way that feels genuine and grounded, and now being able to share that with others through my mugs and teaching is the place that I find the most joy. In my classes I prioritize curiosity, comfort, patience and an open minded attitude. I believe there is no one right way to do things and I strive to make my classes feel like a safe and fun space for people of all ages, identities and backgrounds to learn and experiment. I became an instructor because I believe in sharing the healing ability of working with clay. There are so many things to busy our minds and lives in this day and age, and pottery teaches us to slow down and focus on the little details, persevere the learning curve, and explore our creativity in a new way.
What’s your favorite piece to make? What is your favorite clay body? My favorite thing to make is definitely coil built sculpture and large form vases. My favorite clay bodies are M340s from Plainsman and Mazma Red from Georgies.
What is your original background? Outside of pottery.I'm a Victoria born and raised local. My history with teaching began over 10 years ago as a Rhythmic Gymnastics coach. I learned alot about creating an environment with structure, dedication, artistry, and most importantly- FUN, as someone who is guiding a class or experience for others. After this, I worked in the jewelry business for over 6 years, started selling my ceramics under Sadie Goods in 2017, and began teaching at a local studio in 2019. I continue to share my ceramics as Sadie Goods, and you may see me at some local markets! I've also worked as an admin manager, pottery studio manager, vintage shopkeep, and have many hobbies on top of that. I play the harp and share my music as Elbow Kiss.
Who’s your favorite artist? Could be a different form. What's a book you’d recommend? So hard to choose! Some of my favorite ceramics artists: Julie Moon, Mel Arsenault, Rebecca Manson, Stephanie Temma Hier, Amelia Lockwood, Dara Schuman NonPorous Ceramics, Peihsuan Wang, Handheld Ceramics... to name a few. I'm also really inspired by vintage pottery and folk art.
What is the most rewarding part of being an instructor, to you? Getting to see a student be proud of their own work! A lot of labour (and blood sweat and tears!) goes into each pot, so it's beautiful for students to discover a new found sense of appreciation for the timeless craft that is pottery.
ELi WEST
What inspired you to start working with clay? What sets you apart as an instructor? Why did you become an instructor? I’ve always been fascinated by pottery, specifically wheel throwing. I followed all the accounts on Instagram, learnt the terms, bought and read numerous books on glazing, kilns, forms, etc, and one day my wife surprised me with a 6 week class as a gift (at Touci of course!). On the first day of class I was so nervous but so excited and I remember making my first cylinder and being in awe of what I could do with just a lump of clay, and I was hooked! Within my first year of ceramics I had spent over 1500 hours in the studio practising and learning as much as I possibly could, and with a great mentor that went a long way!
I think that what sets me apart as an instructor and why I became an instructor go hand-in-hand. I became an instructor because I love teaching and all I want to do is share my love for teaching ,and ceramics, with as many people as I can and I think this is what also makes me ‘stand out’. I enjoy watching my students do pottery for the first time, as an instructor I’ll never get to relive the experience of doing pottery for the first time, so seeing others have that experience is always amazing.
What’s your favorite piece to make? What is your favorite clay body? I love making vases! I love the freedom that making vases offers as I find that the ‘rules’ surrounding vases are not as prominent as with dinnerware. Vases allow you to express your creativity in a way that feels more artistic rather than functional.
Currently I’m loving both a groggy white stoneware as well as a smooth black stoneware. For my personal work I don’t focus on glazes, rather I focus on using interesting clay bodies to compliment the forms I make.
What is your original background? Outside of pottery. Top secret information! But for fun, aside from ceramics, I like to run, surf, cook, and spend time exploring with my family.
Who’s your favorite artist? Could be a different form. What's a book you’d recommend? Currently I have two favourite artists, one being Astrid Salomon and the other being Tarragon Smith. Both are ceramics artists and both are quite different. Astrid focuses mostly on handbuilding vases and larger forms creating them “by slowly shaping around an emotion, character or story.” Her work can be very polarising at times and I really enjoy her ability to shift between structured forms or quiet organic forms. Tarragon on the other hand focuses mostly on wheel throwing and his work blends Japanese tea cups and Greek motifs that are painted on using oxides and I think blending the two styles of ceramics is both fascinating and inspiring.
What is the most rewarding part of being an instructor, to you? Getting to watch students throw for the first time! It’s inspiring being able to share something you love with others and see them love it just as much as you do.
Emma Bot
What inspired you to start working with clay? What sets you apart as an instructor? Why did you become an instructor?I was inspired other artists I saw online doing pottery and wanted to translate my own ideas onto a functional pieces of artwork. As I continued to explore the craft and refine my skills I became an instructor so I could help other people bring their ideas to life. I think what sets me apart as an instructor would be my love for decorating pieces with underglazes and underglaze crayons, creating silly doodles and colourful designs on pieces that really make them unique
What’s your favorite piece to make? What is your favorite clay body? My favourite pieces to make are silly long hand mugs, or mugs with cats on them 😺 I love working with white clay bodies
What is your original background? Outside of pottery. I am originally from Calgary and moved to Kelowna to do my undergrad in human kinetics at UBCO. I moved to the island post university as I have many family ties on the island and love being by the ocean. Currently I work full time at island health.
I am a self taught artist (asides from pottery). I have always been interested in different mediums of arts to various degrees and often dabble in different mediums causally. I printmake, knit, sometimes do a bit of photography, and of course I do lots of pottery.
Who’s your favorite artist? Could be a different form. I love so many artists of different mediums, favourite photographer is David Uzochukwu, I love printmaker Anya Barabanova (lino_squirrel), Jess Chen tattooist and ceramicist is amazing, there are too many to name. And of course I'm a big swiftie
I would recommend game of thrones, acotar series, memoirs of a geisha
What is the most rewarding part of being an instructor, to you? I love seeing peoples ideas come to life as they explore a new medium.