LIKE A TOURIST EP. 5

290 McDermott Ave

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WINNIPEG’S NEWEST POTTERY STUDIO

The Pottery Bug Studio located downtown at 290 McDermott is Winnipeg’s newest pottery studio! The Pottery Bug Studio opened in early March 2023 by owner and instructor Kate Clark. The studio offers both hand-building and wheel-throwing workshops for those interested in creating their own bowls, mugs, wine glasses, ring dishes, and more!

At 4-5 people, class sizes are intimate and immersive. You’ll spend around an hour to an hour and a half creating your piece with the help of Kate, who has years of experience working with clay and plasters—her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts backs this statement up.

4 REASONS TO GO

AFFORDABLE POTTERY CLASSES

Normally, pottery classes can get REALLY expensive. Usually, you need to buy a set amount of classes or a “package”, which can cost you upwards of a few hundred dollars! What I like about The Pottery Bug Studio is that I can book individual classes at my own convenience—classes are also only $40, which is incredibly reasonable! Glazing classes run $25 and its recommended you build a few items before glazing, to get the most out of your dollar!

SOMETHING NEW TO DO IN WINNIPEG

How often do we as Winnipeggers complain, “there’s NOTHING to do here”. Well, that can stop now! Get yourself outta the house and try something new—with hands-on pottery classes.

This was my first time trying pottery and I REALLY enjoyed it. Keep in mind, I’ve wanted to try pottery classes for a while now, but they were just too much of a commitment or too expensive.

Some studios in the city offer glazing/painting, but not the physical hand-building or wheel-throwing process! The Pottery Bug Studio has wheels, a kiln, and all the other equipment needed to start your pottery journey from the ground up.

GREAT FOR BEGINNERS

The Pottery Bug Studio is a great way for people new to pottery to try their hand. Kate is an incredibly patient and knowledgeable instructor who provides tons of assistance. I found her teaching anecdotes and step-by-step approach to teaching to be helpful as a visual learner.

PERFECT DATE NIGHT

The Pottery Bug Studio is a great activity for date nights in Winnipeg! It’s a new activity and it’s SMACK-DAB in the middle of Winnipeg’s Exchange District, so there are loads of dinner and drink options nearby to keep you busy after you finish the workshop.

ADVICE

DON’T WEAR FANCY CLOTHES

You’re working with clay and water, so expect to get at least a little bit dirty by the end of your lesson. The Pottery Bug Studio supplies aprons, but they don’t cover your legs, so I recommend wearing bottoms you’re not overly attached to.

MAKE MULTIPLE PIECES BEFORE GLAZING

Hand-building and wheel-throwing classes will run you $40 a class (super reasonable) and glazing classes will run you $25. Kate recommends making multiple pieces of pottery before taking the glazing class, that way you can glaze all your pieces at once. This is by far the best bang for your buck (and we all know Winnipeggers are looking for those).

“YOU MOVE THE CLAY, THE CLAY DOESN’T MOVE YOU”

Remember, you have complete control and power over the clay! Let the pressure of your hands guide the clay versus letting the clay guide you! At first, I was worried about applying “too much” pressure, but after a couple tries you realize YOU have all the power and the tools are there to assist that.

MAKE SURE YOUR WHEEL IS WET

If you’re wheel isn’t wet enough, you can hurt your hands! I made the mistake of not using enough water and got a small little war wound from my lesson in the form of a friction burn—or whatever, I’m not a doctor. Remember, water is the wheel’s friend, don’t be afraid to get the wheel wet!