 Chantelle Arams, Valerie Brain, Jenny Davies, Kenzie Heisler, Mel McFarlane, Faithe Sovdi, Sarah Simison, and Kathy Verbeke.jpg)
The Moose Jaw Centre for Arts & Culture (MJCAC, recently re-branded) hosted its first-ever craft show over the weekend, bringing visitors to browse a variety of handmade goods while checking out ‘It Takes a Village’ — a pottery art show in the MJCAC gallery.
It Takes a Village brought together longtime Moose Jaw potting professionals, including Kathy Verbeke and Faithe Sovdi, with newer potters like Sarah Simison, Kenzie Heisler, Jenny Davies, Chantelle Arams, and Sarah Vanthuyne. The show was organized and curated by Melanie McFarlane (Sovdi’s daughter), and also featured Valerie Braun, who, like McFarlane, has started her own business.
“The It Takes a Village art show is a celebration of mentorship and collaboration through hand-building of pottery,” McFarlane explained. “With this show, I’ve invited potters I’ve learned from and mentors I’ve had, like my mother, Kathy Verbeke, Valerie Braun, and then I’ve included other potters that I’ve been able to pass on mentorship and skills to.
“It’s meant to celebrate all that connection we make by collaborating through hand-building, and it really does take a village. You’re going to find pieces here that are hung on walls as art pieces, we have a fairy land, we have a gnome village, we’ve got lighted pottery, grain elevators, cartoon villages from people’s childhoods, villages from movies. It’s a nice collection of everything.”
It Takes a Village is only at the Centre for Arts & Culture for the month of October — Thursday, Oct. 31st is the last day to see it.
“We truly believe from the bottom of our hearts that pottery can build communities,” Sovdi said. “Melanie and her vision, she’s all about that, so yeah, it’s just been fun. And honouring Kathy Verbeke, she’s a dear friend of ours and she’s the person we’ve all been taught by.”
Valerie Braun recalled first learning pottery with McFarlane and Sovdi at the Moose Jaw Pottery Club. She's had her own business for a year now, and she was happy to reunite for an art show at the CAC.
“When we were at the pottery club, we would get together and teach each other and learn off each other and come up with new ideas,” she explained. “It was quite a fun time together, and so it was really an honour to be part of this show. I thought Mel did a great job of putting it on.
“It does take a village. You learn from other potters and teachers, and you learn from students, too. It gives you ideas, you feed off each other, and it’s inspirational.”
On October 25 and 26, the MJCAC hosted its first-ever craft fair, the Christmas Makers Market. Simison, executive director of the CAC, said the fair was busy and packed. The It Takes a Village artists were all there and chatted with patrons who visited the art show. There were also other guests, like Stuart Anderson and Colleen Friedrick.
“I’m selling handmade pens and pencils and seam rippers, made from all sorts of wood and several types of acrylic and plastic,” Anderson said. “It’s a very, very busy place here, I’m quite surprised at all the people coming through the venue, and there are some very distinguished artists around here. I’m kind of in awe at some of the stuff that is for sale.”
Friedrick makes natural stone bracelets for men, women, and children. She’s been selling her jewelry at craft fairs and shows for eight years.
“I also make ankle bracelets,” she added, “and yeah, I embellish them a bit with some bling, like rhinestones and Czechoslovakian glass.
“It’s really delightful here at the (Centre for Arts & Culture). It’s peaceful and everyone’s just out having a good time and enjoying the season. We’ve met some wonderful people and sold some bracelets and you can’t ask for more than that.”