Winklerites are familiar with the friendly, smiling faces at Gateway Resources. The nonprofit organization, which supports and serves people with intellectual disability in the area, is deeply entrenched in the community and provides invaluable resources to it.
In 2019, Gateway Resources purchased Clay Owl Studio and Boutique. Since then, Gateway participants have been working at Clay Owl to build the skills needed to enter the workforce.
“Our participants do all of the tasks that would be involved in running this store, so we tried our best to get them interacting with customers, giving them instructions on how to paint their own pottery, and then of course all of the till work doing cash out [and all] those . . . skills,” says Arienne Morissette, who has been working at Clay Owl for four years now.
In her career, Morissette regularly sees firsthand how being involved in the studio benefits participants.
“[My favourite part] has to be just watching these participants grow in their confidence over time. Often when they start, they're very nervous, but it's just really incredible to see that their confidence grows,” she says. “Then of course, it's really satisfying seeing them get a meaningful job out in the community. I'm always so proud to see where they end up.”
For Chelsey Lincoln at Gateway Resources, a part of her role is to place Gateway participants in workplaces in the community.
“It starts from [Clay Owl] being a channel to working on those skills to you know, [placing] some people at Hometown Ford [and] at Co-op,” she says. “[I love] just seeing their ability to grow within the community and to be community based. [Participants] get to interact with community individuals.”
Clay Owl’s operations help facilitate the connection between people with intellectual disabilities and the community of Winkler. The studio runs a monthly painters’ club program for children ages 7 to 12 (for anyone a little bit older or younger, Morissette says that the age range is not strict). Each month, children come in to create a different project and learn artistic skills.
“We talk lots about different painting techniques, tips, and it's a lot of fun,” says Morissette.
Anyone interested in signing children up for the program is invited to reach out to Clay Owl through its Facebook or Instagram page or call 204-384-6676.
On October 18th, Clay Owl will also host its first paint and sip night with Winkler Arts and Culture.
“People that register will get to enjoy some snacks and some wine while we go through a guided painting project together,” says Morissette. “We'll be creating a fall wreath plate just to celebrate the season.”
Clay Owl is also open for drop-in clay painting weekly from Tuesday to Saturday. The studio has a separate room for private events as well.
“It's a lot of fun not just for birthdays, but any other gathering that you would want to join us for — so bridal showers, work events, or just Tuesday night is fine,” says Morissette.
Lincoln says that she herself took her children to Clay Owl to paint a Father’s Day project and even though they hadn’t been painters previously, she says they enjoyed the process.
“The fact that they got to do any colour, [and] paint their own [project] — they loved it,” she says.
Clay Owl Studio and Boutique holds open houses and fundraisers throughout the year to support its operations and the role it plays in the community. To keep on top of its schedule, check for updates on the Clay Owl website.
~With files from Ty Hildebrand and Jayme Giesbrecht~