Surface Techniques in Clay: A 2-Day Workshop with Lesley McInally
"It was fabulous! I really enjoyed the weekend, learned a lot and made some new pottery friends. Thank you Lesley, Deep River Potters' Guild and Fusion!"
-workshop participant
Surface Techniques in Clay: A 2-Day Workshop with Lesley McInally
The Deep River Potters’ Guild and FUSION collaborated to present a hugely popular workshop in Deep River in October of 2024. The two-day event featured decoration demos, instruction and hands-on learning, along with a potluck social and visits to Forest Cove Alpacas and DRPG’s pottery. Many thanks go out to Lesley McInally for teaching so many of her techniques, our gift bag sponsors and the many volunteers who helped produce this amazing event.
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Here's what some of our participants had to say about the workshop:
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"It was such a brilliant workshop! I came away full of new ideas to unleash my creativity and feel freer to explore. Everyone was welcoming to us “outside” potters from outside Deep River. I can’t say enough great things about my weekend. I’ll be on the lookout for other workshops around Ontario."
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"This was by far one of the best workshops I’ve attended in a long while! Huge thank you Lesley for abundant demos and giving us time to try things out at each step. Super organized, well equipped and loads of fun! The Deep River Potters' Guild made the whole experience even better with their brilliant organization of the weekend! We were very fortunate to be supplied with loads of tools, slips and clays to use at the workshop and take with us to experiment with later."
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"I was one of the lucky ones and it was fabulous on all counts—Lesley’s teaching and guidance, the organization by the guild and FUSION, the perks in the goodie bag (thank you sponsors!) and all the lovely potters I got to meet. Every detail was looked after. It was a heartwarming experience in a stunning location. Thank you!"
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Gift Bag Sponsors
Lesley McInally
Lesley McInally is an accomplished artist with a passion for clay. Hailing from Scotland, Lesley earned her Bachelor of Design Honours Degree in Ceramics and Printmaking at Duncan of Jordanstone, Dundee University. Her artistic journey began managing Pitlochry Pottery in the highlands of Scotland followed by creating ceramic props for the film industry and decorative ceramics for galleries throughout the UK.
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In 2004, Lesley embarked on a new chapter by immigrating to Canada, where she established her studio practice in Cookstown, Ontario. Here, she delved deeper into her craft, honing her skills in unique stretched slab forms, paper clay techniques, hand building and captivating surface treatments. Leveraging her knowledge in printmaking, she infused her ideas onto clay creating highly tactile surfaces, using slips and underglazes.
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Throughout her career, Lesley has been eager to share her artistic knowledge with others. She has taught her techniques at various ceramic educational institutions, leaving a lasting impact on aspiring artists. She finally embraced the digital world, taking her expertise to global audiences with online workshops.
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Lesley’s artistry has been duly recognized as she has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and grants and continues to exhibit nationally and internationally.
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