Homestead Pottery

Some leisure on the weekend led us to a local artisan shop.
Homestead pottery, located in West Guilford, just north of Haliburton,
is one of only a few pottery shops that fire their clay creations with wood.
There is certainly a novelty to wood fired pottery,
but it also lends a very distinctive characteristic to the finished product.

It's an all-day affair, so the owner, Lisa Barry,
took the opportunity to be a part of a studio tour,
where she could demonstrate the home made kiln that she uses.

Fortunately, the kiln is outdoors,
and the shop and gallery were cool and inviting on a hot summer day.
We were able to take a tour of the gallery displays,
as well as see the workshop itself.

Haliburton and the surrounding area is home to many artisan studios.
The natural beauty and quiet draws artists into the community.
And though we haven't taken much time to do so,
there are frequent studio tours going on throughout the year here.

This trip was a tour and a demonstration of the wood-fired kiln.
I hope to do a hands on workshop here sometime.
Of all of the art lessons available,
I'm sure that the kids would especially love making pottery on a wheel.

This pottery is one-of-a-kind workmanship.
Each piece experiences a different effect from the kiln flames.

If you are interested in Lisa Barry's studio and her beautiful creations,
here is a link to her Haliburton Arts Directory page.

Remember to search out local artisans wherever you live.
Supporting the arts helps keep our culture worth experiencing.