Vancouver's first European-style ceramic studio is now open in the city's Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.
The new, friendly neighbourhood potter, Kate Metten, opened doors to her storefront ceramic studio about a month ago this summer at 2408 Main St. The space is unlike ceramics stores seen around Vancouver, according to Metten, who's lived both in the city and abroad in Europe.
"It's set up as a production-style studio," she says. "When I was in Europe, it seems there are a lot more potters with their own storefronts, but no one's really doing that here. It's bringing a Bernard Leach style studio to Vancouver which hadn't existed before."
Kate Metten Ceramics, Metten's new space, primarily serves as her studio, where she throws and fires pieces edaily
Other local potters' work is displayed throughout the studio, too, and Metten plans to host pop-ups each month featuring local artists.
Liam McClure, a self-taught artist who makes welded metal and leather chairs, is September's featured artist. A pop-up opening party is taking place at the studio on Sept. 9 from 5-8 p.m.
Different than shopping online
"There's nothing really like this where you get to meet the artist and see how the work is made, feel the piece, connect with a piece. That's why it's different than shopping online. Ceramics is just so personal, and you need to find [a] piece that fits well in your hand," Metten explains.
Unlike the typical Vancouver business model where shoppers browse finished products, Metten's model lets shoppers peek into the production process. At any given moment throughout the day, people perusing the studio can see her at work behind the wheel and throughout the studio, which adds a grounding element to the finished pieces.
Because Metten works every day, she can adjust the clay and glazes according to trends and seasons in real-time. Switching from a summer to fall palette can happen within days instead of months.
In addition to being beautiful art, "it's all functional," she adds. "It's like functional art because sometimes, I think, people are afraid to use these special one-of-a-kind things, but life exists in use."
Setting up shop
The idea to open a storefront ceramics studio turned up unexpectedly, recalls Metten.
She was in Denmark for a ceramic residency when the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to leave all her work behind and move back to Vancouver. Metten's business grew as she was quarantined in her studio.
In Vancouver again, she was walking down Main Street when she crossed paths with a property manager who, after welcoming her home, encouraged her to do something with the recently opened space, so she went for it.
"I was going to move [to Vancouver] for grad school, and then I thought this was actually a more unique opportunity," Metten said. "I know so many people in the neighbourhood, and it's kind of cool to feel like the neighbourhood potter and be waving at people through the window all day as I'm throwing [clay]."
Opening the studio was tedious, and Metten describes the long hours it took to put everything together. "We worked 14 hours a day for the month of June. I didn't want the shop sitting empty, and as soon as I got set up, I wanted to open my doors," she explains.
The studio is continuously evolving, she adds, mentioning the glaze mixing counter she recently installed in the back and additional painting done over the weekends.
A potter since childhood
Metten is indeed Vancouver's friendly neighbourhood potter, having collaborated with Oak and Fort for their new flagship store in Gastown and creating custom dishes for Ubuntu Canteen.
Her journey as a potter began at seven years old when she sat down at a potter wheel for the first time. Her interest continued into her teenage years, simultaneously with dancing. At 13, Metten quit dance and deepened her interest in ceramics.
"It's a very physical practice, kind of like dance," she contrasts. "[Ceramics] responds very much to the body and sense of touch. It came naturally and has become very much a big part of my self-care. It's a grounding tool for me in my life."
