Originally established as private workshop for a small-scale potter, Lyds Ceramics has grown to become home to several emerging artists and operates to help other potters through its classes, firing services, workshops and open studio time. Located in Vernon, British Columbia, Lyds Ceramics is nestled in the west end of downtown just a few blocks south of the main street. As anyone beginning their journey in ceramics can attest, starting out can be daunting. Finding your first class is one thing, but finding a way to continue your work is another. At Lyds we hope to make your journey easier, by providing a safe, creative, and inclusive workspace where beginner to experienced potters can continue to learn their craft and to grow as artists.

My name is Anne and I am the artist and owner behind Lyds Ceramics. I began studying ceramics at the Haliburton School of Art and Design in 2021, and continue my education through my own work.

 

The name "Lyds" is a tribute to my grandmother, Lydia Blanche Newell Holmes. An amazing woman and my favourite lady, she showed us endless love, patience, and understanding, and always retained a sense of humour. An angel to us now, she lived to 100 and is a powerful example of someone I hope to be like one day.

 

As a potter and ceramic artist, I strongly believe that beauty should be incorporated into the objects we use every day. Objects can be deeply personal, holding memories and experiences and provoking strong emotions. They are more than just their functional purpose, they take up space in our lives and become part of our daily routine.

 

In a society obsessed with the mass production of cheap, "disposable" products and that has an engrained sense of quantity-over-quality, the meaning and value in the things we have has been lost. My mission as a maker is to bring this value back and to help people rediscover the importance of handmade and homemade goods, of better quality items, and the beauty of having art around us all the time.

Like everything in life, my style is constantly changing. I love to embrace different projects and forms as I discover them and enjoy bringing new elements into my work.

 

"When something's too cheap, somebody's paying something" - Morning Moon, The Tragically Hip

 

Drawing and ceramic artist, arts instructor and assistant studio manager

Hi! My name is Jam and I am an emerging interdisciplinary artist currently obsessed with paper and clay, but you may also find me with a camera in hand every now and again. After graduating from the Alberta University of the Arts with a BFA in drawing and minoring in ceramics, I now practice in the northern part of the unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan People (colonially known as Vernon, British Columbia).

Driven by a search for moments of reflection and emotional release, my studio work features a ritualistic use of a spiral motif as the grounding point for various material explorations - flowing between 2D and 3D forms of making, I am interested in embodying themes of organic growth and connection while also exploring the dualistic qualities of fragility and strength that are often present in my work. 

 

When I am not in the studio making things you can find me teaching workshops at Lyds Ceramics or at the Vernon Community Arts Centre, vending at local markets, hanging out with my partner and our cat babies, and/or working in our garden.

Potter and Writer