Therapeutic. Community-based. Healing. These are some of the words Andrew McCullough would use to describe the world of pottery.
McCullough is a Fredericton-based potter and the man behind NU Ceramics Studio, which had its grand opening on Sept. 7.
“There’s nothing that … brings out the natural me more than talking about pottery and doing pottery,” he said.
What started as a ‘drab, dingy’ office space with a carpet was soon turned into a bright gallery space, fit to share his love for pottery with the community. The studio offers a space for all skill levels to practice pottery, which is an art-form that many find difficult to get into.
Making the medium more accessible to beginners is something McCullough is proud to provide at the NU Ceramics Studio.
“It’s so satisfying to be able to help them along with the journey, because I know that everybody can get there,” he said. “It’s just really satisfying to see those … happy faces at the end with finished pieces.”
While he has always been creative and inventive; McCollough said he didn’t find pottery until he was a young adult. Unsure of what he wanted to do in life, his friend introduced him to the artform
He knew once he touched the clay that pottery was the medium for him.
“That kind of stuff always stays with you,” he said. “If you had [that creative urge] as a kid, you’re going to have it as an adult … When I found pottery, it was like I was able to run with it.”
Though he took a step back from that side of his life for a time, he was able to dive back in when he was chosen to appear on the first-ever season of The Great Canadian Pottery Throwdown, which aired earlier this year.
The show is the Canadian version of a long-running originally British program, which McCullough was already a fan of. It brought together talented potters from across the country to compete to be the winner.
As one of three Maritimers – New Brunswickers, specifically – on the show, McCullough said he was proud that the province’s fine arts skills were represented.
“I’m really glad that the rest of Canada can see … Atlantic Canada is a special place for pottery and ceramic art.”
The show was also hosted by Canadian actor Seth Rogen, who McCullough is a huge fan of. McCullough said while the rest of the cast was playing it cool, he was the most nervous in meeting him, despite having met a lot of interesting people in the past.
“A day in an elevator with Justin Trudeau didn’t make me break a sweat, but seeing Seth Rogen walk out on the pottery show almost made me cry.”
The overall experience was ‘surreal and rewarding’ for McCullough. Despite the competitive nature of the show, they were all able to connect with each other, bond over their shared excitement and share their unique perspectives and techniques.
He said the best part was getting to collaborate with the other potters.
“That’s what I’m going to carry with me forever … the relationships with them.”
This sense of community is deeply ingrained in the culture of being a potter. Not only are they often willing to share and learn together, they’re also eager to see each other succeed.
“Community is kind of built into the craft,” he said, “A chef might be very tight lipped about their their best recipe for the kitchen and keep it secret, but a potter is often very willing to share their best glaze recipe, because they want to see the experimentation that other potters can do with it.”
His main advice for those interested in pottery is to start by learning with others.
To some, pottery can feel like a very daunting or expensive medium to get into. However, McCullough said it’s actually perfect for those who may not think of themselves as artists at all.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for people to self explore with pottery. You can learn a lot about yourself … about hidden creativity.”
