Our Mission

At the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, our mission is to foster a vibrant community of potters dedicated to promoting the art of pottery throughout our province. We strive to inspire creativity, share knowledge, and nurture the development of pottery skills at all levels. Through workshops, exhibitions, and community events, we aim to support and elevate the craft, creating opportunities for learning, collaboration, and cultural enrichment. Our commitment is to build a thriving pottery community where passion and craftsmanship flourish, enriching the lives of our members and the broader community.

 Nova Scotia Potters Guild Representatives

Darren Rowles, President

As President of the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I’m honoured to serve a community of passionate, creative, and committed ceramic artists from across the province.

My role is to support the growth and sustainability of the guild, foster meaningful connections among members, and champion initiatives that celebrate and elevate the ceramic arts.

Working alongside a dedicated team I’m excited to help shape opportunities for learning, collaboration, and public engagement as we continue building a strong, inclusive clay community in Nova Scotia.

Email: nspgpresident@gmail.com 

Instagram: @cymraegceramics 


Natalie Burns,

VICE president

As Vice President of the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I’m honoured to support the growth and vitality of our ceramic community. I work closely with the President and Board to help guide the guild’s initiatives, strengthen member engagement, and champion opportunities for potters at all stages of their practice. I’m passionate about fostering collaboration, creativity, and connection across the province.

Email: nataliecburns@hotmail.com


Sue Dirani, Treasurer

As Treasurer of the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I’m committed to ensuring the financial health and sustainability of our organization.

I oversee the guild’s budgeting, reporting, and financial planning to support our programs, events, and member initiatives.

With a focus on transparency and accountability, I aim to help the guild thrive and continue offering valuable opportunities to our ceramics community.

Email: nspgtreasurer@gmail.com

Instagram: @flinnstreetpottery


Meggie Richards, Secretary

As Secretary of the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I help keep our operations running smoothly by managing meeting records, maintaining communication within the board, and ensuring important documents are organized and accessible. With a passion for pottery and community building, I’m committed to supporting the Guild’s mission and fostering collaboration among members

Instagram: @blushingpolarbear


Sharon BRooksby,

Membership Coordinator

As Membership Coordinator, I serve as the first point of contact for new and returning members of the Nova Scotia Potters Guild. I manage registrations, maintain our member database, and work to ensure everyone feels welcome and connected. My goal is to help members access the benefits of the guild and feel part of a vibrant, supportive ceramic community.

Email: membership.nspg@gmail.com

Instagram: @pottery_junkie


Stef Hurley

NSCAD representative

As the NSCAD Representative for the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I serve as a bridge between the guild and the ceramics community at NSCAD University, where I’m currently studying. My goal is to keep the guild informed about developments, events, and opportunities within the NSCAD ceramics program, while also sharing news about the guild’s initiatives with students and faculty. I’m passionate about fostering stronger connections between emerging artists and the wider pottery community across the province.

Email: stefhurley@nscad.ca

Instagram: @stef_hurley


Aislinn Scott,

Social Media Coordinator

As Social Media Coordinator for the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I’m excited to help amplify the voices of our members and highlight the value of our vibrant ceramics community.

With a background in marketing and a deep appreciation for the power of connection, I aim to foster engagement, celebrate creativity, and keep our community informed and inspired across digital platforms. Outside of work, I’m a mom of two, a hobby potter, and a lover of painting, yoga, and meditation—passions that fuel my commitment to creative community-building. 

Instagram: @aislinn.Scott

Email: nspg.socials@gmail.com


CECE haberfellner

Events Coordinator

As Events Coordinator, I’m excited to collaborate with our incredible guild members and the broader ceramics community to plan and deliver engaging workshops, exhibitions, and gatherings that celebrate our shared passion for clay.

My focus is on creating opportunities that bring us together—to learn, connect, and grow—while supporting our regional representatives in organizing local Ceramic Socials and other grassroots events. Whether it’s a hands-on masterclass, a community market, or a casual studio meetup, I’m committed to building inclusive, inspiring experiences that reflect the diversity and creativity of our members across the province.

Instagram: @cece_sculpts


Sheri White, Mentorship Lead

As Mentorship Lead for the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I’m thrilled to collaborate with Darren and our dedicated board to build on over 30 years of guild excellence. In this role, I’ll be designing and coordinating our inaugural mentorship program—matching emerging potters with experienced artists for one-on-one guidance, skill development, and creative growth.

My goal is to foster meaningful connections, share best practices, and support each member’s journey, from refining technique to navigating the broader ceramics community. I’m passionate about lifelong learning and look forward to helping both mentors and mentees thrive together.

Email: sheriwhite@eastlink.ca

Website


Judy_-_Raku_in_Action-310x341.jpg

Judy roberts, guild mentor, Past President

As Past President of the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I continue to support the Board and our members in advancing the clay arts across the province. With over 20 years of experience working in clay, I’m always happy to share knowledge, offer guidance, and help strengthen the vibrant community we’ve built together.

Potters often work in solitude, which makes our connections through the guild all the more meaningful. Whether through workshops, group firings, exhibitions, shared meals, or simply conversations about pots, I believe in the power of community to inspire, support, and sustain our creative journeys.

Email: turnaroundpottery@gmail.com Cell: 902-430-8661

Instagram: @judy.roberts.potter


Sharon Fiske, Guild Mentor,Past president

My journey as a potter began in 1980 with a dream: to become a self-employed production potter—one that would allow me to create functional work while making space for artistic exploration on the side. Over the past 30+ years, I’ve been proud to live that dream and share it with others through my long-standing involvement in the Nova Scotia Potters Guild.

As Past President, I continue to offer support, mentorship, and open communication to members. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with so many of you over the years, exchanging ideas, solving problems, and sharing in the passion that unites us. I’m always just a call, text, or email away.

To me, the guild is about more than pottery—it’s about building a clay community. I bring enthusiasm, experience, and the same passion for clay that’s driven me since day one. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received came from Barry Jeeves in 1977: “When you centre the bottom, the rest will centre itself.” It’s a tip I’ve carried with me ever since.

Email: sharonfiske@gmail.com

Phone: 902-471-8429

Instagram: @fiske.sharon


Denise Kroll, Member at large

As a Member-at-Large of the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, I’m here to support the Board and represent the diverse voices within our membership. My role is flexible, allowing me to contribute to various initiatives—from event planning to community outreach—wherever extra hands or ideas are needed. I’m passionate about fostering connections, promoting the ceramic arts, and helping the guild continue to grow and thrive.

Instagram: @pinkskypottery


Morgan Sheppard, Regional Rep (HRM/South Shore)

Morgan Sheppard is the creative force behind Wave Ceramics, a small-batch pottery studio based in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the Nova Scotian coastline, she crafts functional ceramics with intriguing forms and dynamic glazes, aiming to bring joyful experiences to everyday moments. 

As the HRM/South Shore Regional Representative for the Nova Scotia Potters Guild, Morgan is dedicated to fostering connections within the local ceramics community. She organizes events such as Ceramic Socials, providing opportunities for potters to network, share ideas, and collaborate.  


Instagram: @Wave_Ceramics


Monica DeCampo, Regional Rep (Digby)

With over 50 years of experience in ceramics, Monica DeCampo brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the Nova Scotia Potters Guild.

As the owner of Monicats Studio in Digby, she creates vibrant, functional pottery inspired by her South African heritage and the coastal beauty of Nova Scotia. 

Monica is dedicated to fostering a supportive clay community in the Digby and North Shore areas. Through organizing Ceramic Socials and offering workshops at her studio, she provides opportunities for potters to connect, share ideas, and develop their skills. 

Her commitment to mentorship and community engagement makes her an invaluable resource for both emerging and established ceramic artists in the region.

Instagram: @monicats12

https://www.facebook.com/monica.decampo/

85 Victoria Street, Box 2312, Digby, NS B0V 1A0


Janet Doble, Regional Rep (Parrsboro/North Shore)

Janet now lives in Parrsboro Nova Scotia. She has a studio space at Art Lab, an artist co-op run by 5 artists. In this inspiring artistic community she is exploring new avenues of creativity.

For over 30 years she has created functional and decorative pieces to enhance people’s homes and lives, using earthenware clay and a maiolica glaze with on glaze painting, of floral motifs. Since moving to Parrsboro in 2017, she has been using local clay which she digs from the shores of the Bay of Fundy.

Janets commitment to both her craft and community engagement makes her a valuable asset to the Guild and the broader ceramics community in Nova Scotia.

Phone: 902-499-0431
Email: janetdoble64@gmail.com

Art Lab Studios and Gallery
121 Main St. Parrsboro


Carol Smeraldo, friend of the board

Email: smeraldocarol@gmail.com

Phone: 902-434-1336


Gerri Frager, guild mentor

I've enjoyed making pottery for 16 years. When throwing on the wheel or hand-building, I love to incorporate the natural world into clay, allowing lupins or spirals of seaweed to live year-round in my functional pots. I offer hand-building workshops and welcome commissions.

Now retired as a paediatrician and professor specializing in Palliative Care and Director of Dalhousie's Humanities Program, I'm grateful for my seaside home and studio life.

Email: gernwp@gmail.com Phone: 902-802-1062

IG: @naturalwhorldspottery

 

NOVA SCOTIA POTTERS GUILDHISTORY • 1991—PRESENT

The Nova Scotia Potters Guild has been a vibrant and valued part of our provincial arts community since 1991. The Guild was formed by an enthusiastic group of potters who wanted to learn and teach and enjoy one another’s company. We are all about education and support for anyone in the province working in clay. The Guild supports work from production to one-of-a-kind; covers topics from artistic and technical support to business operation; and opens the channels for sharing information. Our members, cover a wide range of profiles from internationally recognized ceramic artists to those who are just beginning to work with clay. We share our news and skills through meetings, workshops and our newsletter, The Dish.

PROJECTS

Throughout our history, we have initiated exhibitions throughout the province in all categories – open, juried and curated. They have been presented in public, private and commercial galleries, including the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and our public gallery for craft, the Mary E. Black Gallery. Shaping Space, a celebration of Lantz Clay was presented in 2009 at the Mary E. Black Gallery and a catalogue was produced to document the project. The Guild Show - Work by the NS Potters Guild was displayed at the Craig Gallery in Dartmouth in 2005. Lieutenant-Governor Myra Freeman hosted the Guild’s Crowning Achievements exhibit at Government House in 2004–2005. In 1996, The Year of Earth and Fire, the Guild organized numerous displays, sales, public hands-on workshops and clay related events in collaboration with business, government and other organizations. Exhibitions included: From the Ground Up (opened at Mary E. Black Gallery and travelled around the Province); Metre2: The Art of Tile (Dartmouth Heritage Museum); An Invitation to Dinner – Contemporary Nova Scotia Dinnerware (Dartmouth Heritage Museum); and Potters of Our Past (Art Gallery of Nova Scotia). Ceramics Monthly Magazine covered these shows at the Dartmouth Heritage Museum.

WORKSHOPS

Excellent workshops have been presented by Guild members who have generously shared their expertise. The Guild has also worked with the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University’s Ceramics Department to bring nationally and internationally known ceramists to Halifax.

Our workshops have dealt with raku, gas, wood and smoke firings, mould making, big pots, photographing techniques and health concerns. Some of the well recognized artists who have instructed the Guild are: Les Manning, Jim Robison, Robin Hopper, Cathi Jefferson, Randy Brodnax and Joan Bruneau.

LOOKING FORWARD

The Guild continues to encourage the creation of fine ceramic work, to build awareness among the public of the value of this work, and to offer clay artists resources to strengthen their art form and to grow as artists.