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Take a Peak: Darlene Calwell

Potter goes big at key time in career
Take a Peak: Darlene Calwell
Take a Peak: Darlene Calwell

Growing up north of Powell River, potter Darlene Calwell remembers being introduced to making pottery at the old Lund School. She left the craft for years, until the last day of school for her own children. When a half-bag of clay was leftover from the school year, Calwell took it home and started creating pottery again. The popular potter primarily makes dishes that are sold at Dancing Tree Gallery, which she also owns.

Why did you choose to make dishes?
I wasn’t going to do dishes. I was just going to do sculpture. Six months into it I was becoming frustrated, so I figured I’d make a few dishes and then go back to sculpture. I just never went back. It was something I found out that I really liked to do. I jumped off the cliff and went big.

What do you mean by big?
It’s production potting. I consider it a craft, but when I start doing the one-of-a-kind, special pieces, I consider that art.

You opened Dancing Tree in 2013. Was it part of going big?
Places were small to sell in and when trying to put your pottery out there with commission there is not a lot left in profit, so it was either go big or quit. I wanted 10 artists and a big space for each one. There wasn’t anywhere you could really do that here. By doing that, I have time to do my own work. I have 10 fantastic artists who are really, really good.

How do you know what to make?
It has to work for me before I make it for others. It has to fit in the dishwasher. It has to fit right, it has to be safe and it has to be consistent. It’s test driving it. You just have to make sure it works.

Do you ever sit down to pot and not be into it?
Oh yeah, totally. When you sit down and start and you know it feels right, you will pot all day. There are times when I’ve thrown six mugs and every one of them is “nope, it’s not going to happen today.” I’ll just close it up and do something else. I won’t push it. You can’t do it when you don’t feel like it or when you’re stressed out; the work shows. It just doesn’t have that life to it.