Meet Your Neighbour: Hello Pottery
Aysia Garbe opened Hello Pottery in November 2020 with a vision to provide a space where people can learn how to create with raw clay. The studio offers a bright an airy space where people can try their hand at something new.
Aysia offers clay classes for both adults and children. “When you enroll in one of our 6-week classes, which are focused on hand building and wheelwork, you’ll end up with 15 – 30 pieces of pottery that are both microwave and dishwasher safe.” advises Asyia. “I’m so stoked to be able to offer classes on a regular and consistent basis.”
Hello Pottery also offers one-time guided workshops where you can test the waters and see if this is the right creative outlet you’ve been looking for. They will guide you through a lesson focused on making one to two quality items and you can try making anything from a mug, to a vase, or even a handheld watering can.
Aysia learned how to create with clay from local artisan, Jill Usher and while she was attending the University of Guelph for marketing she taught clay classes at the Guelph Community Pottery Centre.
Interesting fact: Clay is the oldest known ceramic material. Prehistoric humans discovered the useful properties of clay and used it for making pottery. Some of the earliest pottery shards have been dated to around 14,000 BC, and clay tablets were the first known writing medium.
There’s also a lovely retail side to Hello Pottery where Aysia carries a curated selection of house and gift wares created by female entrepreneurs.
“The support I’ve felt from the Collingwood Downtown business community has been incredible, especially the Business Improvement Area, which has been really helpful in helping launch and create awareness for my business.” reflects Aysia. “If you’re going to open a new business, especially as the past couple of years have taught us, you’ve got to be prepared for every possible scenario. Obviously you can’t predict everything that will happen, but it’s a really good idea to have a Plan B for the best possible outcomes and also for the worst.”
If you’re feeling like trying something new and creative, would like to try your hand at a potter’s wheel or hand building with clay, check out some of the classes currently being offered say hello to pottery www.hellopotteryco.com/. You can also find them on facebook at www.facebook.com/hellopotteryco/ or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/hellopotteryco/
Aysia, a bit of a serial entrepreneur, also owns a full service digital creative agency, Mayka Marketing + Creative Co. https://www.maykamarketingandcreativeco.com/ and has amassed quite an impressive client list. They work alongside their clients in Collingwood, Barrie, the GTA, and Guelph to create exceptional branding, e-commerce, and social media strategies that captivate customers and spark sales. May-ka significant impression with a marketing initiative that’s totally tailored to you.