Ninety-three year old Mavis Mooney has been a potter for 50 years, sculpting clay to make all kinds of ceramic vessels.
"When people ask when I started, I always say, I started as a kid making mud pies," she said, laughing. "I used to make big things and now I make small things."
These days, small things take the shape of exquisitely crafted bowls created with artwork she has perfected over the years and new monoprints designs she recently learned from a pottery class.
Mooney's passion for pottery has rubbed off on her next-door neighbours Michelle Bourgeois and Anne Marie Daniel who got hooked throwing pots – aka creating pottery vessels using a potter's wheel – during the pandemic.
"I like it because I can kind of forget about all the other stuff going on in my life and I just zero in and focus on that," Bourgeois said.
Daniel says she's learned so many new things since taking up pottery. "I'm fascinated by the chemistry of it and the mixing of things – just learning techniques and being able to work in curves rather than straight lines is cool," she said.
They went from being neighbours who occasionally waved at each other from across the street to becoming good friends.
"I used to be just the old woman with the dog," Mooney joked.
Now they spend every Sunday morning together trying new things with clay. They even named themselves the "Pinetree Potters" after the street where they live.
The trio's love for pottery has grown from creating to giving with a fundraising initiative they started two years ago – Souperbowl. Last year they raised $2700 and they're hoping to surpass that this year.
On March 8, the North Saanich potters are holding another Souperbowl from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mooney's home at 9236 Pinetree Road.
For $45, people can choose their favourite pottery bowl, all made by the Pinetree Potters and help themselves to different kinds of homemade soup.
"We've created a series of soup bowls – after enjoying their soup, participants can take the bowl home with them," said Bourgeois.
There will be live music, a silent auction and other pottery pieces for sale. All proceeds from Souperbowl will go to Saanich Peninsula Food Bank.
"It's nice to raise something for a good cause through creativity and through learning to centre ourselves and also centre what's needed in the community," Daniel added.
To reserve your spot or participate in the online silent auction at Souperbowl, email Michelle Bourgeois grasshoppercri8tive@gmail.com.
