By Joshua Estabrooks

For over 40 years, local potter Pauline Newhouse has been exploring the world of stoneware at her home near Lake Lillian. She first got into the art form while living in Edmonton, and has since moved her original kiln brick by brick to where she and her husband have retired in the Columbia Valley.

Newhouse said she got into pottery because it was something she had always wanted to do, but recently has toned down the variety of pieces she makes and the volume, as she is choosing to spend more time with her family and less time with her pottery wheel.

Preparing for her annual Pynelogs show, Newhouse said she looks forward to this one-time event, as she is a huge supporter of the Columbia Valley Arts Council and everything they have done for arts and culture in the valley. In the past, Newhouse has shown her work in a number of events and galleries, but as she chooses to spend more and more time with her family, she has limited her pottery output to accommodate just one show a year.

“My show this year will feature mostly functional pieces,” she said. “The Tagines are used to slow cook food, the bean pots are functional as well as being conversation pieces, and the salad bowls are multi-functional. I have also included several other traditional wheel thrown pieces of pottery as well as a large hand built bowl with a-symmetrical feet.”

The Tagines came about as a result of requests from friends, said Newhouse, as is the case with many of her stoneware explorations. A Tagine is used in Moroccan cuisine, and functions much like a slow cooker for stewed meats and vegetables.

Newhouse will be part of Pynelogs’ next juried show, along with local talents Deb Ede, Paula Cravens, Jane Murray, Kimberley Rae Sanderson and Tara Higgins. The official artist opening took place on Wednesday, August 1 and the show will run until August 12.

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