A lump of clay took shape as a pair of cats at Queenston Pottery on Feb. 14 as the York Road studio ran a Valentine’s Day sculpting workshop with a morning family session and an evening date-night version with wine and charcuterie.
The Valentine’s sessions fit a broader plan to make the pottery studio a weekly stop for residents and visitors. Co-owner Rick Mlcak is planning recurring Thursday workshops in the studio starting late March or early April. In a town known for wineries and festivals, organizer Lisa Dahl wants to add more arts-based activities that give locals, tourists, teens and retirees another reason to visit.
Ten people took part in the morning session, sculpting personalized details onto their premade clay cups as Mlcak moved between stations giving step-by-step help. The afternoon session also offered hot chocolate, while the evening version added wine and charcuterie.
Dahl framed the evening program as an alternative to the standard Valentine’s dinner reservation and a way to give people a shared activity.
“We’re finding that people are looking for hands-on experiences, and when they can share that event with somebody, that is what creates more memories and connections,” Dahl said.
Participant Alex Veitch attended with her mother as a Valentine’s activity and worked on a matched set of cat sculptures based on her pets, Winston and Ciri. Veitch returned after making one cat on an earlier visit.
Veitch said the class felt like a simple way to spend the day together without building the plan around dinner.
Solomon Kury, an industrial designer, has lived in the area for about five months after moving in September and attended with his girlfriend Bianca Opala. He spoke about his day job and his interest in making time for hands-on work outside of work.
The studio has staged other entry-level workshops during major local events such as the Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Festival in January that drew mostly local participants. The workshops are beginner-friendly cup sculpting classes, with cups prepared ahead of time so guests could focus on details.
Mlcak said the studio wants a more regular calendar after holiday sessions like Valentine’s Day, with Thursday afternoons set aside for rotating projects if there is interest.
He described the Thursday window as a possible after-school option and a time that could work for adults who want an afternoon class.
Dahl wants the studio to build out that calendar so residents can always check in and find something scheduled at Queenston Pottery. She also pitched the studio as another activity in a tourism economy that often centres on tasting rooms.
“How do we continue to enhance Niagara-on-the-Lake in addition to wine? You can only drink so much,” Dahl said.
The studio is planning a Mother’s Day workshop for moms and kids, with ideas that include sculpting and clay hand or foot imprints. Queenston Pottery will post dates regarding the Thursday series and Mother’s Day event on its website once plans are confirmed.
