Canadian Clay Symposium

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Canadian Clay Symposium

The Canadian Clay Symposium provides an educational forum for artists focused in Ceramic Arts.

Join us this March, 21st 2026 for live demonstrations and lectures by professional artists who share their process.

03/22/2026

Share widely! If you liked spending time at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and you work with clay, please consider applying for the 2027 Deer Lake Artist Residency by March 31 🌞 The facilities are particularly well-suited to early-career and mid-career ceramic artists and potters with an interest in high-fire ceramics and atmospheric firings. Artists from outside of Burnaby may also apply to stay in one of the guest heritage houses on Deer Lake, Baldwin House or Eagles Estate. This photo is of the Pottery Studio in Mathers House, which is the main space for creating, but artists also get access to the Kiln Shed, Steam Plant, and Place of Dust (Glaze Lab).

There is no fee to apply to . The Ceramic Arts residency window is August 3-September 11, 2027. Visit burnaby.ca/air for more information & application.

The artists for 2025 were Coral Patola (), Malina Sintnicolaas (), Gloria Jue-Youn Han (), Mitra Mahmoodi (), and Brianne Siu (). Photo by

03/22/2026

Update! The owner has been located! Is this stunning mug yours? It was left behind! Contact us so that we ca reunite you 🤍 [email protected] or DM

03/19/2026

Honouree Feature: Linda Doherty 🐎 We are pleased to announce .doherty as an honouree at 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒚: 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰𝒕 𝑩𝒆? For more than 45 years, Linda has been an integral part of the BC ceramics community as a distinguished maker, a member of the dynamic team at , a tireless volunteer, and a teacher. Her areas of expertise include extrusion fabrication; wood, salt, raku and sawdust firing; and crystalline glazes. Linda was also the driving force behind the book, 𝑴𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒚 (1998), an invaluable catalogue of 129 BC potters.

We will have a selection of Linda’s crystalline and wood-fired ceramics on display during the symposium. You can also see her collaborative work with fellow honouree Sharon Reay and Jay MacLennan in the window of until March 31 in an exhibition called, 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓒𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 & 𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓹.

Please note that the honourees will be present during the keynote on Friday, March 20 at 7pm at Reliance Theatre (Emily Carr University, 520 East 1 Ave, Vancouver). The keynote is free and open to all, and will feature a talk by Jesse Birch.

03/19/2026

Honouree Feature: Sharon Reay 🐉 We are pleased to announce one of the symposium’s founders, , is an honouree at 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒚: 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰𝒕 𝑩𝒆? In the late ‘80s, she began teaching ceramics at the Burnaby Arts Centre (now ), eventually becoming the Ceramic Arts Programmer for the City of Burnaby. She retired in 2017 after 27 years, but is still a strong presence! Throughout her professional career, Sharon has maintained a prolific studio practice. Her forms, both sculptural and functional, reflect a lifelong love for nature and children’s illustrated literature.

We will have a selection of Sharon’s ceramics on display during the symposium. You can also see her collaborative work with fellow honouree Linda Doherty and Jay MacLennan in the window of until March 31 in an exhibition called, 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓒𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 & 𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓹.

Please note that the honourees will be present during the keynote on Friday, March 20 at 7pm at Reliance Theatre (Emily Carr University, 520 East 1 Ave, Vancouver). The keynote is free and open to all, and will feature a talk by Jesse Birch.

03/17/2026

Here’s the site-map for Saturday and the forecast is clear 🌞 Don’t worry if you can’t read the small print, larger versions will be posted around the Shadbolt Centre for reference throughout the day. You’ll notice some extra additions to this map…

has a juried exhibition at the Deer Lake Art Gallery (), which is only a short walk down the lane or Deer Lake Ave.

Sur La Table show & sale will be in Studio 102 within the Shadbolt Centre.

is currently showing mixed-media artist, Bobbie Burgers. Entry is free or by donation. The gallery is offering symposium attendees 30% off all publications for the day!

If you haven’t admired it in a while, we also recommend checking out the Community Clay Sculpture Project, which was led by Keith & Celia Rice-Jones and completed in 2001.

There will also be bisque-fired ceramics from guest artists displayed in the Mathers House window.

Please note that the 2026 symposium is SOLD OUT! Only registered attendees will be able to access the Shadbolt Centre, but the Deer Lake Art Gallery and Burnaby Art Gallery are open to all!

03/17/2026

Oh, hey! Did you know that this year’s K-12 Ceramics Exhibition will be digital? Check out the monitor in the Shadbolt Centre Atrium for photo and video submissions from ceramics educators of youth and teens at Magee Secondary School, Killarney Secondary School, David Thompson Secondary School, Windermere Secondary School, Arts Umbrella, St. George’s School, and Shadbolt Centre.

“The theme, 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒚: 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰𝒕 𝑩𝒆? defines the attitude of students all the time. They are mostly fearless, noting a Pinterest bowl or serving dish that catches their eye and just launching into the journey of making. Or, there’s a special event and they are determined to create a pot for that will be treasured, and so they launch into the idea. They find out quicker than most how hard it can be, but the adventure is so magical. And when a student starts with curiosity and conviction, the journey towards capable is awesome. And the confidence that builds plays to our theme beautifully.”
- K-12 Coordinator

This piece was submitted anonymously from a student at Magee Secondary School, created during a workshop with 2026 presenter !

03/16/2026

Trade Show Announcement! Hello again, Tri-City Potters! Unlike other working guilds, Tri-City’s membership isn’t limited to professional potters and ceramic artists, but also includes those who appreciate and collect ceramic art. Learn more about their meetings by visiting their table.

03/16/2026

Trade Show Announcement! It is such an honour to welcome for the first time at the Canadian Clay Symposium. Artist Yuka Morino specializes in repair and art, and offers workshops. Visit the Three Little Spruce table to learn more!

03/16/2026

Trade Show Announcement! Welcome, ! PSH is a crucial supplier of tools and clay to studios across the country, and we are honoured that they make the journey to Burnaby for every symposium. Their booth is not to be missed, but you also couldn’t miss it if you tried. We can’t wait to see what they’ve brought...

03/16/2026

Trade Show Announcement! The symposium would not be possible without Greenbarn Potter’s Supply. Not only are they longtime Trade Show vendors, since the very beginning, they are also clay sponsors to the presenters at 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒚: 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰𝒕 𝑩𝒆? Thank you, Greenbarn, for all that you do 💚

03/16/2026

Trade Show Announcement! Fraser Valley Potters Guild Association is the beating heart of the clay community in the lower mainland, and is is our pleasure to have them join us. In addition to a table in the Trade Show, are hosting a juried exhibition to coincide with the symposium at the Deer Lake Art Gallery a short 3-minute walk from the Shadbolt Centre. Not to be missed!

Address

6450 Deer Lake Avenue
Burnaby, BC
V5G2J3

Telephone

+1 604-291-6864

Website

http://www.canadianclaysymposium.com/, https://linktr.ee/CanadianClaySymposium

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