Background
Hey friends, I'm Vanessa Tasker, and the creator behind each handmade pottery piece you’ll find here. I grew up just outside of Listowel, Ontario.
As a child, I was always drawn to working with my hands—whether it was playing in the dirt or making something beautiful from the earth around me. My crafts used pieces of bark, stones, water, pine needles, glue etc. When I first thought through making pottery it almost felt like an "of course!" moment.
My journey into pottery began in 2021, after what felt like a long wait for my very own pottery wheel. Since then, it’s been an incredibly fulfilling experience to slowly build my inventory and develop my own unique style. Each piece I create reflects my love for the craft and my commitment to quality and artistry.
I have been able to see glimpses into God's gentle forming of us through this form of art. It has made me so thankful for all he has created and in reality I am just re-arranging all that he has already made.
Through pottery, I’ve discovered not just a hobby, but a passion that allows me to work from home in my spare moments while I love on our two little boys full-time. I have also loved being able to connect with my own community through this art.
One customer commented to me that she loves having me as "their local potter". I had never thought of it that way, we have our local baker, florist, jeweler etc. And I get to be Listowel's local potter. I just love this idea of a specific location having their own niches and things that make them unique.
I hope that my work brings a touch of joy and beauty into your life, just as it has in mine.
Thank you for supporting handmade, local goodness and for allowing me to share my creations with you!
Vanessa
Is your pottery Dishwasher/Microwave Safe?
It is! Which I know for myself begs a sigh of relief! Enjoy your pottery as you would any other ceramic or glassware in your home. Anything with a very thin lip at the top will be more prone to chipping but over-all the pottery I make is very durable.
Where do you source your materials and tools?
The majority of my clay, glazes and tools come from a bricks and mortar store called S&S Pottery Supply House in Kitchener. All the Clay from S&S is Canadian sourced. A handful of my other items are from Amaranth Stoneware House in Kingston ON.
Some of my packaging is recycled materials, others come from Creative Bag Missasauga.
Do you accept custom orders?
I do! Occasionally the timing doesn't work out if I have a lot on the go, but for the most part I welcome your ideas! If you have a custom order inquiry, please fill out the contact form with what you were thinking or send me a direct message over Instagram and I will contact you back with further details or if it will be doable for me at all.
Please keep in mind that when presented with an idea, while staying true to the idea, I will complete it in my personal style.
Depending on the complexity of custom order please allow for a 2-4 week lead time before completion.
Do you teach lessons?
I have in the past, however I found that with trying to maintain inventory on top of teaching lessons, it was just too much. I have limited kiln space and like to be able to leave projects out to work on them in the small amounts of time I have in the studio.
Do you offer shipping?
My pottery ventures come one step at a time. For the moment, I do not offer shipping. Perhaps when I feel comfortable operating an online store I will take on another area of distribution. So far however, I feel very supported by local customers and don't create enough pottery to expand my reach.
Where did you learn to do pottery?
I am a self taught potter. The first wheel I ever tried was the one I bought with some of my savings. As daunting as this felt at times, I love learning through trial and error (most of the time). I made mistakes that would have definitely been avoidable had there been someone to teach me. However, I feel as though the clay and I became better acquainted as we learned each other's limitations and strengths.