This fall, longtime potter and retired teacher Cathy Rondeau will once again open the doors of her farm studio to the community, offering a series of pottery workshops that promise to be equal parts hands-on learning and creative discovery.
From Oct. 1 to 29, Rondeau will lead Wednesday evening classes in wheel throwing and hand building, followed by Saturday sessions from Oct. 4 to Nov. 1. Each five-week program costs $200 and includes supplies, tools and firing, with participants creating and finishing their own mugs, bowls, vases or decorative pieces.
“I’ve taught pottery from kindergarten to older adults, and everyone has had success creating something they love,” Rondeau said. “In any given class I individualize the instruction so that beginners and experienced students alike are challenged.”
For Rondeau, the joy of pottery is lifelong. Born in Swan Lake in 1951, she grew up on the family farm as the eldest of nine children, often leading her siblings to dig clay from the ditches near their yard. “We would spend countless afternoons playing with this natural clay,” she recalled. “That’s where my passion began.”
That early spark grew into more than 50 years of creating and teaching. Rondeau farmed and raised her family with her husband while spending 16 years as a teacher and principal in local schools. After retirement, she continued to share her craft, teaching workshops in schools, recreation centres and galleries across southern Manitoba. Her pieces have been displayed and sold through outlets such as Pulse Gallery at The Forks in Winnipeg, the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba in Brandon, the Inspire Gallery of Fine Art in Minnedosa, the Portage and District Art Centre and the Tiger Hills Arts Association in Holland. For many years, she also held a federal contract to produce crop-impressed ceramic wall hangings for the Manitoba Department of Agriculture, gifts that were presented to visiting dignitaries and diplomats. Today, Rondeau has her pottery for sale at Toews Printing and Gift Shop in Carman.
“I love opening people’s minds to the creativity within themselves using clay, glass, metal and other mediums,” she said. “It’s still exciting to see what comes out of the kiln — it’s like Christmas as a child every time.”
Rondeau said she draws inspiration first and foremost from the alluring beauty of nature on the prairies — along with her upbringing and her students, who often spark new ideas with their designs. She balances technical lessons — from pinch pots and slab work to glazing and firing — with space for individual expression. “My favourite part is the smiles and joy I see on their faces when their finished items come out of the kiln,” she said. “That smile says it all.”
Her upcoming workshops will be held at her farm studio at 30026–61W Hwy 34 near Swan Lake. Wednesday classes run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (wheel throwing) and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. (hand building). Saturday sessions include wheel throwing from 1 to 2 p.m. and hand building from 2 to 4 p.m. Spots are limited. Registration is available by calling or texting 204-825-7950 or emailing prairieallure@gmail.com
