In 1974, a small group got together to share ideas and a common interest: pottery! From this a pottery guild was born: the Sudbury Basin Potters. SBP is a not-for-profit guild with the aim to promote and nurture the growth and development through its membership for the art and craft of pottery in the Sudbury area.

In its humble beginnings, the group was searching for some type of space to house a small community studio for local Sudbury potters. At this time, the city permitted the group to share a gardeners’ shed in Memorial Park, a downtown green space. Many years later, the shed was torn down for the construction of the present downtown YMCA; the City of Greater Sudbury presented the guild with the opportunity to move into a vacant park fieldhouse. It is then, in 1997 and after extensive retrofitting of the building, that the Sudbury Basin Potters finally moved to its present location in the Lansing Park fieldhouse situated in the New Sudbury section of town. The present studio has become a space where a little over 100 members can create, collaborate, and exchange ideas and technical information.

The group started with sparse equipment but over the years the guild gradually added to its studio inventory. With the help of grants and some fundraising, the SBP studio is now equipped with three electric kilns, six wheels, a slab roller, an extruder, large hand-building and glazing tables. As the guild offers a variety of in-house glazes to its members, the studio has a well supplied glaze room with all necessary raw materials. Equipment is regularly maintained and replaced when needed. The smooth operation of the studio is overlooked by a studio manager and an assistant studio manager, both putting in many hours of volunteer work.

Once a member, he/she has access to the studio 24/7. To ensure that this workspace is open as much as possible to its members, the guild limits its classes to two slots per week. To the public, SBP offers an Introduction to Hand Building class which is the main source for membership recruitment. To members, the guild also offers introductory and intermediate wheel classes. Except in the summer months, classes are quite popular and waiting lists are usually the rule. As the need arises, SBP also offers an Intro to Glazing Workshop to all its new members, a brief training session which provides a basic understanding of studio safety, glazes, glazing techniques and firing.

Recently, an interesting initiative has seen the light of day: the Glaze Development Group. This small grouping of interested members meets regularly to make and test new glaze recipes. Then, by surveying the membership, the group recommends new glazes for regular studio use. Its first task was to create a series of test tiles showing all possible overlapping combinations of the existing studio glazes. This first project now gives members a comprehensive visual reference to consult when it comes time to glaze their work.

For interested members, another group of volunteers organize and schedule raku firings during weather permitting months. Ahead of time, participants will make and use specific raku glazes on their work in preparation for the slated raku firings. Using a refurbished electric kiln and propane as a fuel source, the group oohs and ahs as anticipated results are revealed in this most exciting of outside activities.

 Over the years, Sudbury Basin Potters, has hosted and offered various workshops. Here, SBP members were able to perfect their craft with the teachings of visiting artists such as Bob Kavanaugh, Timothy Smith, Walter Ostrom, Robin Hopper, Steve Irvine, Wayne Cardinelli, Carol Grant, Keith Campbell, Linda Arbuckle, Eva Gallagher, only to name a few. Occasionally, more accomplished members of the guild will offer weekend internal workshops for the benefit of the rest of the membership.

Through the Sudbury Basin Potters, members have had the opportunity to participate in demonstrations, exhibitions, and sales of their artwork as part of the Northern Lights Festival, the Midsummer Fair and in collaboration with the Sudbury Art Gallery, the City of Sudbury Market and the Artists on Elgin gallery. Some members have even held demonstrations at Ontario Place and Science North. In recent years, SBP has regularly held two sales where guild members can present and offer their wares to the public: a Spring Sale just before Mother’s Day and a late Fall Sale usually in December in preparation for the Christmas holidays. These pottery sales are held within different branches of the Greater Sudbury Public Library.

In 2001, SBP began hosting the now locally renowned Soup’s On. At this 3-day event, held in November, ticket holders can enjoy a hearty bowl of homemade soup and select a bowl crafted by a guild potter. Several months before, members get busy and prepare approximately seven hundred hand-crafted bowls for the 600-ticket event. Through the years, this most popular community event is quickly sold out. Many SBP potters and quilters from the local guild can also exhibit and sell their works to participating members of the public. Despite being its sole annual fund-raising event, a generous portion of its proceeds is donated to the Blue Door Soup Kitchen. Because of the recent pandemic outbreaks, popular demand has driven the guild to find a temporary fix for the event. Renamed Soup’s On Reimagined, this 2.0 version of the event was held within the scope of all Covid measures required at the time and all proceeds were donated to charity. For the fall of 2023, SBP plans on resuming Soup’s On under its regular format.

SBP’s most prized asset is undisputedly its members’ volunteer contributions. Except for instructors’ honorariums, there is no paid staff at the guild. All aspects of membership recruitment; bookkeeping; general studio management; equipment maintenance; purchasing; restocking; studio cleaning; glaze replenishing; kiln loading and unloading; clay and firing fees management; communications and public relations; community outreach; education; guild sales and event organisation - such activities can only be achieved by the relentless dedication of our members and the precious gift of their time to the Sudbury Basin Potters.