Anabela Melo

My Story With Clay

Long before I started playing with clay, I loved anything made of clay from toy dishes as a child sold in every feast of my island, to a kitchen surrounded by clay pots.

Little did I know that a summer in 1989 at Chicoutimi University where I was asked to take an art class (and chose clay) would lead me to decades of playing with clay. It was those incredible firings in the hills of the Saguenay that hooked me and brought me an indescribable passion.

I restarted playing with clay in 1992 by taking classes at Central Technical School in their Ceramics evening program. I spent the next 20 years at Central Tech with the most wonderful instructors. In 1999 to 2000, I took classes at George Brown College in their Ceramics program.

In 1999 I also did a Teacher’s Practicum at the Gardiner Museum, and stayed on as a volunteer for a few years at the Gardiner Museum. At that time I participated in the Gardiner’s Moose project.

It was through all the above experiences that my clay basic skills were developed. However in 2019, I walked into Woodlawn Pottery Studio to take yet another class and instead applied to be a member of this wonderful group and studio.

In these past years at Woodlawn, I have had the opportunity to change and grow. Being part of a studio has taught me many useful lessons.

My work will never be perfect and following the words of Salvador Dali help: “Have no fear of perfection you'll never reach it”!! 

In Bela’s words: “In clay and pots imperfections there lies its perfection.”

​If you have a chance, I suggest playing with clay, it will change your life.