SYDNEY BAYNHAM

Play with Clay is one of Guelph’s treasured artistic influences and inspirations for the community. Located downtown Guelph, Play with Clay offers a wide range of opportunities to create your own pottery pieces through clay-building and pottery wheels, and even gives you the chance to paint your own unique piece.

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Over the winter break, I had the chance to visit the Play with Clay shop in person. I had the opportunity to speak with one of the owners, Mario, who opened the shop with his wife Nina. Together they started pottery as a hobby, but eventually they started a business in an attempt to share and inspire others with their craft. 13 years later, they have two locations -- Hamilton and Guelph-- and their shop is alight with colour from the sheer amount of customer painted pottery pieces.

With COVID-19 restrictions loosened, the Play with Clay shop was able to fully open their Clay Bar this year. The fully licensed bar allows you to book a reservation to paint a pottery piece all while having a glass of wine with your friends. University students (over 19, of course) can turn their study brain off, have a drink, and create something. Plus, they’re open until midnight!

The Play with Clay shop inspires our community to interact with their artistic side, and to create something without rules. University students are constantly forced to follow the rules and guidelines, but when creating and painting your own pottery piece, it is uniquely yours. Let loose and have some fun with it!

Play with Clay is the perfect opportunity to try something new during these cold winter months when you want to hide indoors. A cup of hot chocolate and a bit of paint at the Clay Bar can be the perfect pick-me up on a cold winter day.

Play with Clay offers community members a chance to express their artistic creativity while creating a piece they can use in their everyday lives. CREDIT: SYDNEY BAYNHAM