SOUTH GLENGARRY, Ontario – Following the scent of cider doughnuts, families flocked to Marlin’s Orchard for the annual Country Harvest Pottery Sale.
“People tell me that this is part of their Thanksgiving weekend outing,” said Ann Marlin, original Co-Founder of the Orchard. “They come here and get the apples, the cider, the cider doughnuts…and then they come to the (pottery) show.”
The show, which runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 6 to 8, features the work of 24 potters and two artists. Marlin explained that organizers carefully select which potters can display their work at the event.
Suki Craig, a potter with Claycrafters in Pointe-Claire, was displaying her talents on Sunday, Oct. 7, trimming some of the bowls that were thrown the previous day. Marlin explained the intricate process of making the bowls to a few curious shoppers.
Marlin said that approximately 100 bowls will be donated to the Agapè Centre for the Empty Bowls fundraiser on Nov. 18. Tickets to the event cost $30 and attendees can enjoy a full selection of gourmet soups with their one of a kind bowl.
Potters who were a part of the sale donated previously made bowls for the fundraiser. All bowls made over the weekend will also be a part of the Empty Bowls event. These bowls retail for approximately $25 to $40.
Marlin strives to donate to a charitable organization annually through the sale. She also enjoys bringing art and culture to the area, showcasing renowned potters from across Eastern ON.
“It’s a continuum of art at one end and craft at the other,” said Janet Keefe, local potter. “The pots that are made and showed here are somewhere along the continuum; pure art at one end and purely functional pottery at the other end.”
