Gather at the Gallery: Tile workshop (55+)

Please note that there is a limit of two tickets per person. This measure is in place to promote a more equitable ticket purchasing expereince for everyone.

Gather at the Gallery is a weekly event presented specifically for the 55+ community. Each week there will be opportunities to express your own creativity through a variety of hands on workshops, meet artists and hear their stories, or preview new exhibitions. Gather at the Gallery is generously sponsored by the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility of the Government of Ontario.

The Workshop:

In this workshop you will create your very own ceramic tile, based on Kachelofen tiles made by guest artist and craftsperson Jessica Steinhäuser. Jessica will demonstrate the tile-making process, and show examples of her mold-pressed tiles. You can decorate your tile with underglaze.

This tile can be used as a coaster, trivet, or decoration.

After the Workshop + Pickup:

The ceramic artworks will be fired in a kiln at the gallery. Approximately 4 weeks after the workshop, you will receive an email when they are ready to be picked up. You can also check our website here to see if your pieces are ready to be picked up.

The Artist:

Jessica Steinhäuser is Guelph-based, an award–winning Canadian ceramic artist who works on a grand scale, breathing new life into the ancient tradition of kachelöfen.

Jessica was raised in Germany. She decided early in life to work with her hands, and chose pottery as her medium. She is a graduate of the State School for Art and Design in Nürnberg, and earned her Graduate Journeyman Potter certification from the State School for Ceramics in Landshut.

Jessica immigrated to Canada at age 22, establishing Stonehouse Pottery in downtown Guelph in 1989. In the early years, she made exquisite ceramic vessels, whimsical teapots and intricate ceramic mosaics. She founded the Guelph Potters Market in 2005, which has become an annual event.

All the while Jessica dreamt of working towards a vastly more ambitious artistic goal: she wanted to popularize the kachelofen in North America.

Jessica created her first kachelofen in 2008. Her designs merge functionality with artistry. Vibrant colour, sophisticated lines, and an understanding of architectural context are the hallmarks of her work.

In 2014, Jessica exhibited three kachelöfen in a solo show at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, supported by funding from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.

Jessica has recieved global recognition for her work. In 2016, she was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Trades and Labour category by Women of Distinction. She was also recognized with a special Craft Ontario Volunteer Committee 40th Anniversary Award.

Jessica teaches and lectures widely. She has been a faculty member at the Haliburton School of the Arts since 2007. She has also given lectures and presentations around the world.

Refunds & Date changes:

14 days notice required for a date change or refund (minus Eventbrite booking fee). 50% refund with less than 14 days notice (minus Eventbrite booking fee). No refund for same-day cancellations. Full refund policies here.