Potter and gallerist Sarah Wilson creates and sells work that is calming and connected to the natural world
Potter Sarah Wilson has travelled a long distance in nine short years—literally and figuratively. The owner of Wilson & Co. Gallery & Studio in Ladysmith emigrated to Canada in 2018 from Ireland with the goal of working in marine conservation.
“With an undergraduate degree in zoology and a master’s in marine policy, this was the field I was pursuing,” she says.
While working full time for a Vancouver-based ocean conservation organization, Wilson decided to sign up for a pottery class.
“I was always pretty artsy as a kid and had always wanted to try working with clay,” she says. “I started taking classes after work for a creative outlet and was quickly bitten by the pottery bug.”
Soon, her career goal had changed from conservation work to ceramics.
“I almost quit after the first couple of sessions, but I checked my ego and kept at it until something clicked and I fell in love. That’s not to say it became easy—it certainly didn’t—but it became something I stubbornly wanted to stick with and get better at.”
A two-year apprenticeship with renowned potter Mary Fox, the first under the Mary Fox Pottery Legacy Project, would further cement her aspirations.
“The apprenticeship provided me with many benefits—not just the skill to produce work I was proud of, but also the confidence and road map I would need to make a living in the arts,” says Wilson.
By her second year of the apprenticeship, Wilson’s personal style was emerging in her pottery.
“I knew I very much wanted to carry my love of nature through in my work,” she says.
Wilson finished her apprenticeship in 2023 and graduated to selling her ceramics through her own studio and at artisan shows. Then, in the summer of 2024, a prime corner location became available on Ladysmith’s First Avenue. With support from her mentor, Mary Fox, Wilson signed a lease and began renovating a former women’s clothing boutique. She opened her gallery and studio in October 2024.
After its radical transformation, the space is ideally suited to its new purpose. Light streams into the gallery from a pair of oversized picture windows, casting long shadows on the hardwood floors and highlighting Wilson’s carefully curated selection of paintings, photography, hand-blown glass, pottery, fabric art, sculptural metalwork, wooden items and jewellery.
When choosing work for her gallery, Wilson says she tends to go with what she likes, but the natural world is a common denominator, whether it’s the prints of acclaimed photo-based artist David Ellingsen, the coastal-inspired silver jewellery of Caitlyn Chapman or the turned maple bowls of Corin Flood.
“I like work that is calming and connects us to the natural world,” Wilson says.
Wilson’s own sculptural and functional pieces are displayed along one wall and positioned throughout the gallery on plinths and windowsills. Glazed in earthy tones, including blues, greys, greens, browns and beiges, Wilson’s work is characterized by simple forms and clean lines. Some items she has become known for are decorated with natural elements that reflect her West Coast environment, such as her octopus mugs and fern frond bowls and vases.
Each piece, whether it’s a latte bowl or a coffee mug, feels balanced and comfortable to hold.
“I strive to make pots that are a pleasure to use and pleasing to the eye,” Wilson explains. “I love the thought of people using and enjoying my work and bringing joy to those small moments in life, like morning coffee or sharing a meal with friends.”
Wilson’s pottery studio, where she produces her work, is located onsite behind the sales desk; here, too, is where she hosts regular hand-building workshops. She also hosts events in the gallery such as artist talks, vinyl listening parties and exhibitions.
“I really enjoy the community-building aspect of the gallery,” she says. “I like creating connections with the artists who I’m working with and my customers.”
That connection recently brought two clients back for a second visit to Wilson’s gallery from their stay at Yellow Point Lodge.
“The atmosphere here is hushed and magical,” they said during a visit to the gallery. “It reminds us of being in an old-growth forest near Qualicum Beach.”
“It makes me so happy when people come in and really get it,” says Wilson. “In a world that is filled with such chaos right now, I love having a space that’s grounding and reminds people that there’s still beauty in the world.”
Less than one decade after her move to Canada, Wilson seems to have found her purpose: promoting conservation in a different way, through art.
“I get to play in mud every day,” she says. “I think that’s the best part.