Ellen has been practicing ceramics since 1996, learning from the many potters and resources at the Waterloo Potters Workshop in Ontario. In 2018 she moved to Vancouver Island, where she started her own studio in Spirit Bay (near Metchosin).
In her work space perched on the edge of the cliff overlooking Beecher Bay, Ellen enjoys creating both decorative and functional pottery. She uses various types of clay, and has developed many glazes that coordinate well with each of them. She is inspired by the magic that comes when different glazes combine or simply form a beautiful tactile surface.
Most of her work is wheel-thrown, but she also makes outdoor wall pieces. All ware is fired in an oxidation kiln, bisqued to cone 04 and glaze fired to cone 6. Recently she has been making ceramic bread cloches suitable for making sourdough bread. Inspired by the rockfish and lingcod Ellen and her husband catch from their canoe in Beecher Bay, she has replicated them in clay. Overall, her pottery designs are inspired by the natural, seaside environment of South Vancouver Island.
Ellen prefers experimenting rather than being a production potter. Having her own studio beside the house in Spirit Bay allows her to to focus on different permutations of form, function, and artistry.