who are we
Make and Do is a dedicated volunteer-run collective of 14 passionate ceramic artists working across Canada. Our mission is to support each other and our practices and promote the diversity of Canadian ceramic artists working from coast to coast to coast. Make and Do supports artists at all stages of their careers, and across the ceramic spectrum, both here at home, and internationally. We want to educate the world about the incredible talent of Canadian ceramic artists.
values
Make and Do is a non-hierarchical organization; we value all voices, and actively work to hold a welcoming space for intersectional perspectives in our field.
As artists and makers, we are committed to growing, adapting, and learning in collaboration with our communities. As the needs of our community change, we aim to proactively shift to address new concerns and needs of Canadian artists.
what we do
Through our large social media presence, an inclusive online directory of Canadian clay artists, as well as juried shows and sales, Make and Do has created a virtual educational resource for makers to connect.
​
The Canadian Clay Directory provides research opportunities into the contemporary practice of Canadian ceramic artists for use by gallerists, curators, critics, and students. Our recent partnerships include organizations such as Clay Week, and the Ceramics Congress, to bring the work of Canadian ceramic artists to the international stage.
Make and Do created the hashtags #canadianceramics, #coast2coast2coastclay, and #cdnqueeramics to provide an easy space for artists to self-identify within the community.
Phase 2 of the Canadian Clay Directory was launched early in 2024. This new update includes ceramics organizations, galleries, residencies, collectives, studios, and suppliers across Canada in the Canadian Clay Directory. This phase has been generously funded by the Jean A. Chalmers Fund for the Crafts.
We are also actively seeking funding to create phase 3 of the Canadian Clay Directory, which would allow for more comprehensive tagging and searching in the directory, so that artists could choose to self-identify under different categories (such as by style of work).
how we started
Make and Do is the result of many late-night chats between Mariko Paterson and Carole Epp. Their goal was to bring Canadian ceramics into the limelight, using an approach that was community-driven and initiated. They recognized the importance of unifying the national clay community beyond its existing regional communities, with the end goal of providing Canadian ceramic artists more professional opportunities both at home and in the international arena. Conceived originally as a collective of artists across the country working together to determine the needs of the sector, Make and Do quickly became a resource for many through its Canadian Clay Directory.
This initiative would not exist without the generous contribution of its founding and current members. The following are members that have served in the past.
Past members include:
​
Krystal Speck + Heather Braun Dahl + Cathy Terepocki + Russell Hackney + Mariko Paterson + April Gates + Shane Weaver + Robin Dupont + Katy Drijber