Local Artisans

Christina McCarthy

Christina McCarthy is one of Brockville’s best-known artists, and produces Raku and pottery that is elegant and strong in its clean lines.

Although she grew up in Sweden, Christina has lived in Brockville since 1977. She has participated in numerous workshops held by well-known Canadian and American potters, holds memberships with the Ottawa Guild of Potters and Fusion, and the Ontario Clay and Glass Association. Until 2007, Christina was an instructor at St. Lawrence College and ran the pottery studio as a technician.

Christina works with porcelain and stoneware, using a potter’s wheel for most of her pieces, and mixing her own glazes, with the final firing taking place in a high fired gas kiln in a reduction atmosphere. Her dinnerware pottery is completely functional and is oven and dishwasher safe.

Ed VanderBaren

Ed VanderBaaren is an emerging local potter, who has been honing his skills for the past 25 years, and we are proud to be showcasing his work to our customers.

Using bold colour combinations and striking patterns, Ed creates functional pieces that have often been referred to as ‘sturdy’, and are sure to be the perfect conversation piece. 

Lance Besharah

A former high school music and technology teacher, Lance Besharah found his love of wood turning at a young age after creating a chess set with a homemade lathe and old files. Since then he has inspired countless others with his passion, teaching many students about his techniques. Capturing the elegance of nature in every piece, Lance creates unique, thought-provoking works of art. 

Gary Kennell

Gary’s working life as a retailer, shirt designer and manufacturer involved a lot of international travel; during which he explored not only the men’s fashion industry but what was happening in daily life outside that industry. He absorbed ideas for serving food as he enjoyed eating it! After he left the world of fashion, he set up his own studio workshop to get serious with his lifelong interest of working with wood. He began to see ways to incorporate “stripey” shirt patterns into his designs, and found uses for his boards like the ones he’d seen on his travels.

Gary is always looking for great live edge slabs of wood that he can turn into truly one-of-a-kind pieces He often finds these pieces at a friend’s woodlot. After they’re cut and dried, they then make the short trip to Gary’s shop in Brockville for the finishing touches that are visible in the final product. A recently toppled willow on Gary’s property will soon go through the same transformation.  

* We also carry (and frame!) prints by Jean Matravers, Sally Munnings, and occasionally Pam McKinnon. If you're looking for a smaller piece of local art, we have cards by Kitty Kelly, Pam McKinnon, and Alex Loshak.