YELLOWKNIFE GUILD OF ARTS AND CRAFTS
Meetings of the directors of the Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts are held on the first Monday of each month. In the event of the first Monday falling on a holiday, the meeting is deferred to the following Monday.
Scheduled mixed media open studio sessions operate on a drop-in basis on selected Thursday evenings (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm). All disciplines are welcome during these sessions.
Each mixed media open studio is hosted by member with experience in one or more mixed media disciplines. Participants are expected to be able to work independently on their own projects as the host may not have the skills necessary to assist with all disciplines.
All participants must be full adult members of the Guild. The fee is $40 per month or $5 per session and must be paid online. Scheduled open studio sessions may be cancelled during holiday periods and do not run during the summer months.
Scheduled fibre open studio sessions operate on a drop-in basis on Friday mornings from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. These sessions are restricted to clean and quiet disciplines such as knitting, basketry, and weaving.
Each fibre open studio is hosted by member with experience in one or more disciplines. Participants are expected to be able to work independently on their own projects as the host may not have the skills necessary to assist with all disciplines.
All participants must be full adult members of the Guild. The fee is $40 per month or $5.00 per session and must be paid online. Scheduled open studio sessions may be cancelled during holiday periods or if a host is not available and do not run during the summer months.
Scheduled pottery open studio sessions currently operate on Wednesday afternoons from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm, Thursday evenings from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, and Sunday afternoons from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Each session is hosted by an experienced studio potter who is available to answer questions, ensure that equipment is used safely, and supervise studio chores. Participants are expected to contribute approximately 15 minutes of volunteer time to cleaning and other studio chores during each visit to the studio.
The fee for scheduled open studio access is $40 per month and must be paid online at the beginning of each month. Students enrolled in a pottery class may attend scheduled open studio sessions for free until completion of the class.
Scheduled open studio sessions may be cancelled during holiday periods or if a studio host is unavailable and usually do not run during the summer months.
Learn the basics of wheel thrown pottery: wedging, centering, throwing simple shapes, trimming, firing and glazing.
Instructor: Jessica Smart
Prerequisites: No prior experience necessary. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: $292 (includes clay)
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: September 5, 2025
Scheduling Note: Class schedule includes October 13 (Thanksgiving Monday).
MANDATORY PREREQUISITE APPLIES
This class will teach you how to center larger amounts of clay and will refine skills learned in beginner wheel classes. It will also introduce students to more advanced skills such as adding handles and lids.
Instructor: Garry Singer
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Wheel - Beginner Level 1 at the YK Guild or previous experience approved by the instructor. Ability to center clay and make basic cylinders on the wheel. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: $260 (clay not included; clay must be purchased separately through Guild website)
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: September 6, 2025
Scheduling Note: Class schedule includes September 30 (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)
Learn the ABC’s of hand building: pinch, coil and slab. Improve your techniques and exercise your creativity through a series of step-wise projects.
Instructor: Rosie Taylor
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 @ 7:00 pmRegistration Closes: September 7, 2025
This condensed wheel course is intended for motivated beginners, former potters seeking a reintroduction to throwing, or potters who have taken classes elsewhere but aren’t familiar with the Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts studio.
Learn or refresh basic skills and become orientated to the Guild so that you can apply for access as an open studio potter in the future. This afternoon course will cover the basics in a condensed format over 2 weeks. You will learn the fundamentals of wheel thrown pottery: wedging, centering, throwing simple shapes, trimming, firing and glazing.
Students should be prepared to participate in scheduled open studio sessions on Thursday evenings and/or Sunday afternoons. Assignments may be given for completion at open studio between classes. Open studio sessions offer extra practice at no additional cost during this 2-week intensive course.
Instructor: Ann Peters
Cost: $210 (includes clay)
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: September 13, 2025
Learn how to artfully burn patterns onto wood. On the first night, each participant will get one board or round to draw out/ transfer an image to and start burning the first night. If you don’t think you are much of a drawer, bring a design to transfer and follow! On the second night, students will finish burning, then varnish the board and put a hanging on the back. Students may also make a coaster or bring wooden pieces of their own to decorate (such as a cutting board, scrap wood, picture frame, box or spoon), if time permits.
Instructor: Beth Cowan
Cost: $101 (includes materials and use of woodburning tools)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: September 25, 2025
Are you a studio potter looking for a way to expand your skill-set at the studio? Come out and learn the basic recipes behind the creation of some of the Guild's most beloved glazes. You will learn about safe handling of the glaze materials and important steps to follow in preparing glazes at the studio.
Instructor: Olivia Hee
Prerequisites: Active scheduled open studio potter or full studio potter. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: Free as volunteer training for active scheduled open studio potters and full studio potters. All other registrations will be cancelled.
Registration Closes: October 3, 2025
Mandatory pottery studio orientation is required for all new and former studio potters requesting access to the pottery studio during scheduled open studio or full studio hours. The purpose of this orientation is to review Guild operations to ensure that potters are able to safely use the studio without supervision and are aware of the roles and responsibilities of studio potters such as clean-up and volunteer duties. All potters approved for scheduled open studio or full studio access must complete an orientation session before commencing studio access.
Instructor: Janet Diveky
Prerequisites: Approval from pottery representative for scheduled open studio access following completion of Guild pottery class or assessment of prior pottery studio experience. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: Free for approved scheduled open studio and full studio potters. All other registrations will be cancelled.
This fun and challenging program introduces you to textures and colours of stained glass, glass working tools, and patterns. You will also learn skills like glass scoring, breaking, grinding, copper foiling, soldering, and finishing.
Instructor: Anna-Maija LaFlamme
Cost: $290 (includes materials)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: October 5, 2025
Scheduling Note: Class schedule includes November 11 (Remembrance Day).
Learn how to bind your own books using the “traditional” method.
All supplies will be provided. Take home your handmade notebook, journal, recipe book – you decide how you want to use it!
Instructor: Jacquelyn Burles
Cost: $129 (includes materials)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: October 16, 2025
This self-directed class is for individuals who have some experience weaving on a 4- shaft floor loom, and who want to refresh their skills or learn new skills in a group setting. The focus of the class will be weaving with “new-to-you” materials (e.g. silk, merino, linen, alpaca, etc). Weavers will use a scarf pattern of their choice.
Supplies can be purchased directly from a supplier. Jane Stafford Textiles (janestaffordtextiles.com) offers several scarf kits (see photos).
Contact Person: Cayley Thomas / Cynthia Levy
Prerequisites: Prior experience dressing and weaving on a 4-shaft floor loom. Please contact the Guild before registration to validate your eligibility. Age 16 or older.
Cost: $150 (includes 2.5 months of studio access and use of 4-shaft floor loom; participants must supply own scarf pattern and materials)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: October 10, 2025
Come in and get a bit muddy! We will teach you how to make a cup or small vase using hand-building techniques. Choose from one of three designs and personalize it with your choice of textures or design. You pick out a glaze colour, and we will glaze it for you. You return to pick it up a few weeks later.
Instructors: Jenny Tucker and Melanie Desjardins
Prerequisites: Nothing but a positive attitude! Age 16 or older. Adult full or casual membership.
Cost (Adult Full Member): $65 (includes clay and completion of pieces by Guild potters)
Cost (Casual Member): $75 (includes clay and completion of pieces by Guild potters)
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 at 7:00 pm Registration Closes: October 21, 2025
Broaden and deepen your hand building skills in a supportive environment. Explore a series of stepwise projects intended to increase your pottery independence.
Instructor: Jenny Tucker
Prerequisites: Completion of Handbuilding - Beginner at the Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts or previous experience approved by the instructor. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 at 7:00 pm Registration Closes: October 24, 2025
Instructor: Melanie Desjardins and Alana Kronstal
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: October 25, 2025
Instructor: Wendy Stephenson
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: October 26, 2025
Registration Closes: October 31, 2025
Remember Grandma’s slippers? Wish you still had a pair of those colorful, hard-wearing, warm and washable footsies? Using vintage and reproduction patterns with the traditional Phentex yarn, you’ll learn to knit these retro slippers and adorn them with sassy pompoms. Homework will be required between sessions.
Registration fee includes knitting needles and all materials.
Instructor: Cynthia Levy
Prerequisites: Basic knitting skills including casting on, knit and purl stitches, and casting off. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: $86 (includes knitting needles and Phentex)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: October 23, 2025
Learn the basic principles of weaving while making a cozy wool scarf! This class provides an introduction to weaving on a rigid heddle loom. The project is a plain (tabby) weave scarf made interesting by a combination of solid and self-striping yarn.
The skills that you will learn include direct warping of a rigid heddle loom, threading the warp and tying-on, hemstitching on the loom, working plain (tabby) weave, and adding knotted fringe. All skills are demonstrated and taught during the class.
Registration fee includes all materials plus use of a rigid heddle loom for the duration of the weekend workshop.
Cost: $145 (includes materials and use of loom)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: November 4, 2025
Spend three consecutive afternoons making a round willow market basket with or without a handle, using willow from the instructor’s seemingly bottomless stash. The basket will have about a 10 inch diameter base and be about 5 inches tall without the handle and 12 inches in diameter at the top. The basket will use the stake and strand technique and participants will learn twining, 3-rod wale, French randing, 3-1 rim, and wrapped handle.
NOTE: Please take into consideration if you have any of these conditions before you register:1. An aspirin allergy could be challenging as the willow will be twisted at times and the bark could crack releasing oils and scents that could flare up an allergy. Willow is the original source of aspirin.2. Arthritic hands could be problematic as hand strength is needed.
Instructor: Cathie Harper
Cost: $247 (includes materials and use of tools)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 at 9:00 am Registration Closes: November 5, 2025
Learn more about the possibilities of rigid heddle weaving while making some pretty and functional placemats or tea towels! This class builds on the basic skills involved in weaving on a rigid heddle loom. The project is a pair of placemats or small tea towels featuring a 2-colour houndstooth fabric.
Skills to be taught include direct warping of a rigid heddle loom with 2 colours, weaving houndstooth in 2 colours, and finishing with tidy hems or hemstitched fringes.
Prerequisites: Completion of "Introduction to Rigid Heddle Weaving" or equivalent experience approved by the instructor. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: $140 (includes materials and use of loom)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: November 7, 2025
Members meeting for planning for celebration of Guild's 80th anniversary.
This intermediate workshop introduces the skills needed to make wheel-thrown plates and platters. Short demonstrations combined with hands-on practice will introduce techniques for throwing, trimming and glazing flat pieces. Forms explored will include spoon rests, small/large plates, and simple platters.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Wheel - Beginner Level 1 at the Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts or previous experience approved by the instructor. Ability to center at least 5 pounds of clay. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: $90 (clay not included; must be purchased through Guild website)
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: November 27, 2025
Personalize your holiday greetings! Learn how to carve and block print beautiful holiday cards. Print them over and over again or make custom bookmarks and gift tags.
Each participant will be given one rubber mat and learn how to use linoleum cutters to carve out a design. They will then learn to ink and print onto cardstock cards using various colours of block printing ink.
All supplies will be provided. Take home your handmade block printed cards to give away for the holidays. Your custom printing block is yours to keep.
Prerequisites: No prior experience necessary. Age 16 or older. Adult full or casual membership.
Cost (Full Members): $60 (includes supplies) Cost (Casual Members): $70 (includes supplies)
Registration Opens: September 3, 2025 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: November 19, 2025
Registration Closes: December 5, 2025
Looking to try out pottery without the commitment of a full class?
At One-Time Wheel night, you can try your hand at throwing a bowl on the wheel. Friendly guild members will be available to demo techniques and support you in your efforts to tame the clay and turn it into an object you can actually eat or drink from.
The goal of the night will be to have fun and create a piece or two to take home. You will be able to choose a glaze for your magnificent creation. In two weeks, once it has dried and been fired and glazed by our members, it will be available for pick up.
Instructors: Lauren O'Keefe and Georgina Williston
Registration Opens: September 2, 2025 at 7:00 pm Registration Closes: December 9, 2025
Are you a studio potter looking for a way to expand your skill-set at the studio? Come out and learn the ins and outs of clay recycling! You will be introduced to all of the steps involved in processing used clay and turning it back into useable material for more fabulous creations. This will include the safe operation of the pug-mill.
Instructor: Michelle Fortin
Registration Closes: December 12, 2025