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 fibre open studio sessions operate on a drop-in basis on Friday mornings from 9 am to noon. These sessions are restricted to clean and quiet disciplines such as weaving, knitting, and basketry.
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 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 mixed media open studio sessions operate on a drop-in basis on selected evenings. Silversmithing equipment is not available for use during open studio sessions but all other mixed media disciplines are welcome.
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 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.
MANDATORY PREREQUISITE APPLIES
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 a blanket or throw. Weavers will use a blanket pattern of their choice.
Supplies can be purchased directly from a supplier. Jane Stafford Textiles (janestaffordtextiles.com) offers several blanket 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 blanket pattern and materials)
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 9:00 am Registration Closes: February 1, 2026
This class will introduce participants to basic wood carving skills by working with a local medium - green birch. The end product for each participant will be 1 or possibly 2 hand carved spoons or similar kitchen tools such as a spurtle or spatula. The final products will be finished with a food-safe oil such as tung oil or walnut oil.
All materials and tools, including green wood, will be supplied. Participants may choose in advance to purchase their own carving tool kit to keep.
Instructor: Bruce Smith
Prerequisites: No prior experience necessary. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: $200 (includes materials and use of shared carving tools)
Optional Tool Purchase: $80 (carving tool kit)
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: February 15, 2026
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: Jenny Tucker
Cost: $292 (includes clay)
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm
Registration Closes: March 6, 2026
Scheduling Note: Class schedule does not include April 6, 2026 (Easter Monday).
Learn the basics of wheel thrown pottery: wedging, centering, throwing simple shapes, trimming, firing and glazing.
Instructor: Georgina Williston
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: March 7, 2026
Instructor: Wendy Stephenson
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: March 8, 2026
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: January 6, 2026 at 7:00 pm Registration Closes: March 14, 2026
This intermediate workshop introduces teapots. Short demonstrations combined with hands-on practice will develop throwing techniques while tips will be given for making lids, spouts and handles as well as creative alterations to produce a teapot that's functional and personal.
Instructor: Janice Lee
Prerequisites: Proficiency in throwing on the wheel. Successful completion of Wheel - Beginner Level 1 at the Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts or equivalent experience approved by the instructor. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: $102 (clay not included; must be purchased through Guild website)
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: March 19, 2026
Come in and get a bit muddy! In the special afternoon workshop for seniors, you will learn how to make a cup or small vase using hand-building techniques. Choose from one of several patterns and personalize it with your choice of textures or design. You will pick out a glaze colour and we will glaze your item for you. You will return to pick up your creation a few weeks later.
Prerequisites: No prior experience necessary. Age 65 or older.
Cost: Free for seniors age 65 or older. Adult full membership included to August 31, 2026. Program made possible through grant funding.
Registration Closes: March 24, 2026
A tisket, a tasket, you will be making a beautiful egg basket! This basket features a sturdy handle and "pockets" that are perfect for gathering eggs or Easter chocolates or whatever you choose to harvest.
We will be using a rib-style construction with flat reed to create the basket. Each participant will walk away with a 26 cm x 26 cm basket.
Instructor: Rosanna Strong
Cost: $234 (includes materials)
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 at 7:00 pm Registration Closes: March 20, 2026
Learn the basics of weaving on a 4-shaft table loom while making some cute and useful mug rugs! This class builds on skills gained through weaving on a rigid heddle loom. The project is a set of 4 mug rugs featuring a variety of twill patterns. Skills to be learned include indirect warping using a warping mill or board, dressing a multi-shaft loom, weaving twill, and finishing with hemstitched fringes.
Registration fee includes all materials plus use of a 4-shaft table loom for the duration of the weekend workshop.
Instructor: Cynthia Levy
Prerequisites: Completion of Rigid Heddle Weaving - Houndstooth Placemats/Towels or equivalent weaving experience approved by the instructor prior to registration. Age 16 or older. Adult full membership.
Cost: $200 (includes materials and use of loom)
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: March 27, 2026
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
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: April 10, 2026
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.
Feeling stressed? Come out for some relaxation and stab some wool into a beautiful 3D object. In this class, you will learn how to needle felt and take home an adorable sitting fox.
Needle felting is a textiles craft technique that can be used to create 3D objects. It involves a special felting needle being used to stab and agitate wool fibers, so they join and bond together.
Instructor: Andrea Korpel
Prerequisites: No prior experience necessary. Age 16 or older. Youth aged 12 to 15 with registration of parent/guardian and approval of instructor (see note below). Current membership at eligible level.
Cost (Full Members): $60 (includes materials) Cost (Casual Members): $70 (includes materials) Cost (Child Members): $60 (includes materials)
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: April 19, 2026
Note re Youth Participation: Youth aged 12 to 15 may be permitted to participate in this workshop provided that their parent or guardian has registered for and participates in the workshop. Email the Guild at ykguildwebsite@gmail.com to arrange for youth registration.
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
Registration Closes: May 1, 2026
Feeling stressed? Come out for some relaxation and stab some wool into a beautiful 3D object. In this class, you will learn how to needle felt and take home a set of dryer balls.
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: April 26, 2026
Scheduling Note: Class schedule includes May 18, 2026 (Victoria Day).
Instructor: Melanie Desjardins
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: March 2, 2026
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: Jessica Smart
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: January 6, 2026 @ 7:00 pm Registration Closes: May 3, 2026
Learn techniques for making consistent and matching wheel-thrown bowls while contributing toward one of the Guild's most popular fundraising events - the annual Canada Day Ice Cream Bowl Sale!
All bowls produced during these sessions will be donated to the Guild for sale at the Canada Day Ice Cream Bowl Sale or other fundraisers. The sessions are therefore free to participants and the Guild will supply clay.
Prerequisites: Scheduled open studio or full studio potter with current full adult membership. Ability to center and throw a bowl. Age 16 or older. Registrations lacking prerequisites will be cancelled automatically.
Cost: Free with all bowls produced donated to the Guild. Clay supplied by the Guild.
Registration Opens: January 6, 2026 @ 7 pm
Registration Closes: May 6, 2026
Help use up some of the instructor's seeming bottomless stash of wild and cultivated willow! All willow will be soaked and ready for your use.
This is a small (6" high x 6" diameter without handle) willow basket with a handle. Similar baskets are used in Europe for clothes pins, but you can use yours for whatever you want.
Weaves will include twining, 3-rod wale, and slewing weaves. A 4-1 border plus a roped handle will be used.
Note: Working with willow requires hand strength, so if you have arthritic hands you may find willow challenging. If you have an allergy to aspirin, willow could also be a challenge since it was the original source for aspirin.
Instructor: Cathie Harper
Cost: $199 (includes materials and use of tools)
Registration Closes: May 20, 2026
Registration Closes: June 5, 2026