OFF the WALL
When the Pieces Come Together A visit to Earth and Vine Studio
ABOVE: Jennifer Houghtaling at the wheel in her Pugwash studio. RIGHT: The artist believes that being in the moment is at the heart of creativity.
BY MELANIE MOSHER | PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS
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arth and Vine Studio is the workspace and creation centre of Pugwash mosaic tile artist Jennifer Houghtaling. The studio, which she built about 10 years ago, is a straw bale structure. The inside walls are covered with layers of clay added by Houghtaling and finished with a final coating of lime plaster to protect the straw from moisture. She has carved nooks for shelves, embedded bottles for visual appeal, and added textures and
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lines that make the entire structure a huge sculpture. “It’s like my giant work of art,” says Houghtaling. “I’m always continuing to work on it and have lots of fun with it.” The space invites creativity and radiates possibility. Pieces of pottery, sculptures, and tile mosaics add colour and inspiration. This past fall, Houghtaling began adding tiles outside to the gable end of the building, adding another element of interest.
While she began her artistic career creating functional pottery, she has since extended her craft to include sculptures and mosaic tiles. “I have enjoyed going from making mugs and bowls and teapots to focusing on form and trying to allow the clay to become something out of sort of nothing,” she says. The beauty of nature inspires her work. “I grew up on a 400-acre ranch riding horses and being left alone with my imagination,” she says. “I love nature
At Home on the North Shore
