Wendy Parsons and Zach Dietrich are a mainstay in the pottery community of Moose Jaw, and will be featured as one of the welcoming stops on the upcoming Moosetletoe Studio Tour on Oct. 19.
This year, Parsons Dietrich Pottery is celebrating its 40th anniversary of calling Moose Jaw home, an accomplishment they are glad to have reached.
“It’s been really good. Our studio is a great space and we’re really happy to be here,” said Dietrich.
The couple is known for their vast collection of work, including earthy teapots and intricately designed statues — among lots of other functional ware like mugs, bowls, plates, and so on. Each piece is made using Saskatchewan clay and glazes, featuring earth-inspired tones from the prairie landscape.
Parsons and Dietrich co-own their studio, located in a historic church just off the Trans Canada Highway. Both artists are renowned experts here in the province and have been involved with the Saskatchewan Craft Council, among many other groups and projects.
Several years ago, the pair were joined at their studio by son Devon Dietrich, who specializes in handcrafted work and brings a whole new perspective to design.
Their work is always changing, with new pieces and designs being created all the time. A whole new load of pieces are set to be finished firing just before the tour, like some new pieces from their monster series, and there will be a 15 per cent sale going on that day.
Visitors will also be treated to a tour of the studio, including the family’s workspace and kilns, with the possibility of some demonstrations of how things work.
“People are usually quite happy to see the whole process,” said Dietrich, who promised a look into their creative space.
Parsons Dietrich Pottery is located at 1200 Lakeview Road, the service road that runs alongside Highway #1 to Regina. More information about Parsons Dietrich Pottery and the three artists there is available on their website.
