Yolande is a functional & sculptural potter, with over 40 years of experience.

Yolande (Yo for short)  has lived in Port Alberni for over 60 years but was raised in the small village known as Woodfiber in Howe Sound, a small mill town that was accessible only by boat! At the age of 8 years old, Yo and her parents moved to Nanaimo and by 9 settled into Port Alberni. Yolande’s pottery education came from attending night classes at the old Alberni district high school, making her way down to Parksville for intermediate Wheel Throwing courses, and attending conferences hosted by the Potting Association. Where famous potters would come to demonstrate, host lectures and observe others. Yolande has a custom built workshop space in her backyard, with a handmade extruder and slab roller. Yolande has been doing pottery for over 40 years and for good reason! As she says, “With clay you never lose your fascination with it as there is always something new to learn!” Yo has also taught pottery classes for the past 10+ years for students 16 and up.

As for her pottery, whether handbuilt or wheel thrown they can be functional or sculptural. Her signature wild cat design just comes from her love of them as she has had cats throughout her life, and believes that every cat is a little wild at heart. As for her Orca design, they are a west coast symbol she can’t help but admire their strength, the way they hunt and work together in a matriarchal society.

Yolande is a talented storyteller, a rock and roll enthusiast, fashion lover, and an enjoyer of anything with artistic merit. Yolande is also an avid gardener, makes preserves, currently writes articles for Island Arts Magazine in the column “Garden Musing”, hangs out with her kitty Miss Molly, and gets into all sorts of trouble in her free time.