Make and create at The Pottage

A PAINT-YOUR-OWN pottery experience is opening in a little brick house in Redan.

Led by ceramicist Shelby Sherritt, new business The Pottage is set to run art workshops.

Sherritt said it has been a long-time dream of hers to open a space where people can come together to make and create.

“In regional Victoria, we don’t have as much access to paint-your-own pottery opportunities,” she said. “There’s a lot you can get in Geelong and Melbourne, but we don’t have it here and often have to travel to it.

“I essentially saw a gap in the market, but I’m also passionate about this type of pottery.”

The Pottage will just host pottery painting sessions to start, however Sherritt has a goal to grow the workshop space’s uses.

“I’m hoping to expand it to other artists who would like to do their own workshops here and whether they want to collaborate with pottery,” she said.

“I would love for it to be a space for artists because sometimes it’s hard to find hire spaces or spaces to work from on a budget. Hopefully it’s a more affordable option.

“I’ll also potentially offer other forms of pottery, so not just paint-your-own pottery but wheel throwing, hand-building, and other pottery-driven workshops.”

Sherritt is a high-profile potter with about 1.9 million followers on TikTok, and invited many members of Ballarat’s creative community to a soft launch of The Pottage last weekend.

They were able to have a sweet treat and drink, wander around the brick house’s different rooms, and paint their own ceramic mug.

“It’s wild to have everyone here,” she said. “I just wanted to show local artists, creatives, and small businesspeople, and see if there’s ways we could potentially collaborate in future, or if there’s ways they might like to use the space.

“Although it’s a space I’ve worked on, I want it to be for everyone.”

Bookings are now open at thepottage.com.au.