As a child, Michelle was always making little bowls out of mud and letting them dry in the sun.  She began potting more seriously in 1989 followed by a hiatus raising a family and rekindled her love of the art In 2016, since when she has continued her study and practice. Michelle have been fortunate to attend Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts since 2017.

Michelle joined the Tozan Cultural Society three years ago and started the journey of wood firing.  She loves the randomness of the final pieces – lots of surprises. Firings are a wonderful opportunity which would be impossible without this fantastic community of potters.  Wood firings are three days and two nights, engaging rotating shifts of small groups for 6 hours each. .

In 2023, Michelle and a colleague built a gas kiln out of refurbished electric kiln to experiment with high fire reduction firings.  This led to an opportunity to purchase a Salt/Soda kiln which is currently under construction  Flames kissing pots is so magical.

When not taking classes or playing with clay, Michelle is hiking in the woods with her dogs, riding her bike, doing yoga or in her garden.  Michelle lives in Errington on a 10 acre hobby farm with her husband, Terry, and her two dogs, three cats, chickens, a horse boarder, and two male peacocks.  While building her little studio the peacocks would hang out and still do – that is how the name, Loose Peacock Pottery came to be. 

Specialty: wheel thrown functional ware
Firing techniques: wood firing, gas reduction, soda