In 1999, Quin Cheung embarked on her clay journey when she enrolled in her first wheel-throwing pottery class. Instantly captivated, she fell in love with the art form. However, pottery had to take a backseat as Quin and her husband Dave found immense success with their international wedding photography business, DQ Studios. Together, they travelled the world, capturing beautiful moments from weddings and imparting their photography expertise through teaching in various countries like India, Thailand, Spain, the Caribbean, Argentina, Germany, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and across North America.
Over 15 years passed, during which Quin’s passion for pottery remained unyielding. Now, she is carving out space once more to share her love for this craft.
Quin’s pottery creations are a labour of love, made in small batches with meticulous care. Each piece is carefully thrown, trimmed, glazed, and fired to perfection. Her primary goal is to craft exquisite and functional vessels that not only satiate appetites but also nourish hearts with love. Each item bears her logo and a meaningful verse that anchors her daily practice: “So whether you eat, drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” – 1 Cor 10:31.
***
Which ‘hood are you in?
My studio is located in a tiny corner of my home in northwest Calgary. My wheel sits in the corner of the room and my wedging table is in the opposite corner. I have one wall of shelving where I store/dry my work in progress and another wall dedicated to finished work (which ends up being mostly off-pieces or sentimental attempts that I hope to revisit one day). Downstairs in my furnace room, I have a kiln and additional shelves for storage.
What do you do?
I’m a full-time ceramic artist who stumbled upon this fascinating art form around 5 years ago in an effort to build roots in her own city after retiring from an 18-year stint as a destination wedding photographer. It was love at first throw and I never looked back. I still take photographs for random commercial shoots, but most of my days are spent covered in clay.
What are you currently working on?
Constantly working on shapes and forms that challenge and push my artistic and physical limits. Currently, I’m excited to be a part of a new modern art gallery opening in Edmonton called MAUD Gallery (Modern Art UnDiscovered). Also working on some personal projects that include collaborating with other artists including a kintsugi artist and my son, a talented artist himself who will be painting his art on a series of my vases.
Where can we find your work?
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Starting Sept 2023, my work will be available at MAUD Gallery in Edmonton, AB.
