Summerstone Gallery opens in Kāpiti Rd

Judy and Mike Page at Summerstone Ceramics. Photo / Rosalie Willis

You may have noticed a change on the corner of Te Roto Dr and Kāpiti Rd.

What used to be a car yard is now Summerstone Gallery, featuring the work of pottery duo Judy and Mike Page.

Owning Mike Page European next door, the opportunity came up for Mike to expand his workshop and use some of the additional space to open up a gallery.

Filled with fish, horses and swallows sculpted by Judy and great big urns, jugs and jars thrown by Mike, the couple's pottery complements each other.

Judy Page sculpting a swallow at Summerstone Ceramics, now in Kapiti Rd. Photo / Rosalie Willis

The gallery is also a workspace for Judy who has space to hand sculpt her ceramics while minding the store.

"Whether I make it here, or in my workshop at home, it makes no difference, we're just more visual here," Judy said.

Open from Tuesday to Friday during October and then Tuesday to Saturday from November, Judy will work away at the gallery during the day, giving visitors a chance to see her at work.

"I'm really passionate about pottery and sharing it with others.

"I just love doing everything, every piece is different.

"I never get bored, I've always loved making things and working with colour.

"When you take them out of the kiln they're always different depending on what the flame does."

With Mike working next door and doing his throwing in the evening, the weekends are set aside for firing.

The couple discovered pottery about 12 years ago when they attended a night course together at the Ōtaki Pottery Club.

"It's so tactile, you're only restricted by your imagination.

"If the clay is telling me to do something I'll do it.

"I'll let the clay talk to me, it's all about how it feels when you're making it."

Selling out at the first Kāpiti Arts Trail they entered in 2016, Judy said pottery is an outlet where they can express themselves.

"It's very meditating and now people can come in and watch me doing it in the gallery during the day."

The gallery will have at least one guest artist at a time, with the first being Rebecca Flowerday from Wellington.

Closer to Christmas, there will be more guest artists.

Nothing is mass produced, with all works unique and one of a kind as they come out of the kiln.

One batch of fish Judy produced came about after she didn't have the right ingredients to create a glaze.

"I substituted something else, did a test and it worked.

"I was amazed at the result - you just don't know how it will look until you open the kiln."

While running a fulltime business, Mike has managed to find time to fine-tune his craft, entering the Portage Ceramic Awards in 2018 and being a first-time finalist.

"He's really good at doing his wheel work, throwing jars and jugs and urns whereas I do sculpture.

"We have very different styles, but we complement each other nicely."

Summerstone Gallery is at 126 Kāpiti Rd, Paraparaumu, from 10am-4pm with parking available outside.