Leonie Huber arrived in Italy last summer. She is passionate about pottery which she discovered in Medicine Hat (Alberta). Moving to Italy, she decided to pursue her passion here.
How did you get interested in making pottery?
Leonie: Medalta is a historic clay district of Medicine Hat, Alberta where my husband was posted. I always meant to go take a pottery course since I like arts and creating things with my own two hands. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until the last winter we lived there that I finally attended a 3-day class. I loved it so much I was immediately hooked and wanted to learn more! As fate would have it, hubby got posted overseas again. In the rush of moving, it quickly became an all or nothing choice. Confident that I wanted to pursue pottery on some level, I purchase not only a few supplies, but everything. Somehow, we managed to pull everything together in the nick of time, so all the equipment made it into the container!
What does it bring to your happiness?
Leonie: Having attended an arts focused school as a child I love all arts, but often got distracted by my busy mind, overthinking the process and frustrated at the learning curve all artistic creativity demands. The first time I was wheel throwing pottery, I found three hours had passed in the blink of an eye. I realized pottery was a rare activity that could temporarily switch off my worrying and overactive mind and let me focus on the present moment. It is the perfect activity to counterbalance time spent learning via correspondence and gives me the satisfaction of a finished product.
Pottery making needs a lot of material (the pottery wheel, the kiln, etc.) what did you need to bring and what were the challenges?
Leonie: Thanks to my wonderful husband, I was able to bring everything! Setting up a full pottery studio is a big investment, but I was blessed to have wonderful support. From the companies in Canada that wired my kiln for the European power specs, to a fellow potter in Medicine Hat who volunteered her knowledge and even spent the day at the wholesale shop with me, advising the essentials I would need and what I could get later. Through the knowledgeable staff at ConeArt Kilns, I was even given a contact to a Canadian Expat who had moved to northern Italy with her studio. She was kind enough to help me with all European power and supplier questions. Lastly my new Italian landlord persevered in finding me electricians. Assembling a whole pottery studio as a beginner (who had never even watched a kiln being fired!) I’m eternally grateful for all the wonderful people who helped me in this process.
Explain how you did find a solution for the kiln and the electricity?
Leonie After purchasing a brand-new kiln, the electrician that came to connect it said it couldn’t be used in all of Italy (so I wouldn’t even be able to sell it) because it had a new touch screen. Thanks to our landlord’s assistance with the language barrier, we were able to find a qualified electrician who understood the power requirements for the kiln.
Can you find easily here (In the Naples area) all that you need to pursue your passion?
Leonie: I haven’t found any suppliers in Napoli yet. But supply challenges have again made me network and problem solve. I’ve found wonderful sources in Milan, Czech Republic and Germany. While at first a little intimidating to find new products (when I’m just learning about the intricacies of each!) I’m grateful for the huge variety of artists and suppliers available in Europe. Translating websites and asking questions is a small inconvenience compared to the wealth of knowledge abounding from being surrounded by so many experienced artists from all nations!
What does that activity bring to your life here?
Leonie: Peace and fulfillment. From past experience I know how important mental health is, particularly for spouses posted outside of Canada. Being introverted and struggling to find common interests it’s invaluable to have a purpose and hobby I can pursue daily. Having to communicate and find solutions for my pottery in Italy has jump started my immersion into Italian life. I’ve made contacts and practiced the language, breaking that nerve-wrecking barrier of first attempts.
Leonie Huber
Naples, Italy
@snowmermaidceramics