Carly Slade (she/her)

Carly Slade - Mentor Since 2026

Halifax, NS. USA. Carly Slade is a widely recognized young Canadian ceramic artist, spatial sculptor, and educator known for her miniature, highly realistic architectural dioramas that explore working-class identity and the built environment. Growing up in "Big Sky" Alberta, Canada, and spending her early life working in trades like concrete and carpentry, she builds complex structures that serve as monuments to the physical labor of everyday people.

Individual Meetings: very flexible, to be decided in agreement with the student

Group Meetings: from Friday to Sunday

Workshop Agenda: In-Person Workshop Dates TBD with students (June/July/August-ish).

Carly’s workshop is sure to be a fun yet intensive week-long experience held at a local ceramic studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Carly will share her extensive knowledge of handbuilding and slab-building techniques, guiding participants through the process of creating highly detailed ceramic objects.

The workshop will cover everything from idea development and drawing to scaling, slab preparation, construction, and surface design. Depending on the interests and goals of the group, participants may also have the opportunity to explore mould-making and slip casting.

Outside the studio, the group will take advantage of all that Halifax and Nova Scotia have to offer! Activities may include visiting local artists’ studios, museums and galleries, exploring historic lighthouses and the beautiful Nova Scotian landscape, and, of course, eating plenty of lobster. (Vegetable-shaped lobsters can be arranged!)

The studio’s ADA accessibility is currently unknown, as this will depend on the dates and location selected. I will ensure that accessibility is assessed and that any potential issues are addressed well in advance of participants’ arrival.

About Carly

Carly Slade is a Canadian Ceramic Artist who grew up in “big sky” Alberta where she spent her early working life in the trades, from carpentry to concrete she is most at home in a shop. Her work is influenced by her blue-collar roots and plagued by a concern for the precarious nature of the working class. Using a mixture of materials from ceramic, to embroidery, to industrial building supplies, Slade recreates dioramas of real world places using a candid perspective. She currently lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia with her two orange kitties known collectively as “The Oranges”.