Paint & Decor Concepts: Clay, Community, and Creative Stewardship
by Ashton Carter
Versatility is the lifeblood of creative business. At their best, creative industries strive to curate memorable and marketable experiences through a combination of products and programming that anchor it to the marketplace and set it aside from other competitors. At a local level, the creative business becomes invested in the community to a greater degree due to the fact that its model for growth is closely related to its model for sustainability. In a word, this is the necessity of any business to “pivot” in order to meet the shifting needs of its customers.
The value of creative business is mobilized by its ability to change and grow alongside the patrons it relies on for support. Like most innovative solutions, the goal is not to reinvent the wheel but rather to program the space in a way that builds on preexisting culture; to invite customers into the heart of what separates the corporate from the brick-and-mortar. The greatest asset that any creative business has at its disposal is people.
In downtown Sault Ste. Marie, we are fortunate to house exemplary creative businesses such as Paint & Decor Concepts, a home decor and furniture store turned pottery studio with an emphasis on making the product you want with your own hands. I sat down with Elizabeth Neish to ask her a few questions about the pottery studio and to get the scoop on how it all began.
What inspired the creation of the pottery studio?
E: This used to be a home decor and furniture store – it was really difficult to compete with the Big Box stores that were opening, so we had to re-brand. One of our team members teaches our beginner’s classes. She’s been a potter for a long time and so the idea was floated that it would be cool if we did a pottery studio. All of our team members are really creative so we all loved the idea. The response from the community has been great!
What is your vision for the program in the community?
E: We’re wanting to foster creativity within the Soo and more experiences for those creative outlets. There’s not very many spots for that in town, so we’re trying to create a space as well as experiences. Coming here with your family is an experience. Clay building is really good for your mental health. You let loose, play with clay, and get messy! Having those spaces, I think, is really important.
What impacts have you noticed to the business as a result of the pottery studio?
E: It’s a different clientele that comes in, so I feel like people who are creative and love pottery, they’re very happy, and the morale overall of the place has gone up. It’s been really great for business.
What impacts have you noticed in the community as a result of the pottery studio?
E: It’s kind of the same thing - we’re creating a little pottery community. We’re also seeing that there are a lot of people coming out who haven’t done ceramics or pottery in 10+ or 30 years, so all these people are coming out of the woodwork who are realizing there is a space they can come to create. People are coming together now and creating cool pieces and it’s really great.
Do you have any advice for those who want to try their hand at pottery?
E: One thing that people can get caught up with when it comes to being creative is realizing there’s no “good” or if it’s not marketable or profitable they think it’s not “good”. People are a lot better with their hands than they think they are and a lot more creative than they think they are. Letting go and reframing your mind around art and creative building can be really freeing.
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The core of creativity is the will to make something out of nothing. In business, creativity translates as an essential component of the success formula – the ability to generate renewed interest and business using the tools and resources available to reduce or eliminate costly expenditures. In essence, it is the question: “How can I make something new with what I already have?”
The word “creativity” often leads to an assumption that the creative process must mean a shift to something artistic or complex. The creativity of Paint & Decor Concepts’ pottery studio, however, is in its effective simplicity; utilizing the assets and skills at their disposal to create and sustain meaningful community experiences that bring people together.