When you start something new it is fun to look back on the journey. I love history and stories that explains how things came to be. Elemental Claycation came to be as a result of twenty years in the making. In August, Felipe Gomez captured the experience with still and video for me to use to promote.
Elemental Claycation: an immersive pottery retreat is up on my website, on Tourism Saskatchewan's website and being promoted on social media everywhere I turn. This has been a years in the making since I applied for Tourism Sask Achieving Awesome to this moment of people learning about my new tourism offering. There has been so many moving parts in the past six months that I am blown away that it has come together.
In 2013, I was given a homework project when I was working on my Masters in Creativity in Educational Practice to create a Blue Sky Inventory of what I want to create in my life. One thing on the list was to do something for Saskatchewan Tourism. I love Saskatchewan and as a teacher was encouraging my students to explore our province. As the years continued and I was teaching full time and creating my highway store where I sell my pottery, then I went down to 50% teaching to 50% pottery. All of a sudden I found myself a full time potter and a shoulder tap of applying for the Achieving Awesome course. Last fall I worked through the course, connecting and developing this new experience. I applied for a diversification grant and received it and a lot of hard work it is ready to go.
Renovations on the attic began end of February 2023 with electrician and plumbers and my dad and I started beginning of April. The third floor of this heritage house went from a storage area to a fabulous open space that is open for my next Saskatchewan tourism experience. We have added a fourth bathroom to the house and the second floor and main floor bathrooms have been completely changed and renovated.
So back to the experience! This is a dream come true to create a tourism experience where I have an opportunity to connect through creativity. All my passions are being pulled together in this and I'm so excited that I have one Claycation already booked. So get your friends together and pick a date.
Marea Olafson