Exploring clay, creativity and queer connection at Wild Pride

Participants experimented with handbuilding and painted vessels in a Kindred Sagas workshop guided by Ash O’Gorman

Fringe Arts Claudia Beaudoin — Published August 19, 2025 4 minutes

The workshop brought together Kindred Sagas, a new intergenerational series connecting LGBTQIA2S+ elders and younger folks through shared meals and creative projects, and Wild Pride, Montreal’s alternative Pride rooted in anti-colonial, anti-capitalist and intersectional solidarity. 

Guiding the group was Ash O’Gorman, a disabled and queer ceramicist who has spent the past four years working with clay. Throughout the afternoon workshop, O’Gorman leaned into the atmosphere of experimentation, moving between tables, offering tips and encouragement and reminding participants that handbuilding isn’t about perfection. 

“Handbuilding is so organic, you can see your fingerprints on it, you can see everything, and it's not about having a piece that you got from the store that's perfectly symmetrical,” they said.

O’Gorman demonstrated a variety of building and decorating techniques, such as pinch pots, coil vessels, and the use of slip—a stickier mixture that helps attach decorative elements or add surface designs. They guided participants on when to apply it, how to smooth it, and encouraged experimentation with layering and textures. 

“Clay is resilient,” they reminded the group as they pressed and shaped the soft material. 

They also emphasized creating art through the body, noting that as a disabled person, they had learned much through trial and error, discovering techniques that worked best for them. 

“It's not about getting it right. It's just about understanding what actually feels comfortable for you,” O’Gorman said. 

The session unfolded in steps: participants first sketched their designs, then moulded the clay, and finally painted and decorated their vessels. Throughout, O’Gorman reminded everyone to keep their clay moist and to approach each stage with patience. 

“My goal in the end is just to make workshops that reach different generations and offer a space for connection, but also have the opportunity to eat together, because food scarcity is a really big thing right now.” — Meseret Abebe

“Pressure to do things the correct way stops people from exploring and creating,” O’Gorman said. “I’m trying not to have that in this space by allowing people to learn, work with their own bodies, and trust that each person knows themselves and their abilities best.”

Meseret Abebe, founder of Kindred Sagas, had followed O’Gorman’s growth as a ceramicist and knew they would be the perfect guide for the workshop.

“They (O’Gorman) have this goal of making pottery adaptable and accessible, and especially when we're talking about intergenerational connection, we need adaptable and accessible activities,” Abebe said. “I felt like this was a perfect project for them to showcase adaptable pottery skills.”

Accessibility was another central focus of the workshop, highlighting the importance of inclusive art spaces.

“To start, having spaces that are wheelchair- or reduced-mobility accessible matters, because infrastructure is often the first barrier many people face,” O’Gorman said. 

For Abebe, accessibility also extends to organizing.

“Having people from different walks of life be part of the building and creation of the event is how you make it more accessible,” Abebe said.

Some attendees were new to ceramics, while others came with experience. Everyone dove into creating—from incense holders and mugs to duck-adorned trays.

“Everything I saw was amazing. I was really expecting people to just make bowls, but no—people were like, ‘I will make a tray with ducks on it,’” Abebe said with a laugh.

Conversations flowed from past Wild Pride events and the significance of inclusive spaces to more casual topics, like where to find the best vegan food nearby.

“It’s so clearly needed—everyone was so jazzed to be here and be doing this kind of Pride event,” said Ty Sundquist, a volunteer at the event. “Some more mainstream Prides don’t offer this kind of thing, so it’s really lovely that Ash, Kindred Sagas and Wild Pride put this together.”

A spread of tacos and fruit gave participants a chance to pause and connect while creating, reflecting a key element of Abebe’s vision for Kindred Sagas.

“My goal in the end is just to make workshops that reach different generations and offer a space for connection, but also have the opportunity to eat together, because food scarcity is a really big thing right now,” Abebe said.

By the end of the afternoon, vessels of all shapes and sizes filled the room, each a reflection of the maker’s touch. The creations will be fired in the kiln in the coming weeks.

“What we need in a vessel is always going to be different, so I guess I’m just trying to be intentional about that,” O’Gorman said. “Allowing accessibility to be a very intentional and beautiful part of creation, and not just an inconvenient afterthought.”