Clay and resilience - Pinto Pottery rebuilding in Trelawny

Since setting up shop on the Good Hope Estate in Falmouth more than 30 years ago, Jamaican artist David Pinto has curated a space where pottery comes to life. Nestled in the hills of Trelawny, Pinto Pottery is home to unique handcrafted pieces, ranging from signature dinnerware and drinkware to one-of-a-kind clay sculptures. Like many businesses in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, Pinto and his team are rebuilding, determined to restore the studio to its usual charm, despite the scars the hurricane left behind.

The usual 15-minute drive up the hill to the studio now takes a few minutes longer, with fallen trees, leaning poles, and hanging wires slowing the way, though crews are steadily working to clear the route. Turning right onto the property, the once-open stretch of potted plants and shaded trees has been replaced with branches scattered across the yard and a few pieces of displaced roofing. What’s impressive, however, is how quickly Pinto and his team have managed to make progress so far, though there is still a long way to go.

Taking a break from clearing fallen trees with a chainsaw, Pinto led Sunday Lifestyle into the studio, where some of the interior had escaped damage. “The first time we walked in, we couldn’t see anywhere. The whole family was here and we just looked at each other like, ‘Where should we start?’” Pinto explained, recalling the first trip back post-Melissa. “I said to my wife, ‘Let’s just clean this tiny corner, and when the day is done, at least we did something,’” he shared, referring to the back of the indoor section of the main studio area that had a bit of water.

As the days went by, they eventually moved on to removing tree limbs from the frame of the front of the exterior area so they could put the tarpaulin up, and put other essential items to dry.

With the studio having been around for so long, this isn’t the first hurricane it has weathered. However, they have “never experienced one at this level”, Pinto shared. “With Beryl, that was just the other day. There are still trees on the ground and evidence of that, but it didn’t do this sort of thing… it was more just cleaning up,” Pinto said, gesturing to the back of the exterior area. There, the bamboos were snapped in the middle, the log structure that held the covering had been lifted from the ground, and fans, light bulbs and zinc panels hung displaced.

UNTOUCHED INVENTORY

All that damage aside, the inventory made before the hurricane remained untouched. “It’s shocking, I don’t see one broken pot so far,” Pinto added, while showing Sunday Lifestyle around the gallery located across from the studio, which was impassable just a few days ago.

Working with clay, Pinto produces dinnerware and drinkware, including bowls, plates, jugs, and quirky mugs that are distinctive in shape and colour and made primarily by hand. With the help of his assistants, he is able to produce enough volume for the items to be available in several retail stores, in addition to their online and on-site platforms.

In addition to creating pottery, Pinto shares his knowledge through teaching, offering classes ranging from weekly Tuesday sessions during the school term to one-time private experiences and an annual nine-day intensive international workshop. The weekly classes, which cater to beginners and students at any level, usually pause at the end of the year. The next intensive workshop is scheduled for 2026.

“Some people have even started their own businesses from doing classes here, which is really just amazing to see,” he said, noting that pottery is a skill that is patiently developed.

STILL GOING

Despite things not being fully in order just yet, Pinto shared that up until Thursday, his studio assistant and potter, Ian Garvey, was putting handles on a few mugs as they continued to work on fulfilling orders that are in process.

“We’re hoping to have two of our other employees on Monday, and we can spend the day cleaning up inside, going back and forth between fixing, cleaning, and making some things as we work to finish up those orders that were in process from before and that we have committed to,” Pinto, who does several corporate-related mugs this time of year, shared.

Electricity, normally required for processing clay and operating the electric kiln, is currently down in the area and may be out for quite some time. However, Pinto and his team are making do with what they can.

Normally, we use a machine to process our clay, but now we will use clay that is already processed,” he explained. “Our process [typically] includes making the things first with wet clay, then let things dry part way to finish making [it].”

Once the pieces are finished and completely bone dry, they are fired in an electric kiln for a bisque firing. After glazing, the items are finished with a second firing in a gas kiln, completing the process from clay to finished pieces.

Working with Pinto at the studio for 27 years, Garvey, who has been a key part in making and managing production, instinctively made the right call to fire up the electric kiln on the Sunday before the storm to make some progress on orders. He anticipated the loss of electricity and shared that for the storm prep, he had moved a few items around.

“I moved items to the container. I have a lot of raw stuff, things that aren’t yet bisque-fired and unfinished work that we needed to protect, “ he shared. “Now we’re just trying to clean up the place and get it back on track.”

With an initial Open House, a small curated craft fair featuring other vendors who make unique and different items, set for November 22, Pinto is focusing on getting the place up and running for their usual annual schedule and preparing for their busiest time of the year. And later, try to reassess to figure out how to rebuild better.

rollesha.laing@gleanerjm.com