Where Ideas Take Shape

You never know when a eureka moment might present itself. Case in point: Saskatoon Makerspace executive director Emmanuelle Morin was chatting with an artist who specializes in cyanotype, a process that uses iron salts and ultraviolet light to create monochrome prints in vibrant Prussian blue. Morin, a ceramicist, wondered whether she could use the technique with pottery, so she gave it a try. “Turns out you can!” she says. It’s a perfect example of the magic that happens when artists, makers, craftspeople and the curious gather under one roof.

Since 2019, the Makerspace has anchored Saskatoon’s Riversdale neighbourhood as a hub for hands-on creativity. In the woodshop, members can use a lathe once owned by the grandfather of founder Devon Plett — it’s one of many tools shared by weekend tinkerers and dedicated woodworkers alike. In the metal shop, which is equipped for blacksmithing and welding, Morin recently built a metal cobra. The process she used is called MIG (metal inert gas) welding, which melts and joins metal together, emitting a characteristic sizzling sound. “It’s very fun, very sparky,” she says. Then there are so-called “soft” classes, including rug tufting, soap making, watercolour painting, jewellery making and silk screening. The ceramics program is particularly popular, with eight pottery wheels, a range of glazes and a dedicated kiln team to support the artists.