Sam Mayell Ceramics and The Pottery Lounge Queenstown, which opened in Earl St early last month, offer customers a two-for-one experience.
The front of the premises is a gallery and retail outlet for the work of Gibbston ceramicist Sam Mayell, while out the back is The Pottery Lounge, where visitors can have a ‘paint and fire’ experience.
Choosing from a selection of pottery pieces — cups, bowls, vases and more — they can sip on complimentary snacks and a non-alcoholic drink while spending 60-90 minutes painting their piece, getting inspiration from art books and stencils if required.
The pieces are then glazed and fired in a kiln, ready for pick-up the next day.
Mayell — the son of Cookie Time co-founder and managing director, and Queenstown resident, Guy Pope-Mayell — is a Design & Arts College of New Zealand graduate who worked in photography and graphic design before getting into ceramics about eight years ago.
Starting with keep cups for the wholesale market, he moved into the wall art pieces that are now his core business.
He forms the round "domes" and square "checker" pieces in moulds he sculpts himself, before treating them with unique glazing effects.
Until opening the retail store, he’s been selling them online, the vast majority to Australia and the United States, he says.
"They seem to be what’s really resonated with people."
Raised in Christchurch, he moved to the Whakatipu about a decade ago, and works from a studio attached to his home.
The decision to open a gallery was an "impulsive" one.
"The studio’s kind of at capacity ... and I needed somewhere to hold finished pieces, so I thought we might as well tie that in with a retail side."
Its location on the edge of the town centre got him thinking a hands-on experience would get more people through the door.
So far, the response has exceeded his expectations.
Although tourists are the target market, plenty of locals are coming in to try it as well.
That all means he’s hard at work making pieces for the paint and fire experience as well as the gallery.
"I do all the wheel-throwing personally, so we’re pushing like crazy to try and fill the shop up."
