WELCOME TO OUR POTTERY CLUB

Hey there and welcome to Keko Club - creative space in the heart of Newport Pagnell, welcoming everyone from absolute beginners to experienced makers!

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Let me tell you a bit about myself and how KeKo Club came to be. My name’s Kateryna Shamshuryna-Acland, and I was born in the 80s. I was super proud of my “cassette player” and used it to record all of Britney’s songs from the radio - sorry about the copyright! I was born to my mum and a handsome Asian guy in Siberia, which was part of the USSR back then.

I grew up in Ukraine and started working when I was just 14. When I was young and recovering from a sports injury from a martial arts competition, I somehow got a personal trainer gig at a small local gym. I coached women who felt out of place in the gym with guys who wore less than them. I’ve worked in the hospitality industry doing everything from waitressing and hosting to tending bars, being a barista, and managing. I even moved into estate agents and law enforcement. Can you believe I’ve been working for 25 years already?

Life in the UK has been both tough and joyful until Ukraine was invaded. I was in the middle of intense training, juggling my career, and raising three amazing kids. The impact of the war on me, my family, and my community in both my home and adopted countries was overwhelming. It’s no wonder I was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2023.

But thanks to a strict sports routine, a good diet, and plenty of therapy, I found hope. It was when I started learning to draw that I really turned a corner. I didn’t know how to draw, and I bet a lot of you had a teacher like mine who told you you “suck.” But then, oh boy, I started experimenting and somehow stumbled upon clay…

So, why KeKo Club, you ask? This club is my vision of a welcoming space for everyone. It’s an art studio where people can connect with themselves, practice self-care, and try something new. We’re not perfect, but we can evolve and grow. Why “Club”? I want like-minded people to encourage and inspire each other—to belong. To have meaningful conversations and just a good laugh.

KeKo Club has a separate room dedicated exclusively for hand building and glazing. In this room you can experiment with templates or coil your sculptures as well as glaze them with the glazes to your taste. Hand building room will be ideal for adult and child activities. I also stock up some addition resources for the active minds, labeled “Kids resources”.

As a mom with super active kids, which is both a blessing and a curse, I encourage families to spend time together and apart in the studio. For working moms, dads, and carers, it’s a chance to practice self-care and take a break from the never-ending “rat race” we find ourselves in. I have created various memberships to tailor for different demographic. Check the memberships out and see what would suit for you.

 

Whether you're completely new to pottery or already love the wheel, you're welcome here. This is a space to slow down, play, and get a little messy. I believe in learning through doing, in embracing imperfection, and in making things that matter.

Hope to see you in the club!