About Open Artspace

We are a welcoming community pottery studio, championing the power of hands-on creativity to improve well-being and build community. We provide facilities for long-term hobbyist use. Our fees are flexible and affordable, which we manage by keeping facilities modest, staffing minimal and operating on a not-for-profit basis.

Open Artspace Community Interest Company was established in 2022 by Louise Smith (as Maryhill Open Artspace CIC), and Louise remains the sole director. In early 2026 she started the process of forming a Board.

Staff Members

Louise Smith, Founder and Managing Director

Louise studied Ceramics and Printmaking at degree. She worked for many year in Arts and Heritage Project Management, keeping up ceramics and print as a hobby. Louise now oversees the managment of the studio. teaches improvers courses in throwing and surface decoration, she is currently developing a collection for exhibition.

Rowan Ormiston, Studio Coordinator and Tutor

Rowan studied Painting and Printmaking at Glasgow School of Art, and started pottery in a community studio in 2020, joining Open Artspace in 2022. They recently graduated from a masters in Art and Archaeology, and exhibit and sell work locally and nationally.

Jenni Wilson, Tutor and Studio Technician

Jenni discovered her love of working with clay in 2018 and has been working as a studio assistant and tutor in London since 2021, in 2026 she moved back to Glasgow and joined Open Artspace. As an avid coffee drinker Jenni often sells mugs in cafes and shops.

Sara Jane McIntosh, Young People's Lead Tutor

Sara Jane has been working as a primary teacher in the West End of Glasgow for 15 years. After studying fine art she spent many years working as a puppet maker for stop motion animation, and making sets and costumes for theatre, she joined Open Artspace and started her potter journey in 2022.

Steering Group

A group of studio-users acting in a voluntary capacity, and referred to as the Steering Group, is currently doing the work to form a board, and ensure that the studio and all those using it are protected.

This includes developing and maintaining procedures and policies relating to:

Health & Safety
Safeguarding
Complaints
Financial monitoring
Board recruitment

In addition, the Steering Group is responsible for high-level operational decision-making and for ensuring that the studio continues to meet its commitments as a Community Interest Company.

The Steering Group will be meeting quarterly and minutes can be viewed here.

The group is committed to ensuring that all studio-users are heard and are able to play an active role in the studio if they choose. To support this, a suggestion box has been created alongside a monthly Operations Group meeting. The Operations Group will discuss and act upon operational suggestions raised by studio-users or staff. Matters considered more strategic in nature will be escalated to the Steering Group for consideration.

Hannah Scales, Steering-Group Member

Hannah is an imaging specialist and lecturer in immunology at the University of Glasgow. Her research focuses on how the immune system responds to pathogens like malaria.

Hannah joined Open Artspace in 2022 not long after it opened, after taking a hand building course she hasn’t looked back.

Chris Reynolds, Steering-Group Member

Chris working in education and has a background in theatre arts, photography and games.

Chris has been a member of Open Artspace since September 2023, he has been enthusiastic about clay since friend introduced Chris to pottery in her home studio at the bottom of the garden.

Mhairi Mackenzie, Steering-Group Member

Mhairi is a professor of Social and Public Policy at the University of Glasgow.

Mhairi joined Open Artspace in September 2023 and spends most of her time on the wheel making functional pots, with deep green and red glazes.

Elise Whitely, Steering-Group Member

Elise has recently retired from a career as a public health researcher focussing on health inequalities and is now forging a path as a professional potter.

Elise has enjoyed creating ceramic animal sculptures for many years and joined Open Artspace in January 2024 in order to learn how to wheel throw dishes to incorporate them, she now runs a pottery business 'Mouse Pots'.

Dominika Zieba, Steering-Group Member

Dominika moved to Glasgow in 2017 from Poland to study Mathematics at the University of Glasgow, and now works as a data analyst for a renewable energy consultancy.

Dominika took her first introductory pottery course at Open Artspace in 2024 and fell in love with the craft, and her life has been revolving around pottery ever since.

Mo Gillespie, Steering-Group Member

Mo is a Move + Change Management consultant who specialises in workplace change and its impacts on people.

Mo enrolled in the introductory course at Open Artspace in late 2024, and has been addicted to pottery ever since! The studio and its freedom to experiment provides a much-needed creative outlet to balance the corporate day-job.