Meet the owner
Gretchen grew up on Prince Edward Island as a country girl at heart, later raising her children in Nova Scotia before eventually joining them in Red Deer as adults. Since making the move, she has reconnected with a life rooted in creativity, community, and purpose—now owning two horses, opening Mud and Masterpieces, and continuing her part-time career as a hairstylist.
Over the years, acrylic painting has been her primary creative outlet, but pottery has always held a magnetic draw. When Gretchen decided it was time to stop “dabbling” and fully commit to pottery, she discovered how difficult it was to find accessible studio space—and quickly realized she wasn’t alone.
That realization became the spark behind Mud and Masterpieces, the business she had been craving and the creative home so many others needed. Mud and Masterpieces is pottery, but it’s also so much more: a welcoming place of acceptance, creativity, connection, and fun—where people can get their hands dirty and create something meaningful together.
Meet our Instructor
Melanie Tuck began her pottery journey in 2019 as an avid collector with a deep love for handmade ceramics. What started as admiration quickly turned into action when she set up her first studio—and she’s never looked back.
Alongside extensive online training, Melanie has studied in person with renowned ceramic artists Tim See and John Britt, expanding her skills in throwing and glazing. Her passion for learning also took her to Portugal, where she studied Portuguese tile making and sculpture with Sofia Simões. She continues to learn and experiment every day.
Melanie’s work focuses on wheel throwing and hand building, with a strong emphasis on functional pieces that are meant to be used and loved. In 2022, she built her own glaze kitchen, opening the door to endless exploration of color and surface—an ongoing challenge of knowing when to stop chasing “just one more” beautiful glaze.
Outside the studio, Melanie has spent over 34 years as an Athletic Therapist, using her hands to help others heal. Pottery has since become her own form of therapy—creative, grounding, and endlessly inspiring.
She looks forward to welcoming you into the studio for fun, exploration, and hands-on learning. Together, you’ll discover your rhythm, build confidence, and create beautiful masterpieces along the way.
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!