Pottery4People: The Creative Spirit of Elise Zylinska

I was very fortunate to meet Elise Zylinska while participating in the Spring Exhibition of the Artistes Hudson Artists (AHA). The connection was immediate — I sensed we shared more in common than I could have imagined. One of Elise’s most remarkable traits is her boundless energy and resilience, especially in the face of personal challenges. A breast cancer survivor, Elise embodies both strength and grace. As a survivor myself, I understood her journey on a deeply personal level. Both of us have found in art a form of healing — a creative refuge that brings out the best in us.

When I asked Elise what inspires her to create — through design, pottery, and painting — her answer was simple yet profound:

“I want to please people.”

Elise’s connection to art runs deep. From a young age, she was immersed in creativity, growing up in Baie-D’Urfée, where her father, George Zylinski, worked as a commercial artist and muralist from his home studio. This early exposure shaped her artistic sensibility and led her to pursue a DEC in Commercial Interior Design from Dawson College in 1985. Since then, she has built a thriving career as an interior designer, with projects spanning the commercial office and hospitality sectors.

Elise is a certified member of the APDIQ (Association professionnelle des designers d’intérieur du Québec), the IDC (Interior Designers of Canada), and the Hudson Artists Association. Her dual expertise in interior design and craft pottery allows her to merge aesthetics, functionality, and emotion — bringing a distinctive harmony to every creation.

When we spoke about her creative philosophy, Elise shared a piece of wisdom from one of her mentors:

“When you speak to somebody, you have to remember two things — listen to them, and listen to them listening to you. That’s how you know you’re on the same page.”

This spirit of empathy and awareness flows through her art and her life.

Elise also holds a deep spiritual trust in the rhythm of existence. As she put it,

“I trust in the universe — everything happens for a reason — the universe unfolds as it should.”

It is this quiet faith that seems to guide her hands as she shapes clay, transforming simple earth into vessels of grace and meaning. As she beautifully says,

“You are sharing a meal with a friend or loved one, and food will look and taste so much better when served in a handmade dish.”

The reason I am writing this blog is to highlight Elise’s upcoming Pottery Christmas Show on November 15–16, 2025. Her pieces — both functional and deeply soulful — reflect her belief that art should enrich everyday life. Her invitation reads:

“Come and join me in my studio for a weekend of handmade charm and earthy treasures at my Christmas & Holiday Pottery Sale. Each piece was spun with love, glazed with care, and fired with a little magic — ready to find its forever home. Come as you are, bring a friend, stay as long as you like, and sip a glass of wine with me.”

Meeting Elise reminded me that creativity is not just a skill — it’s an act of generosity. Through her art and her spirit, she continues to uplift others, proving that beauty and resilience can coexist — and that art, indeed, has the power to heal.