Watch how Jason Holley takes his pottery from virtual reality to the kiln

Nfld. & Labrador·New

Step inside Jason Holley's studio and see how he uses virtual reality to create porcelain tumblers.

Meet an innovative ceramic artist in the first episode of new series, Drawn to It

CBC News · Posted: Mar 05, 2020 9:03 AM NT | Last Updated: March 5

In the first installment of Drawn to It, Jason Holley creates porcelain tumblers using virtual reality. 2:37

Combining virtual reality with pottery may seem like an odd pairing, but for Jason Holley, it's a perfect match.

Holley took his first pottery class in 2004 and immediately fell in love with it, and has been working with clay full-time ever since. And two years ago, he was introduced to virtual reality.

Holley splits his time between a shared studio space in St. John's and a studio in Twillingate.

“I live in my studio. Right now I literally live in my studio in Twillingate,” he said with a laugh. “When I'm working, I work 12- to 14-hour days. By the time I'm set up and moving, it just doesn't make sense to me to stop, so I stop when I'm too exhausted to keep moving.”

A self-proclaimed geek, Holley was experimenting with his friend's virtual reality headset when he came across the program Google Blocks, which he likens to playing with Lego.

It wasn't long before Holley realized he could use it as a creative tool.

With the sharp angles, geometric shapes and swirling colours, the finished product has been compared to an iceberg. But for Holley, this connection to the province is not something he consciously set out to do.

Free Traffic Real Traffic At Your Finger Tips

Get Traffic With Zero Money Down

Join with bonus

“I come at it from process, but I seem to always make things that people see Newfoundland in,” said Holley.

Take a look at Holley's creations in the first episode of new series, Drawn to It, in the video player above.

Subscribe to Centenunlimited news

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe