After more than 35 years making pottery Myles Happ has seen his studio grow alongside a local art event

With more than 35 years in the trade, Myles Happ has seen his studio grow from a single furnace to the biggest pottery studio in the State. While his factory has grown, Happ been taking part in Margaret River Open Studios since the very first year, helping build the bones of the event as far back as the 1990s. Initially putting together a guide to show off other artisans in the region, Happ and his wife Jacquie along with a plethora of other volunteers would see the start of Margaret River Open Studios in 2014. The event would quickly become iconic, which Happ said had provided an annual opportunity to benchmark his growth. “There’s just so much quality in our area,” he said. Initially getting into the trade as a kid, Happ said pottery had been used to feed his family “forever”. “It’s not a hobby and it has never been for me,” he said. “This is not an open studio — this is a lifelong choice to keep on going.” While the craft has remained consistent, Happ said nothing about pottery from the early days is the same. His methods have changed significantly since he first began the art, continuously changing and learning new things. “A man stands in a river, but never the same river twice,” he said. “Pottery is such a diverse craft requiring such a diverse amount of experience. You will never learn it all by yourself in a vacuum.” The studio continues to be open to the public throughout the year with classes taking place regularly. “This is something that we just live,” Happ said. “It’s not about an annual calendar, we are open every day.” Happs Pottery is located at 749 Caves Road, Anniebrook.