Robin Cassidy’s impact on Avalon can be seen all over town. Most might not even realize they are looking at it, but it’s there. Since Robin opened Silver Canyon Pottery, her shop’s work has been used to revive much of the aging tiles all around town.
Her work has become a fixture in Avalon and it also travels the world, when participants of the Catalina Island Marathon take their finisher medals home with them. Robin and Silver Canyon Pottery have been making the unique finisher medals for the marathon and other races on the island, for years, giving participants a chance to take a little Catalina Clay home with them.
This year’s medal features the finish line scene, from the runner’s perspective, as they head towards the finish, with Avalon Bay and the Wrigley Fountain in the distance. The idea came to Robin this year, when she realized she had never done the finish line scene.
“It’s always been a picturesque scene somewhere along the race,” Robin said.
This year’s design also holds a special feeling for Robin, since the Wrigley Fountain also features a lot of her tiles that were used during its refurbishing. The medal is created with a mold, made from the original design by Robin. Once they get up and running, she said they can produce about 100 medals per day. The clay is formed and fired, then the glaze is added and re-fired.
Over the years, Robin has made medals for the Triple Crown Challenge races – the Catalina Island Marathon, Avalon 50K/50-Mile race and the Catalina Island Half-Marathon. It’s become almost like a second job.
“They keep me busy all year long,” Robin said.
Robin moved to Catalina in 1977 with her family. After graduating from Avalon High School in 1982, she ventured off to college at San Francisco State. Along the way she took one pottery class, but never expected it to become a career. She returned home after college and began the Silver Canyon Pottery business in 1988.
The business has hung around and so has Robin. Since that one class, she is essentially a self-taught pottery artist. But she also notes that despite it’s ancient beginnings, working with clay is always a challenge and people are always finding new ways to do it.
“You’re never going fully figure it out,” Robin said of the art.
She also said she’s been proud to be able to contribute to the revitalizing of the town she has called home for most of her life. She feels like it’s been her way of contributing back to the community of Avalon.
For more about Robin and Silver Canyon Pottery, visit catalinatileexperience.com.
Ted Apodaca is the editor of The Catalina Islander and can be reached at editor@thecatalinaislander.com.
Editor’s Note: The islander would like to hear from residents who run the marathon. Send your names and photos to us at the above email.
