our members' stories

​Joining London Clay Art Centre (LCAC) exposed Naila Rahim to a world of pure imagination. As a child, she loved drawing and used it as a means of expression. Born in Kuwait, Naila later successfully completed a Master’s degree in Fine Art in Pakistan. London, Canada became her home in 2000 and she quickly fell in love with the Forest City.
​While art had always appealed to Naila, she says it wasn’t until she asked her son to find art classes for her, that she discovered LCAC. She adds “It was absolutely amazing to find this community of artists who is so involved in helping others achieve their true potential.” Although she admits she was very shy at first, Naila praises LCAC for providing the resources and support she needed to flourish. “Everyone treated me like family and there are so many women here that it added to my comfort level. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t an expert. Everyone guided me, offered suggestions and really made LCAC feel like home. I love it here!”
Naila became a member at LCAC in 2018 and has since taken several wheel and hand building classes. She credits another talented artist, LCAC’s International Artist-in-Residence, Dauma Stirbyte with pushing her out of her comfort zone. “Dauma creates exceptional work and is so inspirational,” Naila observes. “She helped me bring my vision to life.”
Describing her own pieces, Naila labels them “eccentric and very large with earthy tones.” In fact, some of her artwork consists of massive chain links that can often take more than a week to create. She also crafts massive, beautiful flowers and intricate coral pieces.
Hoping to engage in more glazing, sculpting and wheel work, Naila commends LCAC for its fantastic facilities. “It is so spacious here,” she says. “It really gives me room to manifest my dreams to the best of my ability.” Naila is also appreciative of the Clay 4 Kids Program which was developed at LCAC to give more kids an opportunity to play in clay. “Clay is so calming,” she notes, “it allows children a creative medium to develop their skills and discover talent they might never have known they had.”
At LCAC, Naila has built her confidence, and social and creative skills and she strongly encourages others to make the most of its resources. “I am very happy here and plan to continue taking workshops and strengthening my connections. LCAC is a one-of-a-kind facility with a once-in-a-lifetime family.”