From 26 November to 1 December Eva Masterman facilitated ‘Building the Clay Commons’ bringing together local community members, makers and artists from the North East and beyond. Together they co-created a set of values and actions that better understand and imagine how community ceramic studios, like SSW’s, can offer alternatives to traditional craft education systems in the UK and be a force for social good.
Over the week we spent time collectively making, thinking, discussing, walking, listening, sauna-ing, journaling and more. The week began with mug-making and ended with a ceremonial burning of our paper kiln with warm drinks and hot food in the snow. Further updates from the workshop will be shared in the new year but for now we offer these wonderful images of this transformational week.
Thank you to those who contributed to the programme of presentations and provocations during the week; zoe laureen palmer, Bisila Noha, Mark Essen, Oren Shoesmith and Rabindranath Bhose.
Thank you to all those that joined us for the week with their generous contributions, knowledge and ideas; Khadea Santi, Nicola Bolland, Joey Sim, Amiee Morris, Nic Green, Josie KO, Mina Heydari-Waite as well as everyone from the community. Thank you to Sally for keeping us fed so well all week.
And finally thank you to Eva Mastrman for devising, facilitating and curating of the programme. If you are interested in hearing more about these ideas you can also listen to Eva Mastermans podcast – Clay Commons
All images below were taken by Felicity Crawshaw who joined us for the week.
