Shiori Usui in the SSW Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSWShiori Usui, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here at SSW in April and May. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. Words, images and video below by Shiori Usui. — Wow, what intense but magnificent days they were. Thinking back to the days I spent on the Caregiver’s Residency at Counterflows Festival and SSW, these […]
Ellie Ballantine in the SSW Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSWSitka spruce growing from a bench at SSW Artist and Researcher Ellie Ballantine shares observations and insight into her time working at SSW on a Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH) Artist Residency. Over 3 months Ellie worked both on site in Lumsden and remotely, to explore Regenerative Materials and Community Knowledge within Arts Practice, alongside SSW’s Materials Garden and Community Making Space programme. Words and images below by Ellie Ballantine — sitka spruce growing from a bench […]
Belladonna sgraffitoing onto a ceramic work, image credit: SSWBelladonna Paloma, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here at SSW in April and May. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. Words and images below by Belladonna Paloma. — The tension between play and production was a big theme for me at SSW. As a carer for my partner I try to squirrel away time […]
Detail of Jess working on a ceramics piece, image credit: SSWEach month we are sharing more about our Ceramic Subscribers who join us year round in the Ceramics Studio at SSW. Ceramics Subscription enables people to have regular, independent access to SSW’s Ceramics Studio along with some technical guidance. It is aimed at supporting a broad range of people with existing skills and experience working in ceramics as well as those who are beginners. We support people who are keen to develop their ceramics skills and knowledge with regular workshop […]
Alicia handbuilding in the Ceramics Studio, image credit: SSWAlicia Matthews, one of the five 2025 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency artists, reflects on her time here in March and April with a recorded spoken excerpt of writing and images of work made on residency below. The SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency was set up in 2020 to expand funded residency opportunities to artists who are also caregivers. The 2026 SSW x Counterflows Caregivers Residency Open Call is live from 30 April and the deadline for applications is Friday […]
Glass fusing with Hazel MacLennan, image credit: SSWFrom late January to April 2026, as winter settled in, the Community Making Space here at SSW continued to offer a place for people to gather, make, and spend time together. We worked closely with our Community Advisers to shape the programme, building on what we had learned in the previous season and introducing changes in response to this. These included longer two part sessions and a continued focus on outdoor, seasonal activity. Despite, or because of, the colder weather, […]
Donnah and Ceramics Technican Amy at a pit firing, image credit: SSWEach month we are sharing more about our Ceramic Subscribers who join us year round in the Ceramics Studio at SSW. Ceramics Subscription enables people to have regular, independent access to SSW’s Ceramics Studio along with some technical guidance. It is aimed at supporting a broad range of people both artists and makers with existing skills and experience working in ceramics as well as those who are beginners, and are keen to develop their ceramics skills and knowledge with regular […]
Thrawn Pots pit firing at SSW, image credit: SSWOver the next few months we will be sharing more about our Ceramic Subscribers who join us year round in the Ceramics Studio at SSW. Ceramics Subscription enables people to have regular, independent access to SSW’s Ceramics Studio along with some technical guidance. It is aimed at supporting a broad range of people both artists and makers with existing skills and experience working in ceramics as well as those who are beginners, and are keen to develop their ceramics skills […]
In February, we welcomed Gray’s School of Art third year student Rita to Lumsden to undertake work experience at SSW as part of her Fine Art course. It was fantastic to have Rita join the SSW team over 10 days. Rita supported the delivery of our Community Making Space Programme, assisted with SSW marketing and communications, and took part and supported our Large Sculptural Handbuilding course. Rita reflects on her time at SSW below. Words and images by Rita MacDonald. […]
Image credit: SSWIn February 2026, students from the MA Art & Design programme at Gray’s School of Art visited Scottish Sculpture Workshop as part of the Critical and Contextual Studies module, led by Dr Jennifer Clarke. The visit formed part of the programme’s research-led approach to practice, which explores how knowledge is generated through material engagement, site-responsiveness, and interdisciplinary making environments. Rather than a standalone workshop, the session was embedded within the curriculum as a way of examining relationships between theory, field-based […]
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