Join us every Thursday from 11/11.30am-1.30pm for a daytime programme of shared making, conversation and learning connected to the SSW Materials Garden. Working with the changing season, the programme uses the garden as an ongoing space for learning through growing, gathering and making with natural materials. This summer, sessions will focus on planting and caring for the garden while also using materials grown and gathered over previous seasons to explore processes such as plant dyeing and working with natural fibres. Participants will also explore ways of supporting and nourishing the garden through collective activities such as building a worm farm and compost. The garden will also be used as a space to learn about processes including cob and rammed earth, and how these materials and techniques can be introduced into sculptural practices.
Each session includes a free community lunch.
The Community Fridge also runs every Thursday from 11am and is available to access before and during Thursday Club.
No experience is needed and all sessions are free to attend.
Sessions
28 May – Making and Working with Cordage with Helen Jackson
4 June – Constructing a Worm Farm/ Compost and Dyeing with Plants Part 1 with Jessica Crisp
11 June – 100 days of Flax
18 June – Earth and Fibre – What is cob? with Miki Z
25 June – Constructing a Worm Farm/ Compost and Dyeing with Plants Part 2 with Jessica Crisp
2 July – Earth and Fibre – Forming Earth with Miki Z
9 July – Earth and Fibre – Co-create Structure
Making and Working with Cordage with Helen Jackson
Thursday 28 May, 11.30am-1.30pm
Join artist Helen Jackson for an introduction to cordage making using natural fibres and locally gathered plant materials. During the session, participants will learn techniques for making cordage by hand and explore how it can be looped and shaped into three-dimensional forms such as baskets and vessels.
Constructing a Worm Farm/Compost and Dyeing with Plants with Jessica Crisp Part 1
Thursday 4 June, 11.30am-1.30pm
Join artist Jessica Crisp for sessions exploring plant dyeing processes and sustainable growing practices. Participants will begin constructing a worm farm for the Materials Garden while also creating a woad fermentation vat using woad grown and harvested from the Materials Garden.
100 days of Flax
Thursday 11 June, 11.30am-1.30pm
This session will explore flax as both a plant and a future making material at SSW. Participants will learn about the history and uses of flax and its connection to fibre and textile processes in the area. During the second part of the session, participants will plant flax seedlings into the Materials Garden for future growing and harvesting which should be harvested in 100 days time.
Participants also have the opportunity to take flax seeds home to grow in gardens, containers or window boxes.
Earth and Fibre – What is cob? with Miki Z
Thursday 18 June
Gardening Session: 11am-12pm
Session with Miki: 12pm-1.30pm
Across three sessions led by artist and facilitator Miki Z we will begin to explore the creative possibilities of unfired earth materials.
Earth has been used across cultures in the making of buildings and objects throughout history. Each ‘place’ has its own unique mix of materials, processes and techniques. We will make mixes, learn techniques and create together.
You may have heard of a ‘cob oven’ but what is cob? In this first session we will start the process of exploring the materials that make up cob: Earth, Fibre, Sand and Water. Discover the amazing range of uses these fundamental material have. Through this hands-on activity we will learn in more detail about the qualities each ingredient brings to the mix.
Miki Z is an artist and facilitator who is passionate about the creative use of natural materials. She is inspired by craft process as well as the opportunities and limitations different materials offer. Collaborative learning, skills sharing and creating together are integral to her practice.
Constructing a Worm Farm/Compost and Dyeing with Plants with Jessica Crisp Part 2
Thursday 25 June, 11.30am-1.30pm
Participants will continue developing the worm farm project with Jessica Crisp before using the woad fermentation vat created during the previous session to experiment with natural dyeing. The session will also explore bundle dyeing techniques using marigolds harvested from the Materials Garden last year. Materials will form part of a collective future project at SSW.
Earth and Fibre – Forming Earth with Miki Z
Thursday 2 July
Gardening Session: 11am-12pm
Session with Miki: 12pm-1.30pm
Carrying on from What is Cob? This session will introduce a selection of ways to make three dimensional forms with unfired earth. As a group, we will choose and make several different earth mixes. We will then explore different forming techniques together.
Miki Z is an artist and facilitator who is passionate about the creative use of natural materials. She is inspired by craft process as well as the opportunities and limitations different materials offer. Collaborative learning, skills sharing and creating together are integral to her practice.
Earth and Fibre – Co-create Structure with Miki Z
Thursday 9 July
Gardening Session: 11am-12pm
Session with Miki: 12pm-1.30pm
Time for experimenting and playing with the material and its possibilities. Using the earth mixes made previously we will make individual and collaborative three dimensional “sketches”. We will discuss future possibilities for a larger scale earth piece in the garden at SSW.
Miki Z is an artist and facilitator who is passionate about the creative use of natural materials. She is inspired by craft process as well as the opportunities and limitations different materials offer. Collaborative learning, skills sharing and creating together are integral to her practice.
Booking:
Sign up for your free sessions online by emailing communities@ssw.org.uk with the following information:
- Your full name
- Email address
- Telephone number
- List all the events that you would like to book
- List the names of the other people attending with you
- If anyone is under 18, please list their age/s
- Any relevant information about medical conditions or accessibility needs
You can also call the SSW office on 01464 861 372 between 9.30am and 3.30pm Tuesday to Friday.
Travel support:
If you live locally and travel or travel costs to SSW are a barrier to you taking part please get in touch with us so we are able to support you. Call us on 01464 861 372 or email communities@ssw.org.uk.
Please note:
Children and young people of all ages are welcome to The Thursday Club but must be accompanied by their parent/ caregiver.
