Its been almost 3 months working part time at organicARTS and I’m glad to say the Pottery is now up and running and being used regularly – I have been facilitating drop in sessions on Wednesdays open to the volunteers and to the general public. Its really exciting to see things being made in the workshop with lots of variety. We had our first figurative sculpture from life model workshop on Saturday, and I have just started running an afternoon school club on Thursdays for the local school.
Its not been easy marketing the events in the short space of time I have been working on the placement, but I think its a start and it will take time for the pottery to be known as a place to go for clay work! In 2 weeks we have a clay weekend celebrating the clay on the farm with Richenda Macgregor – a hands on Saturday harvesting and processing clay and throwing on the wheels. On Sunday we have Doug Fitch demonstrating.
A group from Magic Carpet came and did some bonfire firings with thumb pots inspired by and made at the museum. I’m hoping The Pottery can create more links like this with organisations in Exeter as organicArts can offer a unique experience being on West Town Farm. Having access to the community Garden and the farm land , there are endless possibilities for educational and experimental art around clay – digging and processing clay, building kilns and smoke firings etc.
I’m almost three quarters of the way through this placement but can see my working on the project extending into the next few months.This week I am testing the local clay for strength and suitability for different uses in the workshop. Its great to be getting down to the business of making and using my hands again! I am essentially a “handbuilder” in clay but at every opportunity I am improving my throwing skills – useful when you need to teach how to throw!