Tag Archives: Clay

Can Ceramic Art Be Sustainable?

I talk a lot of pompous guff about making art in response to the ‘reckless behaviour of man’? Yet, how can I claim to care for my planet and, at the same time, talk about artists needing to hold everyone to account for the damage we are doing to our World whilst, at the same time, making artefacts which will last for ever? Ceramics, more than most art media is guilty of adding to the problem so what right do I have to preach about it?

In an attempt to solve this dilemma I have been having conversations and trialling some new ideas: work which is still made with clay as the main material but where the clay is not fired. Technically, it isn’t ceramic as it never goes through the chemical changes which the kiln subjects clay to. The good thing is that it can be returned to the earth when finished with and won’t hang around until the end of time. The question that I am left with is, why would anyone buy something which could disappear in the next shower of rain?

I begin to think that I might be getting there. Recent experiments are looking quite promising.

Raw clay polished and mounted on bark

It seems that polishing raw clay has been going on for centuries and Japanese Hikaru Dorodango, polished spheres from mud which are very beautiful and fetch hundreds of pounds so . . . .

Packing Day

It is always an exciting day when I pack for an exhibition. It is also pretty daunting! There is so much to fit in and all of it is incredibly fragile so I need to think very carefully about what combination goes in which box and how the boxes themselves will be packed together to reduce the risk of movement during the journey. Add into the mix the fact that I refuse to buy new packaging materials and the difficulties multiply.

This time I have to get from Cornwall to Hampshire. I have to remember the clothes for the PV and for doing a couple of workshops whilst I am there plus the materials for the aforementioned workshops and many other bits and pieces. All I can say is thank Heavens for recycled packaging! I have not bought bubble wrap for years. Instead, I exist on reusing the wrap and paper packaging from deliveries to my house but the prize goes to some amazing sheep’s wool insulated packaging which my son saves for me from around his dog’s food deliveries. It comes sealed in compostable ‘plastic’, is thick and soft so cushions the ceramics really well and, if I ever think it has had its day, I can just chuck it into the compost bin.

And the winner is the sheep’s wool packaging!

Re:Connecting is an exhibition which has been a long time in the making and I can hardly believe that we are at this point at last. On Friday I will be spending the day with one of the two primary schools in the parish in which Blacknest Fields sits. We will be exploring the fields and, hopefully, discovering some amazing wildlife. Then we will go back to the school to create artwork based on our experiences in the morning. I can’t wait.