There is always a recipe circulating in Monday Ceramics. Whether it be a food recipe or glaze recipe, it is an amazing and inspiring way to start the week! With a teacher whose motto is, “nothing is not retrievable”. Under her guidance, we create bowls, vases, sculptures and an assortment of artworks, both functional and decorative. Every one shares ideas and tools, from sand paper to wooden carving tools and texture instruments. Nothing is too small or too big to become unattainable – there is always a solution, and more often than not, a surprise.
Coming in to find bisque fired and glazed work is like waking up on your Birthday… The vast difference in work, every one doing something different, is inspirational and novel, ideas bounce around and everyone collaborates and is happy to help to another.
There is a French contingent, South African, Finish, Brazilian, American, Australian and Israeli – a multitude of languages are spoken and cultures explored throughout the morning. Every one talks together in the creative language that is ceramics. Every one encourages one another and sings praise, or gives feedback and everyone finishes up the morning -inspired ,satisfied and enthusiastic.
Often there is cake, fruit and/or cheese as we all have an inspired palette. We even often use our work as platters to display food on, again providing inspiration and satisfaction.
We also meet up outside class, by plan or by accident, at gallery openings and exhibitions; some for our own work, some of others, both professional and amateur. Ideas feed off one another, and it is a very pleasant atmosphere to be a part of. And these events happen at least once a month. And it’s not all ceramic art work. Cinema visits and outings also emerge from friendships carved by ceramics.
When I wake up on Monday morning, ceramics is where I want to be.
– Verity Mathews, Hand Built Ceramics with Lia Klugman (Mondays 9:30 – 12:30)