Arts Council Project

The aim for this project was to explore what effect the use of utilitarian objects; tools, vessels and implements have on our daily lives. Looking at how response to objects changes depending upon provenance, heritage and materiality.

The project was due to start in March 2020, and was inevitably delayed with major changes to the structure and delivery of the project. However I pulled up my sleeves and made the best of this project within this unknown time. Delaying it for a year and starting at the beginning of 2021. I adapted by holding interviews on Zoom, and teaching myself new craft techniques using youtube.

The change in plans did however allow me to document this with some wonderful videos the first video here shows an outline of how the project went and how pieces were designed and developed.

An in person salon didn’t go ahead, however I hosted a small lunch for friends (which is captured in the second video) where we could enjoy the pieces that evolved from the project and to show off the joys of using hand made tools and objects to help enhance the joys of food.

Design and making process

Enjoyment of craft and food

This was such a brilliant experience, having the time to full immerse myself with my work and my craft. Learning how to throw with Joanna Taylor really allowed me to expand the type of work I could make, and has opened up the opportunity to work with a plethora of new shapes sizes, and types of projects I can work on, due to the quickness of the process. Continuing to develop my interest for mixed media has also opened up my eyes to new ways of making and possible new directions for my work. Also working to a new colour pallette and also refining it to just enjoy the simple pleasure of the white porcelain has allowed me to see the material in a new light. All of these experiences have had a huge impact on the way I will take my work forward into the future.

It has already lead to some amazing projects, firstly creating 100 cups for a hallows eve feast at Fforest in collaboration with The Ethicurean and the second with The Exchange in Erith London, designing tableware for their restaurant, to be made by the community.

It has also boosted my craft skills and confidence within the field, being accepted as a selected member of the Craft Potters Association.

As well as creating and documenting this new body of work and the feelings I wanted it to create, I also had the opportunity to have some beautiful videos made by Landlore . Instead of being able to capture an audience through an in person event, these videos were made to capture the key elements of my practice to be readily shared.

Design

Material

Colour

In terms of answering the question what effect the use of utilitarian objects; tools, vessels and implements have on our daily lives. Looking at how response to objects changes depending upon provenance, heritage and materiality. This was best answered by my interviews with Anja Dunk Welsh German Cook and Max Jones heritage food purveyor. We talked about the importance of where the objects had come from and personal stories that were engrained within the object. Community was also a really interesting part of our conversation and had now ignited another interest and strand of my practice.

This research also took me to look at the anthropologist Tim Ingold and continue my research of the slow food movement by watching past talks from Helen Carnac.