Keeping The Fires Burning
In 2020 the Clay Comrades were commissioned to produce a work for Urban Wilderness as part of the Winter Wastelands project. We used the opportunity to reflect on the theme pause, return and transform, creating raku fired cubes that captured concerns and reflection of the early Covid period. Some of these were made online and some in person during brief periods when small groups were able to meet. This time was challenging for us as a community, coming together out of a shared love of clay. The British Ceramics Biennial studio on the historic Spode works is our base. It is a supportive place where ideas and knowledge are shared along with cups of tea and life’s ups and downs.
Over the lockdowns we met up online, for weekly catch-ups, a time to check in with one another when we were all feeling isolated. As a result of this commission we started doing regular making sessions where people took out whatever creative project they were working on from clay, knitting or drawing. These words are gathered form reflections about this time and what it means to be back in the studio together.
About Being a Comrade
what I love about this space … there is
always something happening
always lots of action and movement and different projects going on
People said to me ‘oh, why you going to Spode you won’t have a teacher’
I said ‘well I’m going to try it out’
if you stuck with something
there’s always somebody that’s willing to say
‘oh well you can try this’ or whatever
that’s probably a better way of learning really
it’s just nice to mix with people
relaxed and chilled out
it’s a big social thing really.
the company and the social aspect of clay and pottery
I come for company really, that companionship
It’s the making its
that sheer joy of making something
and it doesn’t matter if it’s not amazing
it doesn’t matter if it’s a bit miss-shaped
it’s yours
I don’t know what I would have done without clay
everybody’s rely helpful if you get stuck
everybody just pitches in and helps you
Online Meeting and Making
just to see friendly faces again
it gave you something to aim for…
at least a glimmer of creativity
made me get on with some work
it didn’t matter what they were per say
even if you had made something that never got fired
thought ‘yeah I’m going to have a go at that’
stopped the isolation
a chance to actually speak to other people
find out people were okay
otherwise you wouldn’t have known
you know there’s only so much you can talk to yourself about
I had got to know everyone better
meant that it carried on rather than fizzle out
it carried on rather than fizzle out
felt like it was a hiccup
things would get back to normal again
we wouldn’t have to start again
you glance up
you chat
you see what other people are doing
doing something
with people sharing ideas
that link with the outside
just so important for me, it really was.
just those friendly faces
we had a laugh
Being Back in the Studio
back in after such a long break
to be connected with people and part of a collective
feeling of togetherness
yeah, yeah, it’s good to be back
getting back in the studio is brilliant
to be back among friends I suppose
to do things I enjoy and sanity
it’s about getting your life back on an even keel
to be able to stretch your arms and your legs and your lungs
being here is inspiring
getting back to being with people
doing something very exciting
being with people who love doing something the same way that you do
giving back that sense of ‘thank god’
it means getting back into the craft that I enjoy
putting your life a bit more into normality
when I came back I was very wary and I just it’s as if I’d lost something
didn’t know what to do when I arrived
but it’s good to be back
start feeling as though you’re moving forward again