In Other’s Words
The series of exhibitions allowed us to show our audiences a wonderful range of ceramic work which they would not have been exposed to otherwise. The exhibitions allowed for a lot of interaction between our exhibitions and engagement activity.
The co-operation between the partners, the sharing of knowledge and resources, the variety of different sizes/kinds of exhibitions spaces and engagement activity gave the project huge impact and ultimately made it such a success.
- Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre
As there had been a focus on women makers we were inspired to have an exhibition Chwarae Teg-Women in Ceramics from the collection celebrating 10 years of women working with clay. We are also inspired by Kate Haywood to do an exhibition on conceptual ceramics for 2021.
Cross promotion was beneficial to all of us.
-Aberystwyth Ceramic Collection & Archive
The series of exhibitions proved very useful. We could use the marketing material provided with the exhibitions to increase our outreach to attract audiences, and organise with the artists in advance engagements and activities that worked for all involved.
-Ruthin Craft Centre
The Language of Clay series of exhibitions, talks and events have proved a valuable resource to our Foundation Art and Design Students at Swansea College Art ….. enabling students to get up close with makers and their respective practices.
The success of the [series] lay in showcasing the spectrum of languages adopted in contemporary ceramic practice. Within this spectrum students were able to compare and contrast differing approaches and techniques.
- Katherine Clewett, Programme Manager, Cert HE Foundation Art and Design, Swansea College of Art
The Language of Clay has been a truly wonderful project and of real value to the craft community.
From an educational perspective our Design Crafts, Surface Pattern Design and Foundation students have benefitted tenfold from visiting and drawing at all of the exhibitions. We had an exciting talk and workshop from Kate Haywood which gave an insight into research and making process. Students said how useful it was to have a practicing maker reveal her processes.
The Language of Clay has been next level in terms of applied arts exhibitions; well curated, presented and delivered, showing high end makers that are truly innovative in their field. We hope there is another Language of Clay and maybe language of jewellery and glass too!
- Anna Lewis & Catherine Brown, Design Crafts Course Leaders, Swansea College of Art UWTSD
I was blown away! Very thought provoking.
It’s been great, we brought our four children, all different ages, and they’ve been rapt.
Ardderchog! Fascinating (CASW)
Wedi fwynhau! Gwneud fi gwenu
The most fun I’ve had an at exhibition in ages. Lots to think about.
Expected to roll my eyes and tut but loved it!
Many thanks for inviting me to write something for the catalogue, it was a privilege indeed to meet and write about such a talented maker and contribute something to the fabulous Language of Clay series.
Art like this doesn’t happen very often (tweet)
The workshops were simply wonderful, [the artist] settled into making and talking and the students were enthralled! Her visit really helped raise interesting questions regarding professional practice and making techniques. Really great stuff.
Fantastic Fascinating Liked the interactiveness.
The desire to touch is, at times, overwhelming. Forgetting all gallery protocol, a woman in black trainers reaches for a tea bowl. Gently turning it in her hands, she feels its weight, its surfaces, pressing her thumb and fingers into the scraffito-ed shell-like indentations. (To the right of her the wall-hung video monitor, paused for the talk taking place in the Gallery 1, has frozen on a close-up image of Schloessingk’s clay-coated hands at her wheel, forming what looks like the self-same tea bowl.) Hands, it is suddenly all about hands.’ (Ellen Bell)
I love doing this, do we have to go home
The work is exquisite, delicious, and mischievously suggestive. There is such a command of material and materiality here that it’s terrifying to behold.
Hearing her talk made me revisit the work and look again at how they are made.
Upon observing the children I realised that for them to be so engaged was a huge deal. They have a wide range of special requirements. We all noted that one girl, who would never touch paint or anything ‘messy’ at school, was completely focused on making her clay animal. Much to the teachers’ surprise, she was one of the most focused pupils in the group. There was a real sense of pride with the pieces they made. This has been a fantastic experience for the children, it could not have gone any better.
On my way home, feeling down, and I thought ‘I know, I’ll call into the gallery and see the show again, it’ll lift my spirits.