During May I had the pleasure of working with ceramicist Morag McGee on a wee project which is part of a bigger project called Fabric of the Land. The aim of this big project is to explore links between art and science. Our part in particular explored geographical ideas through ceramics.
We spent 6 days working with 50 pupils from St Machar Academy. Morag led workshops with them while I assisted and documented the events. We learned from geologists and spent time researching and gathering information with them in the classroom as well as on an excursion to Stonehaven beach. When we got back to the classroom we were able to realise these ideas working with clay, mimicking the lines and shapes found in the rock formations we visited.
The pupils were fascinated by Morag's teaching and eagerly worked away at each stage of the process.
On the final day, after painting the sculptures, came the grande finale of firing the pieces in a raku kiln. This was a very exciting part for everyone (made more exciting when Morag let us toast marshmallows over the hot kiln!).
The pieces were taken from the kiln and placed in a bed of sawdust, from here they emerged sooty and flaming. After a cool down the pieces were scrubbed clean and this is when the gorgeous glazed colours shone through.
An exhibition of the pupils work will be displayed later this month. Then later on in the year the work will be displayed among many others taking part in the project at the main Fabric of the Land exhibition.
More on Morag's part in Fabric of the Land
http://folstmachar2014.wordpress.com/
More on Fabric of the Land as a whole
http://fabricoftheland.com/
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