Clay Connected x Melbourne Design Week

Clay Connected came together amidst the Melbourne lockdowns, when a group of potters found themselves struggling to create, with motivation and logistics against them.

It started when Ellisa Foster of Shewi Ceramics reached out to a small group of potters and ceramicists; and grew when each member brought on another. The group met over zoom, lamented their struggles to one another, provided moral and technical support, and connected through practice.

It continued on to become a group where makers could reach out to discuss almost anything clay related.

A potters group is never dull, and Clay Connected continued to grow. With regular Zooms and online discussions, the group could aid, inspire, and celebrate one another. When Georgina Lee of Yen Qin Ceramics proposed an exhibition, the group agreed it couldn’t be a more perfect way to celebrate the new friendships.

After lengthy discussions, it was decided that the exhibition would highlight human connections and community. A set of parameters, and a general outline for the pieces was set as well:

Each potter would create a piece(s) out of stoneware clay, and no larger than 30cmx30cmx30cm.

The piece would be left unfired and unglazed. The vulnerability of the clay in this state would be to represent the shared vulnerability each maker felt in the lockdown.

Although each maker would work individually, and create a piece with their own artistic impression. The pieces would be exhibited together, to showcase the overarching theme.

At the end, the pieces would be destroyed and recycled together - producing a new clay body which would be redistributed back to each maker to create a new piece. Each maker taking with them a part of Clay Connected.

For more information about Clay Connected - see https://www.clayconnected.com/

‘Hearth’ 2022

25cm x 15cm, Wheelthrown stoneware, Unfired

During the last two years of lockdowns in Melbourne, I spent so much time looking out my windows at my neighbourhood seeing everyone going about their routines, building internal worlds inside our homes and communities while the external world slowed to a stop. The importance of human connection and having a wonderful community of creatives to turn to was clearly highlighted by everything we’ve been through over the past few years.

My piece is representative of a process of turning inward and creating a space to experience beauty and joy, with a community that has been grounding to connect with. 

Images by Kevin Li