{"id":40225,"date":"2017-12-05T11:16:45","date_gmt":"2017-12-05T11:16:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=40225"},"modified":"2017-12-05T11:28:22","modified_gmt":"2017-12-05T11:28:22","slug":"open-workshops-aim-to-keep-pottery-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/active\/open-workshops-aim-to-keep-pottery-alive","title":{"rendered":"Pottery workshops bring clay to life"},"content":{"rendered":"

The owner of a local creative company has started hosting public, pottery workshops to engage the subject and keep it alive in Wales<\/h2>\n
\"\"

Owner of Cardiff Pottery Workshops Foundation Kelly Campbell hopes the move to a new building will support her vision to keep pottery alive<\/p><\/div>\n

An artistic practice involving clay is declining in Wales according to a local ceramicist. To target this, a Cardiff-based creative company aims to engage pottery<\/a> within the community.<\/p>\n

Cardiff Pottery Workshops Foundation<\/a> is home to classes and memberships which cultivate the subject within the city to target the lack of the practice.<\/p>\n

The Foundation was established in June 2017 at The Sustainable Studio<\/a>. It moved to Freemans Parc<\/a>, Penarth Road one week ago and is now a Community Interest Company (CIC).<\/p>\n

CIC\u2019s were introduced by the government for businesses who want to use their facilities for public benefit.<\/p>\n

Owner of the Foundation and ceramicist Kelly Campbell noticed the absence of pottery while teaching.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cI had taught ceramics for years and I could see its decline.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I could actually do something where I could keep those skills going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelly started the workshops so people who train in pottery have somewhere to continue it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like training to be a chef and not having a kitchen to cook in,\u201d she added, \u201cit doesn\u2019t matter how good you are if you haven\u2019t got the facilities to carry on and practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

Members Heike Perrawt (left) and Melissa Yap (right) both love being able to come to the studio and do pottery whenever they want.<\/p><\/div>\n

Three types of workshops are available which include one-off Saturday classes, six-week throwing courses and hand-building lessons. The Foundation holds nine classes per week which each have a capacity of 10 people.<\/p>\n

Similar to a gym membership, the company offers a pottery membership which includes three contract prices. The studio can also be hired as an alternative activity for hen parties.<\/p>\n

Forty-six-year-old Heike Perrawt was one of the first members to join the Foundation.<\/p>\n

She purchased the membership to tackle loneliness and occupy her weekends.<\/p>\n

Heike encourages people in Cardiff to take up pottery for these reasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoy everything,\u201d she said, \u201cworking with my hands and the challenge of starting off with a lump of mud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch Heike doing hand-building to create her clay angel<\/strong><\/p>\n