tribal pottery

What if we were to remember?

To reconnect physically with the earth and the sky in a way that is personal and creative.

On this course you will dig your own clay and make a pot to take home with you. A little piece of the earth itself to add to your collection. But that’s not what’s important, people come to Shadow woods to reconnect in different ways and you will take more than an object home with you.

Tribal Pottery is about source and creativity in its purest form.

It is about creating a vessel.

What that vessel holds is up to you.

Most of us live in a consumer society that is based on the power of objects. We display our identities through the objects we choose to own, We objectualise nature itself by valuing it as a commodity to be bought. It is often considered as simply the material we use to create our ‘higher' culture or a commodity used to escape from those realities. But how many of us worry about what we are buying into? After all, objects also carry the identities of their source. What about branding and all the associations that go with the global economy and the commodification of people and the environment.

What is a clay pot?

Why does it have a lip, neck, shoulders and belly?

During the weekend, we will look at the spiritual beliefs and creation mythology surrounding indigenous Pueblo and African pottery traditions and also investigate the archaeological evidence of our own European tribal pottery. There will be plenty of discussion on the whys and wherefores of traditional pottery techniques and a meaning of pottery that is often lost to our modern western culture.

There will also be penty of inspiration in the form of objects, images and slides, reading material and discussion. However, this is only part of your inspiration. The rest will come from getting your hands dirty with the simplicity of personally experiencing an earthy creative process, returning to source and experiencing the environment.

We will journey through the whole process of making a pot,

from earth to fire to home,

using tools and materials from the natural world around us.

You will discover:

Belief systems and creation mythology surrounding traditional pottery traditions.How to identify suitable clay.How to prepare the clay to survive a harsh firing processes.Traditional pottery building methods.Traditional decoration and application techniquesFiring methods. Both in a clamp kiln and an open fire to achieve either a reduced black or oxidised terracotta finish.How to make and fire your own pottery at home.

To return to the list of early technologies click here

Please click here for the course schedule.

You will be working with fire. Safety is paramount but Woodland Skills can not accept any responsibility for the condition of your kit. We regularly consider potential risks and have an outstanding safety record. All our staff are fully first aid trained and more than able to deal with any accidents.

Click on the image to enlarge

We will be providing a delicious woodland lunch and snacks that the whole group can enjoy. If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know at time of booking.

With Sara Rochelle

Two days: Saturday and Sunday

£190 per person

For booking information please click here.

Please note that young people must be 16+ years old.

Limited spaces so please book early.