During the summer of 2023, Clayworks had the opportunity to collaborate with three community partners, Arlington Elementary School, St. Francis Neighborhood Center and Blind Industries and Services of Maryland.
Through these partnerships, students from the three organizations had the opportunity to create decorative and functional ceramic pieces. Instructors taught students many clay techniques, including coiling, slab building, and pinch pot methods to create a variety of unique works. Additionally, students experimented with using molds to create vessels and stamps to add textured detail.
Students from St. Francis also had the chance to work on a number of textile projects, including weaving, tie dying, puppets and a narrative quilt project. Featured in the Community Arts Exhibition is the collaborative quilt project that reflects on summer memories. Students looked at the art of Faith Ringgold to learn about how they could tell a story on fabric. They drew fun memories of summer on fabric and used stencils to paint the repeating symbols seen throughout the quilt. By doing this project, they learned that they could use their individual talents to contribute to something larger.
Summer Community Arts Instructors
Patrick Bell
Atiya Brockington
Lauren Howie
Audrey Lee Naiva
Katie Wolfe
