Leyla Folwell

Sunday, 9 January 2011

Pottery at Surrey Docks Farm

In November last year I ran a few taster Pottery sessions at the local city farm. http://surreydocksfarm.org.uk/

I had handed my notice in at my studio in Deptford. http://www.corblimeyarts.com/
Not sure it was the right thing, but knowing I was creatively stuck and had to do something drastic to snap me out of it. This is no refection on the super talented residents of Cor Blimey. In fact the opposite, there was so much action at the all new Core Gallery that it made me realise I just wasn't feeling it...... and now I am looking forward to going back next month and taking part in their latest brain child 'DIY Educate' http://www.coregallery.co.uk/diy-educate/

So, what was the problem? It's a deep one, and I am still working on the answer. Basically I am trying to understand what being an artist is really all about, what is my role in society and how to feel fulfilled. I have always been driven to make what I feel from within and not work towards what might sell. This is made possible by working part time and living cheaply. But making 'forms' (as you see in my previous blog) loaded with emotion but unsupported by any critical writing or explanation to the viewer is a bit of a long shot. How do I make the world a better place and stop filling up my space with my own self expression....?
Everyone loves pottery, I travel the country with my wheel and have the most enriching exchanges through sharing the skill. I have done some work previously with the Tracey who runs the education section at the farm. In fact, the farm used to have a pottery.... sadly, it burnt down. Arson not an out of control kiln firing.
I called Barry Mason the new farm manager. He said ' Ah yes, I ve been wondering how I was going to add pottery to our growing program....'

Bingo! .... I am a believer in Taoism. It has never let me down yet.

After a quick poster production and distribution I waited....

Three days before the first class Anne-Marie called and after that enthusiastic calls & e mails have been flowing my way.

The evening classes built up and in the end I was turning people down. The family day and Christmas fair left me with a list of interested people. Everyone enjoyed their pottery time. I love to see how people get so absorbed in creative activity, we all need more of this in our lives. Creativity is the antidote to consumerism, it can fill a part of you that shopping will never touch. I felt great because I had facilitated this, this is the buzz I had lost.

Testimonial from Adult Taster Sessions

"I am amazed at what you had us producing during the first session, and by the quantity and range of things I produced over three. You created a very relaxed and welcoming environment, and not having to worry about bringing any materials made the whole thing so accessible. Many thanks for providing the opportunity to try something I've wanted to do for years. It was great, and I am very much recommend it to others. The farm also made a great venue.”

Mark McNestry

www.markmcnestry.co.uk

NCVO Approved Consultant

Supporting communities, charities and the public sector

Mark, Justine and Harry

Mieke

Anne-Marie and Adam

One of Anne-Marie's beautiful designs

There were many successes and triumphs, defying the challenging nature of ceramics. We started with a simple slab project and I was delighted how quickly everyone took it off in their own direction. As usual the wheel was very popular and once again, the gang picked it up so quickly! However the project was not without its trails. The first panic was when the pots froze! They were stranded along with my car in the heavy snow and turned sort of furry??? I was devastated, as any potter will tell you, the chances of survival were slim... but they defrosted slowly under a duvet, and against all odds fired fine! With the gods supposedly on my side I headed back to the farm only to slip over on the ice and scatter the lot on the pavement outside the farm!! Most survived or were repaired with good old araldite, and my blood pressure returned to normal after a matter of days :)

What's next?

There is lots more coming up. I am fine tuning dates right now for more classes starting very soon and I am also planning a 'Sketch Club' and a tame gorilla art movement. If you aren't already on my mailing list get in touch through www.throwapotparty.co.uk

Thursday, 2 December 2010

Monochrome Set - a turning point

Pat and Hanz, who I met at Core Blimey Arts, two amazing people who work hard and with sincerity.
They saved me really as I was wallowing in a rut, it was time to make something different!
It felt like a holiday from myself but at the same time it put me back in touch with why I work as I do.

Freedom, spontaneity, raw and honest.... oh and black and white?! A first for me, I worship colour but this gave me an uninterrupted look at the form.

'Adam's Peak'

This was a period of change, a fresh look at my work, my studio situation and those nagging questions of 'what is it all for...?'

Core Gallery - Monochrome Set

Similarly when I did 'throw a pot' at the open studios, I felt like I had made a valuable contribution instead of sitting there feeling slightly uncomfortable about my work........

Monochrome Set

Seeking inspiration from the work of Pat and Hanz helped me draw deep in to the character of my own work and put me back in touch with the reasons for my choice of material and process. Using their work as a mirror, I found the rhythm that I admire in their work in my process rather than the end result.

For nearly a decade I have worked solely with the potter's wheel, using this tool to provide speed and flow in the creation of dynamic forms. When restricted (by choice) to only my bare hands, a few simple tools and the clay I found myself creating the same immediacy and spontaneity.

Monochrome has been a reawakening and a reassuring journey, I feel truly in touch with

my practice and believe I am on the right path.

Pat and Hanz - Setting Up

I had been feeling quite detached from the 'Cor Blimey' set up but setting this up made me feel at home. The same applied when we set up 'Bleedin' Heart' in Brighton. You really only ever feel on the outside when you put yourself there.

Saturday, 30 October 2010

The Journey So Far

'Bleedin' Heart'

So this is what I ve been making. Ornaments I guess. They mean more to me than that but that is another story for later.... my dear friend Emily Wilson and I are working on a written piece which will hopefully help me shed some light in that direction.

'Death- Not as bad as you may think'

For me these ceramic objects are beautiful because they are free and energetic. They are as sincere as I can be in clay and with the skills I learned at college. I have enjoyed every minuet of my clay quest, but I feel it's time to move on.....

Leyla Folwell. 'My work so far'. June 2010

My practice as an artist has become holistic. I am learning to look at my life as the art rather than the reverse. This body of work is the result of my need for a physical element of my self expression, but this is not a need exclusive to artists but to all people. Children feel free to express themselves through play and crafts but sadly at some point most of us loose this unselfconscious liberation. Laying dormant for years, being satisfied with the endless supply of 'dummies' our consumer society lays in front of us, we often reawaken half way through our life as the reality of our mortality starts to murmur.

What concerns me, is what do we miss in the mean time? And what are the consequences of our absence?