Christina Peters has visited PSCA this term to inspire the children in Reception to create an art installation of clay treasures.  Christina works as a ceramicist at Flameworks in Devonport, specializing in Raku ceramics and some domestic stoneware like teapots, bowls etc. She runs pottery classes and workshops at Flameworks, as well as offers workshops and projects to schools and community groups and organisations.  Her youngest daughter attends the school in year 7.

The idea started when Christina brought in a wire mattress frame. The children thought about this provocation and shared their ideas of what could be created from it.  Some drew plans, others needed to play around with the frame, tying things to it, taking rubbings.  There were some wonderful ideas; ‘treasure maps holder, it lights up, a royal mattress with jewels in, things grow in it’.  All the children gave ideas of something special to them so it was decided that the ‘treasure’ theme would fit well.

The children textured the surface with wooden stamps and shells, scratched patterns with wooden tools and cut out shapes with cookie cutters.

After the first firing the children painted their treasures.  The material the children used to create their clay treasures is earthen ware clay.  They were fired twice to a thousand degrees . The first firing dries and hardens the clay to so called ‘bisque ware’, the second firing sets the glaze and melts it into a shiny surface.

The ceramic pieces will be tied into the wire mattress frame bringing together Reception’s collaborative art installation.

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  • Rosemary Babichev

    A really magical piece of artwork, the treasures hanging delicately from the mattress spirals like votive offerings to creativity inside an old skeleton. I hope it will be on permanent display.