This workshop was a continuation of the ceramic furniture workshop started in August 2002.
Aba and Sammy continued where the last one left off with the help of Jennifer Robinson (France), Helen Graham (France), Gigliola Caneschi (Venezuala) and Francis Boeteng (Ghana).
Ghanaians attending ranged from a ceramic student to professional potters, teachers and the retired head of a university ceramics department.
As usual two days is not enough time to fully develop the theme, but interest was high and several of the participants returned on their own time to complete work.
Workshop dynamics differ for many reasons. This time most of the samples were wheel thrown as opposed to August when everything was hand built. What stayed the same was that people worked in small groups to complete a sample and the results are exciting.
In August Barbara Allen (USA) will come back to work with Aba and the Ghanaian potters. These workshops will continue as long as there’s an interest, and judging from past participation that will be for a long time. One measure of the workshops success was shown by the neighborhood workmen. Carpenters, masons and other laborers would drift in and start working with us on their breaks. And some neighbors were curious enough to wander in during the kiln firing.Not unusual in itself, but we fired in the night until 5 a.m.
We also conducted a few informal classes with the neighborhood children. They continue to be enthusiastic.
Source: https://culturalcollaborative.org/ws-furniture2.php