The beauty from the ordinary: preserving the collective memory of industrial ceramics skills

on
Ceramic Bell Making Process
V McGarvey cc-by

In its 2nd year Stoking curiosity is an annual festival which aims to nurture

a community of curious people in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.  It’s a place to spark ideas and get involved in research together by building Community, University partnerships.

The website says it is not a showcase for academic expertise. However, I thought this may be an opportunity to get some feedback from members of the public, on an area that I have just started researching, the preservation of industrial ceramics skills, which I am no expert in. Rather than focusing on the material object, I am interested in garnering thoughts with respect to how individuals value the ceramic industrial process, in particular, the skills of the unknown artisan, that contributes to the production of the object. According to academic Ezra Shales in his book, The Shape of Craft
   
Anonymity is part of the beauty of work, but also a reason craftsmanship is underestimated
 
I wanted to see if the anonymity of the craftsperson was a contributory factor when prioritising the preservation of industrial ceramics skills. Ceramics has been used as a catalyst for regeneration within Stoke-on-Trent. The Great Pottery Throwdown and Clay College have played a major contribution. We have also seen the reuse of industrial buildings. Although, it can be argued that the authentic heritage of Stoke-on-Trent ceramics skills is based on industrial ceramics, although in the history of ceramics and contemporary practice you may find a relationship  with studio ceramics skills.  With the post-industrial challenges, the ceramics industry has had to face, there is a danger of losing these skills from the collective consciousness. Decisions need to be made with respect who should be responsible for the preservation of these skills and how. 

The Heritage Craft Association has a Red List of Endangered Crafts for industrial pottery it has a list of at-risk sub-crafts which are 
  • Mould making – 1 maker at Wedgwood
  • Modelling – 3 makers at Wedgwood
  • Throwing – 1 maker at Wedgwood
  • Turning
  • Press moulding
  • Slip casting
  • Pressure casting
  • Jiggering and jollying (turning flat and hollow forms respectively using jigs)
  • Figure making and sprigging
  • Flower making
  • Sagger making – 0 makers
  • Ground laying
  • Copperplate engraving, tissue transfer and printing – 3 makers
  • Gilding – including raised paste and jewelling
  • Engine turning (including dicing and rouletting) – 1 maker at Wedgwood
  • Piercing – 1 maker at Wedgwood
  • Patésurpaté – 0 makers
  • Agate marbling – 0 makers
  • Acid etching

The challenge, however, is developing a discussion around skills that many now do not have an in-depth knowledge of unless they have worked in the industry or have had relatives that have worked in the industry. It is more straightforward to assess the value or quality of the material object, such as the pot, we have access to contextual information, critical assessments, and we can develop our own interpersonal relationship with the physical object.  With respect to an assessment of the values of the skills required to make the object it is more difficult unless we also have detailed knowledge of that expert skill.  However, we do know should the skill disappear, the narrative of the material object may be lost, and we will never have the opportunity to assess the importance of that skill in the creative process.  

An integral part of my research is the development of my relationship with clay. In preparation for this discussion, I wanted to identify some objects that would stimulate discussion about the ceramic production process. Dave Finney technical specialist in ceramics at Staffordshire University has kindly loaned me his demonstration ceramic bell making set, that includes the model, the mould and the final object (see picture above), plus he outlined the process for me (see below) which is far more complex than that presented. Visiting Dave in the pot shop and briefly watching him expertly helping the students there made me realise that observing the creative process in context, heightens the perceptive value of those skills. It definitely stoked my curiosity. You need to get a sense of place to get a sense of the skill, and maybe to develop a collective memory we all need to have a collective experience.     

Model to mould ceramic bell making process
V McGarvey cc-by
References
Stoking Curiosity
Beauty from the Ordinary Sat Nov 23rd  2.40pm-3.25pm | Daniel Room, Spode | 45 minute session