People across North Staffordshire are being invited to dig into the region’s ceramic heritage by contributing to a new collaborative artwork.
Clay College Stoke is calling on local residents to take part in the Great North Staffordshire Clay Map, a project that will bring together clay collected from across the area to create a map celebrating the landscape beneath our feet.
Participants are being asked to collect a small sample of clay from their local area and drop it off at the Clay College Gallery at Middleport Pottery by Sunday, 13 April.
Samples – which should be the size of a golf ball or smaller – can be brought in a freezer bag from home or in a collection bag available from the gallery.
The Clay College team will then process and fire the clay samples, revealing the different natural colours produced by the region’s soils. These will be used to create the finished clay map.
The completed artwork will be unveiled to the public on Saturday, 26 April, during Earth Day celebrations at Middleport Pottery.
Gallery manager Galia Davies said: “Clay can often be found by digging in your own garden. If it can be rolled into a sausage and made into a loop without too much cracking, you have found clay.
“This unique project offers a chance for the community to connect with the region’s rich ceramic heritage while contributing to a collaborative artwork that celebrates the ground we walk on every day.”
Clay College gallery is open at Middleport Pottery Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 3pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3.30pm.
