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My Creative Story Using Ceramics

by Lisa
(Wakefield UK)

Ceramic Button Tree - Take & Donate

Ceramic Button Tree - Take & Donate

I have always been creative since I was a small child and found comfort in being creative. However, I had significant gaps of my life when I had breaks from being creative. During these breaks I realised I felt empty and not fulfilled and always went back to my creative side.

I have a mental health condition that started when I was 9 years old but always enjoyed using my creative side to escape or seek distraction.

I have completed an Access course in art and design from Leeds College of Art. I did this in the evenings during working for a charity. I quickly began in the world of ceramics after a taster course in pottery, at the same college.

The button tree was displayed in the Well Woman Centre Wakefield and was an interactive piece encouraging people to take a button from the tree trunk and donate to the centre. The button tree was quite a long project for the Access course final project, and I made over 2,000 buttons.

During my journey in hospitals, I have had access to my kiln and my materials. I enrolled in an MA Creative Practice at Leeds College of Art in 2015 but unfortunately due to my mental health I didn’t finish it. However, my project idea was large scale ceramics combining stitch ware working with marginalised groups in the community. I hope one day to complete this project.

During lockdown I completed a certificate in Design and Innovation with The Open University. I really enjoyed this course and open my world to digital art and my love of software.

Now, I do not have access to a kiln and ceramic studio, but I am not letting that stop my creative pursuits. I currently explore digital work in Photoshop and Procreate. I work with my Cricut machine, and I also work in watercolour and Brusho inks. I am trying to work creatively every day even if a little bit at a time.

I have included a photograph of the button tree from the Well Woman Centre Wakefield. I have also included a photograph of my foot I made it’s a cast of my foot with stitching between it.

Comments for My Creative Story Using Ceramics

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Jul 21, 2024
 Inspirational Story!
by: Crafting4Good

Thank you so much for sharing such a lovely personal and inspiring story. It's great to see how creativity has been a consistent and healing thread throughout your life, despite the challenges you've faced.

The button tree project is a beautiful example of how art can engage and support the community. Creating over 2,000 buttons is no small feat, and the interactive nature of the tree shows your thoughtful approach to connecting with others through your work. It’s wonderful to see how you’ve used your skills to make a positive impact.

Continuing your creative practice, even during challenging time is admirable. You showed resilience in that you explored new mediums like digital art and watercolours, and incorporated different tools and techniques into your creativity to keep it going.

The fact that you've pursued creative avenues through so much official further education is also impressive, and we hope that you will be able to continue when the time is right.

Your story is a powerful reminder that creativity can be a source of comfort, joy, and connection in life's journey, and how art can be used to navigate mental health challenges.

I hope you continue to find joy and fulfilment through your creativity and that one day you'll be able to complete your large-scale ceramics project.

Thank you for sharing, and good luck!

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