Priska Helena Falin

In demand of global transitions for greener practices, also the field of creative practices (art, design and craft) is responding to this urgency. This research focuses on the use and evaluation of (raw)materials for creative practices. As it is, individual practitioners are free when it comes to choosing the materials they want to work with. This point of decision can be personal, based on how the practitioner perceives the material world and the ideological basis on which the creative practice is built. In addition, the practitioner develops a close relationship with the materials they are working with. However, in the future, facing the growing limitations on material availabilities and the global demand to lower CO2 emissions will tighten up the freedom of material usage. Considering this future direction, this research aims for a justified evaluation structure for sustainable and ethical material usage within a studio context. Currently, the emphasis is on the guidance of ‘Do No Significant Harm’ when assessing environmental impacts. However, when considering the nature of creative practices, the available guides do not recognise the close relations with materials that connect us humans to the sustaining environment. This research suggests that cultural and aesthetic aspects should also be considered when assessing materials for ethical and sustainable practices. The research unfolds material specificities, drawing together associated and elemental aspects. The associated aspects point to human perception and projections on the material, for example, the cultural, local, and traditional attached to the material appearance and functionality when considering human needs. In addition to the associated aspects, the identity is traced through the material origin, availability and geological time scales. The developed evaluation structure can be used within studio education, for individual creative practitioners (art, design and craft) and for businesses within the creative studio sector. The secondary impact reaches the audience/users for artefacts/art creations created that carry the specified material identity. The starting point of this research is geopolymer experimentation that aims to develop a greener material alternative for Creative Practices. The development of novel materials for creative practices sets the basis for deeper material assessment that constructs the theoretical framework of Material Specificity.

Kokovuotinen työskentelyapuraha.

Fantastic for Families has granted Clay Pit and the British Ceramics Biennial the Best Family Event Award 2018. The workshop was first organised during the British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) 2017 where it attracted more than 4000 visitors. The aim of the workshop is to play and learn with clay, but also to look at the material’s qualities and how they are used and experienced.<br/><br/>The workshop is part of the Ceramics and its Dimensions education and audience development program (Module 7) and has been carried out by BCB community and engagement programme manager Dena Bagi and Ceramics and its Dimensions: Shaping the Future coordinator Priska Falin. Besides them, during BCB the workshop was hosted by the following artists: Alice Thatcher, Joanne Ayre, Katie Leonard, Tasmin Williams, Joe Hartley, Helen Felcey and Barry Taylor.