18.11.21
Hello! Allow us to introduce ourselves: we are Dundee Ceramics Workshop, a charity and volunteer led organisation based in Wasps Studios in Dundee. A part of Tin Roof Arts Collective, we help people find and build a creative community, develop new skills, make marvellous ceramic creations and most importantly, have fun while playing with clay!
As an organisation we aim to do everything we can to be sustainable and eco-conscious. Clay is a wonderful medium that can be reused and recycled, something our technicians and tutors work hard to do so as little waste as possible is produced. We’re dedicated to the small acts that add up; like using reusable glass jars to store glazes and using recycled paper for our printed media.
Sustainability is something that’s on everyone’s minds in every form it could take. Anyone who caught the most recent PechaKucha Night would have seen some wonderful presentations discussing the topic. From reducing food waste through cooking with friends and family, to architecture that is designed to encourage nesting wildlife, to simply enjoying a walk and appreciating your local surroundings. There is a lot we can do to be more environmentally conscious and often these are very small acts that add up (it’s always worth it to wash up that empty peanut butter jar that’s been sitting by your sink and recycling it, even if you’ve left it for ages and it seems a little unappealing now).
As we’re now in the festive period, there’s been a lot of discussion around sustainable gift giving. By looking into makers local to you and supporting their business alongside independent shops, you could give a real boost to a small company or individual’s practice. You could really make a difference by being mindful about locally sourced produce; here in Dundee we are lucky enough to have a zero-waste shop and plenty of independent fruit and veg sellers for your festive dinner.
Something big you could do this season is consider giving experiences as a gift. This could be something like a ticket to the cinema, an invitation to spend some time together over a coffee, or maybe a ceramics class with us at DCW!
We currently have a whole lot of classes available for this seasonal period that would be the perfect gift for a loved one. Maybe someone you know would love to learn a new craft? Maybe you’d like to take a friend, spend an afternoon making mugs together, then exchange them as a unique gift? Maybe your Granny has a beloved dog that is in need of a new handmade bowl? (Your Granny will love and appreciate it even if her dog appears not to notice, promise.)
Our classes range from learning the basics of working with clay, to mug and planter making, to crafting specialised lidded vessels, to throwing your own baubles. There’s something for everyone and if you can’t decide, there’s always the option of a voucher or membership on our online shop. Classes can be found on our website and Instagram; we’d love for you to check them out and see if something catches your eye.
Small businesses have been greatly affected by the last couple of years, and we are unfortunately no exception to that. By taking or gifting one of our classes, memberships, or vouchers you’re not only going to have a lovely time making something unique, learning new skills and bringing home a creation you can be proud of, you’d be helping a small organisation stay afloat!
Season’s greeting from all of us at DCW, we hope to see your wonderful and weird ceramic creations soon!
Keep up-to-date with Dundee Ceramics Workshop on Facebook and Instagram, where they share upcoming classes as well as regular peeks at what passes through their kilns.
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
