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2019 Pottery for Kids in Remote Communities NT

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              In positive, industrious workshops full of goodwill
                                       Good things happen.

Within a happy creative environment, the children will be encouraged to be self-sufficient and confident with their new skills,  experiencing the joy of working with clay believing that a good out-come is achievable.

The remote Indigenous Community schools of the Northern Territory at Yarralin, Timber Creek, Bulla Camp and Wallace Rockhole, have been invited to take part take in a 2, 3 or 4 week Pottery workshop.  This is free of any charge to the participants and school.  All of the costs needed are raised by donations and used solely for the success of this project, Pottery in Remote Indigenous Communities.


Expanding and continuing with the Wallace Rockhole Pottery project that I began in 2011.  June 6th will see me towing my little caravan once again to the Northern Territory from my home base in Tallebudgera Valley, Queensland to hold pottery workshops at four remote NT Schools.  I will also spend eight weeks in the pottery at Wallace Rockhole.  Driving well over 10,000 kilometres for the round trip and being away for 21 weeks.


The first half of this trip will see me at three remote communities, Yarralin, Timber Creek and Bulla Camp up in the north-western area of the Northern Territory.  At these schools I will be holding pottery sculpture workshops.  There, we will work mainly with Sun Air-Dry Clay, making small sculptural creations.  Each school will be provided with a kit that includes all of the materials and tools needed for successful completion of this project.   After the workshops the kits will be donated to each school for their future use.  These three schools do not have access to a potters kiln.  This is a continuation of the remote schools project that I began in 2017 on South Goulbourn and Elcho Islands in the Northern Territory.


While at these communities I will be approaching adult members to see if they are interested in having a try with clay too.  The success at Wallace Rockhole with their little pottery cottage industry, has shown me that in these remote communities, being creative together can unite and offer another area of social support whilst making pots in a happy, inclusive and safe way.  The works produced may be sold to passing tourists, or as Wallace Rockhole now does, also sell to Galleries.


In the middle of August I will drive down to central Australia and out to Wallace Rockhole, where I will not only hold workshops for the primary school but spend eight weeks in the pottery to support and encourage further development of the pots being produced, decorated, glazed and fired at the studio.


In 2010 whilst on a journey of discovery through the centre of Australia I visited Wallace Rockhole, 120 kilometres west of Alice Springs, a small Aranda Community, there I discovered that they had three Potters Kilns of varying sizes sitting dormant in the Art Centre .  They also had two pottery wheels that had never been used as they had no one to teach them throwing.  I suggested to the community that I would be interested in coming back in 2011 to set up a pottery studio and teach them how to utilize this equipment.    This I did, returning yearly for three to four months  over a seven year period.  They now have a small cottage industry selling pottery.  All funds, material and equipment needed for this project had been donated and most funds raised through crowd-funding projects.


The funds raised will cover the costs of materials, tools, decorating items, preparing my vehicle and caravan, fuel, camp fees and contingency moneys.  I need most of the funds now as I am already inaction for this trip.  Some of the materials have been sent to the NT and my RAV and Van are being prepared now.  I am an aged pensioner who still needs to cover her home costs whilst away.

I ask for no remuneration from these Schools or Communities for my skills as a Pottery Teacher, or for the materials and equipment that I supply.

Your support means everything to the success of this project and I will be eternally grateful to you.  The benefits of this project extend way into the future for the children.  To hear their laughter and see the sparkle in their eyes when they see their finished objects is very inspiring and all of the hard work and hassles just fall away.  I am doubly blessed, to be able to provide this program and to also have your support.  It is very special and I thank you.

                                                    What I have to give, I give freely.





                                In memory of my twin sister Kathi Rebecca Gubler
                                                                    1949 - 2018
                                                The Rainbow in the storms of life

Organizer

Su Brown
Organizer
Tallebudgera Valley QLD

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