POTTERY is an ancient art form that is enjoying a surge in popularity and the newly opened Clay Rooms ceramics studio in the heart of Kilkenny city offers the opportunity to explore the endless possibilities of this medium in a fun and friendly environment.
Established by Liselott Olofsson, Niamh Synnott and Aisling McElwain, Clay Rooms opened its doors on January 8. The spacious studio at Colliers Lane, is equipped with seven potters’ wheels and other top-of-the-range equipment.
Expert skills
With over 40 years ceramics experience between them, the tutors offer expert technical support in teaching and learning.
Aisling studied ceramics in the Ceramics Skills and Design Course at Grennan Mill Craft School in Thomastown, from 2014 – 2016. After graduating, she set up her ceramics business in Kilkenny City and, in 2018, won the Image Interiors Design Award for Best Tableware. She has exhibited her work in various exhibitions and galleries around Ireland and the UK.
Aisling sells her pottery at the Farmers Market on The Parade in the city on Thursdays and has also attended many craft and pottery markets in Ireland and Scotland. She is co-founder of the Potters Market that takes place on the Parade during Kilkenny Arts Week.
Niamh is an artist with 25 years experience teaching art and ceramics in many different settings from primary to third level. She graduated from NCAD in 1999 with a Bachelors Degree in Craft Design specialising in Ceramics.
Niamh sells her pottery at various craft and pottery markets across the country and regularly exhibits her work in Dublin.
Liselott is a ceramic artist and studied ceramics in NCAD, Dublin. She has been teaching for the past 16 years and enjoys working with clay. Her ceramic work focuses on form and materials.
In 2018, Liselott spent three months in China where she learnt ceramics from master crafts people. She enjoys experimenting with different firing techniques such as Raku.
Courses
The talented team aim to create a community of makers from curious beginners to trained practitioners by offering a range of courses to suit all levels. They want to share their passion by introducing children and adults to throwing and handbuilding with lots of hands-on practical experiences. Course participants will also develop other skills such as decorating and glazing their own work.
The courses on offer on the potters wheel include six weekday and evening classes, three- hour taster classes and two day weekend courses, among others. Also on offer are a large variety of handbuilding courses ranging from planters to teapots. Handbuilding is a slower and more meditative process using hands, fingers and simple tools to make pinch, coil and slab-built forms.
During the mid-term break, they are running children’s introductory courses for ages 4-7 and 8-12. To book and find out more about these and other available courses, visit www.clayroomskilkenny.ie
