This announcement is a little overdue (thanks Covid) but we quietly celebrated our 10th birthday in 2022! No big fanfare thanks to Covid (unlike this image above of our opening party in April 2012) but we wish to take the opportunity to thank the many, many people who have joined our busy community over the past 10 years. When Slow Clay Centre owner and established ceramic artists Jane Sawyer decided to expand into a fully fledged specialist ceramics school in central Collingwood it was a big and daunting step to take.
“I had been looking for a commercial studio to expand into for a few years as the demand increased for my home studio classes. The moment I laid eyes on our beautiful Keele St studio I knew it was “it” and after inspections with my husband and friends we decided to take the plunge and rent the building. We had a fabulous opening party where Dr Kevin Murray (editor of Garland magazine) and Ramona Barry (then president of Craft Victoria) honoured us by jointly opening the new studio and together with all our friends and colleagues, founding teachers and continuing students, we opened the doors to the public. It was a huge risk and felt very scary but also felt exciting and right because there were not many options for ceramics education. TAFE and University ceramics courses in Melbourne had been systematically decimated over the past few years as we had watched in horror. I knew I could offer a comprehensive ceramics education for all levels together with my team of incredible professional teachers and I felt compelled to try. Ten years on and our busy centre has provided for thousands of students from beginners to advanced. The only set back has been… yes, well, a world pandemic!
“I wish I could name and thank each and every person from the many guest artists and teachers who have conducted high level professional teaching for us; to our team of technicians who help keep the flow of work moving through the kilns; our clay and material suppliers; kiln builders and repairers; marketing, accounting, IT professionals (yes that’s YOU Peter Bonifacio!), graphic designers and our amazing studio manager, Sabrina Talarico, who has remained constant almost from the beginning! We all do it for the students and we have watched many thousands of students grow and develop over the years. Whether they take on ceramics as a hobby or as a profession, the joy is palpable and we are so privileged to witness this and walk alongside them in the journey that clay brings. Thank you to them and to everyone! We look forward to the next ten years!” Jane Sawyer, April 2023
Jane Sawyer, April 2012