Pedro Kalache Ceramics

Brief:

A collective ceramic arts project to design and construct a new entrance sign for the Kentish Town City Farm.

Pedro Kalache’s role was to coordinate the project and orchestrate the three different phases of its development: preparation, construction and installation.

Method:

Preparation:

Over a period of six months, weekly pottery sessions were held at the farm to generate source material that would be used and adapted in creating the new sign.

The idea of making letters in relief evolved from these initial sessions.

Each week the participants were encouraged to stroll around the farm and choose something that they would then model in clay. After each session the generated works were sealed in plastic to prevent them from drying.

Construction:

Pedro Kalache devised a scale for each letter,that would be clearly visible from a distance.

Each letter was first produced in clay and the amassed source material subsequently incorporated on to its surface.

To prevent the pieces from warping and cracking, the pieces were dried over steel mesh screens.

The final design was revisited as the aesthetic began to emerge.

Design additions such as lighting and raising the letters to create drop shadows were implemented.

It was decided that the letters should be clear-glazed so as not to obscure the detailing.

The final pieces were fired at earthenware temperatures, then clear glazed and re-fired at stoneware temperatures.

Installation:

A wooden backing panel was constructed and then laid out horizontally so that the positioning of each letter could be plotted. The panel was then attached to the front of the main building, and each letter screwed into place. Finally, lighting fixtures were installed and positioned above the ceramic lettering.

Outcome:

This project involved over 200 people of different ages, backgrounds and cultures. The finished piece is the result of a creative process that was truly collaborative throughout. A collective effort echoing the spirit of the farm: an inner city retreat where people can engage with nature, and also with each other.

Children from eleven Camden primary schools worked on the theme of conservation and climate change. Each school interpreted the theme in a range of different ways and used a diverse range of materials.

The exhibition was organised by Camden Council’s Out of school Learning Service and the School improvement Service, Children, Schools and Families Directorate, in partnership with Swiss Cottage gallery, Culture and Environment Directorate.

Our World

Art project involving school children from Kentish Town CE Primary School

Brief:

To design and make a piece of art exploring the theme of conservation and climate change.

Method:

The children worked outside and examined the flowers, leaves and trees found in their school garden.

The theme of conservation and climate change was explored, by using the natural habitat found at their own school as source material. The children each worked on a single hexagonal tile.

The idea being that when all the tiles were tessellated together, the piece as a whole would resemble a honeycomb, representing life and the world we live in.

The second session involved the children decorating and adding colour to the tiles through glazes.

The finished pieces were mounted on to a circular panel and entitled ‘Our World’.

Outcome:

The work was displayed at an exhibition alongside the work of other children from schools in Camden.

The children responded creatively and expressively to the central theme of conservation and climate change.

Using their imaginations and nature for inspiration they collectively produced a stunning piece of art.

The work is now on permanent display at Kentish Town CE Primary School.

Brief:

To formulate a piece of community ceramic art that involves and engages the young users of the Kentish Town City farm.

Method:

Pedro Kalache ran various workshops with the children who produced live drawings of pigs. These drawings were computer scanned and slightly altered by the designer. The images were made bolder and clearer and sent to be made into digital ceramic decal transfers.

The transfers were then fired on to standard plain white tiles. The finished tiles were arranged compositionally then mounted, framed and installed at the farm by the pig pen.

Outcome:

The project had an educational and instructional value of teaching the young city farm users about life drawing and composition. They acquired knowledge of ceramic techniques and assisted the designer in the making stages of the tile panel.

Brief:

To develop an Intergenerational community ceramic arts project to encourage communication between age groups.

Method:

Senior residents (OAPs) from a North London sheltered housing project and local children between the ages of 9-13 developed, designed and made a series of tiles to be installed on external wooden flower beds.
Over a series of workshop sessions, held at the sheltered housing estate, both age groups engaged with each other and explored various artistic methods and techniques.

They discussed ideas then sketched and painted initial designs which were developed further.

Both age groups then transformed the designs into ceramic tiles. The tiles were hand made by rolling out clay and cutting it into squares which were dried then fired. The next stage involved adding colour and composition to the tiles. The participants used brush on glazes to adorn the tiles with their designs. The glazed tiles were then refired (glaze fired) and installed on flower beds in the garden of the sheltered housing estate. The workshops were coordinated by Pedro Kalache.

Outcome:

The experience provided an opportunity for the local community to forge links between different age groups. Both partcipating age groups learnt new artistic and ceramic techniques and made functional and decorative ceramic pieces.

Brief:

To create an Intergenerational Ceramic Arts Project celebrating the diverse local community of Camden Town.

Method:

Over a series of practical workshops a tile panel was designed and created by the young and old Castlehaven user group members. Coordinated by Pedro Kalache the participants were encouraged to discuss and exchange opinions about their local borough. Using this discussion as source material the participants then sketched and painted their ideas. These ideas were developed and finally transformed into tiles. Each participant was given an unglazed tile which they hand glazed their design on to with brush-on glazes and glaze pencils. Pedro Kalache then mounted, framed and installed the tile panel as a composition at the community centre.

Outcome:

The work was inspired and informed by the backgrounds and experiences of the participants: reflecting peoples attitudes and responses towards their local community whilst encouraging intergenerational contact and integration.

Brief:

To design an educational arts project exploring moods and emotions through texture and colour using clay and ceramics.

Method:

School children between the ages of 9-11 attended a series of workshops at their school encouraging them to explore mood and emotion. Initially they spoke about, sketched and painted their ideas. They then chose a given mood or emotion that was to be further explored and conveyed through clay. Pedro Kalache then developed a format and method best suited to the brief. A circular piece of clay was rolled out to 110 cm in diameter and then scored into 8 slices. The group comprised of 8 children who each had a slice on which to explore their chosen mood or emotion. Using their preparatory sketches, imagination and creativity they proceeded to mark and texture the clay slices with a variety of different carving tools, shapes and stamps. The separate slices were dried and biscuit fired by Pedro Kalache. The fired ceramic slices were then taken back in to the school where the school children then added colour to the pieces through brush on glazes and glaze pencils. The final pieces were mounted and framed onto a circular wooden template which was then installed on the playground wall.

Outcome:

Children had the opportunity to explore deeper notions of mood and emotion through the expressive and direct medium of clay. They learnt new artistic and ceramic processes and will be able to see their collective piece of ceramic art for years to come.

Brief:

To develop a piece of narrative ceramic art celebrating the residents of Lauriston Lodge and local school children from Emmanuel Primary School. To be installed and to adorn the communal garden at the back of Lauriston Lodge.

Method:

Practical workshops were held at Lauriston Lodge between the residents and children from a local primary school. The participants had been asked to bring in any items of interest as a starting point for discussion. These items ranged from  a stuffed python from Bombay, to banknotes from Sierra Leone via a sprig of Morrocan Mint - reflecting the rich multi-culturalism of the group. Participants shared their experiences, stories and anecdotes collectively and in small groups. Quotes, anecdotes and photographs were taken for every participant.

Ideas as to how these items, stories and experiences could be transformed into ceramic art were discussed. One of the school children suggested a Tree of Life as a central unifying theme.

Pedro Kalache gathered all the generated source material with the task of developing a final composition.

All the generated material from the sessions was scanned, computer manipulated and developed into a finalised composition.

The final design was formatted and sent to be processed into digital ceramic decal transfers that were fired on to tiles. The piece was mounted, framed and installed in the rear garden of Lauriston Lodge.

Outcome:

Both participating age groups enjoyed the experience of engaging with each other and being part of a collective ceramic arts project. The piece added colour and light to the rear garden and became a focal point. This has encouraged the residents to use the garden more and acted as a catalyst for further improvements to the space.