Year 11 Art and Design: Working with Ceramic Artist Alison Waters

Year 11 Art and Design: Working with Ceramic Artist Alison Waters

Year 11 Art and Design pupils recently had the privilege of working with professional ceramic artist Alison Waters, whose work will soon be exhibited at Manchester City Gallery. This exciting opportunity allowed students to connect their classroom studies with the wider world of contemporary art, gaining invaluable insight into the life and practice of a professional artist.

Prior to Alison’s visit, pupils explored her artistic journey through research pages, investigating the wide-ranging experiences that shaped her career before she became a ceramicist. This foundation prepared them to truly appreciate seeing her work first-hand and learning directly from her about the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and creativity. Alison’s story highlighted to pupils that an artist’s journey is rarely linear, but one of discovery, resilience, and growth.

Inspired by her distinctive ceramic chimney pots, students set about designing and creating their own ceramic forms. Once fired, these pieces will become canvases for their own photography, merging two creative disciplines into one artwork. This not only developed pupils’ technical skills in clay but also their ability to express ideas through mixed media.

For pupils, experiencing Alison’s ceramics in person and engaging in conversation with her brought art alive in a way that textbooks alone cannot achieve. The workshop inspired them to see creative pathways as not only possible but rewarding, echoing the Catholic principle of helping each individual grow in wisdom, creativity, and faith.