Today we are celebrating 10 years since the legal entity holding Ceramics Studio Co-op had been registered. Starting with a dream of an impossible, and working through challenges and demands for personal growth, constant improvement, day-by-day learning, it’s been a humbling journey. We’ve met incredible people on the way, and have seen hard times and immence beauty created by human hands just like our own.

The workshop asked us for personal sacrifices, hard work, and readiness to be changed. We did not always accept it, but stayed with what had to be done for it’s existence. Sometimes this space carried us through great personal challenges, and we are grateful for it.

The community that gathers around and within the studio had been a beautiful source of joy, co-learning and co-creating together. Not just clay and ceramic pieces we get to make next to one another, but we are co-creating ourselves though creative work we undertake together, through being with each other in its pain and glory. Doing this in the community of like-minded and deeply passionate people is rewarding and life-transforming experience, and we are thankful for it.

We do wonder often what it means to create space for clay and its people, and take responsibility for who gets to participate and practice within the frame that the workshop can offer. Clay has its healing and connecting power. As a collective media where firings and space are shared, and conversations continue we create meaning around our work and how we share it. Being both at the edge of it and in the eye of the storm is the most rewarding journey.

Seeing our studio become a generative part of the artistic community of London that champions ceramics arts has been humbling and beautiful. We are grateful for each and every person who came in, contributed, attended classes and free events, fired their sculpture and pottery, and especially for our studio members who are at the heart of this community. It is such a joy to work with you and for you, it is such a joy to follow your ceramics journeys and see you strive for excellence, develop, change, become your best selves, and nourish your talents as artists and makers of things.

We are also grateful for funding that Arts Council England and Lewisham Council awarded us, and all kind and humble help from Cooperatives UK, their staff and business advisors, all tasty meals and coffees served to us by local businesses and cafes. We would not be here without you, and we are lucky to be here with you.