9-13 September 2013

How We Make and How We Might Make explored underlying concepts around processes of making, materiality and craft.

For the retreat we invited participants to explore underlying concepts around processes of making, materiality and craft. The deadline for applications for this retreat has now passed. To hear about furture retreat opportunities, please subscribe to our e-bulletin.

The title of the retreat refered indirectly to the lecture How We Live and How We might Live (1884) given by the English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist William Morris.  Here Morris writes about an ideal utopian existence and a future society based on common ownership and sharing means of production. Whilst engaging with the world of materiality, through sharing different making skills and sensitivity to the physical/material world, this may enable us to produce and bring another world closer to us.

During five immersive and reflexive days selected participants led their own workshop, took part in the activities led by others and joined in talks by invited speakers as a means of exploring their practice, sharing ideas, and approaching their work from other perspectives.

The selected retreat participants were: Briony Clarke, Traven T. Croves (Andrew Lister & Matthew Stuart), Lawrence Epps, Amanda Loomes, Victoria Mitchell, Rupert Norfolk, Beatriz Olabarrieta, Natalie Pace and Ellen Mara De Wachter

The invited speakers were: Dr. Spike Bucklow, David Mabb, Amanda Game, Dr Catharine Rossi and Conor Wilson

How We Make and How We Might Make was funded by Arts Council England through an initiative to support the development of crafts in the East and South East of England.