VACMA: Boyd & Grogan – Visual Artists

“Throughout 2021 Boyd & Grogan were introduced to the processes casting, moulding, firing, glazing and stages of working with ceramic materials from both Kirstie Bruce in Sanday and Kerrianne Flett in Stromness. We have now had a more in-depth introduction to the capabilities/possibilities and limitations in ceramics and how the skill of working with such materials is a fine art in itself.

Our day-to-day practice lends us to working quickly with other materials, purposely choosing to avoid over thinking the outcome. This wasn’t possible with ceramics due to the time required for creating, drying, firing and cooling all of which could still lead to damaged outcome thanks to a smallest of flaws or not enough patience. 

The funding allowed us to see what restrictions the material had and also how far we could push it while still making with our own aesthetic in mind. Forcing a change in our practice, which unwittingly caused a refresh on the way we tackle all aspects of our creative practice. 

The experience allowed for us to utilise a material that helped us reflect the fragility and strength of the woman’s place in society, a subject/topic that the majority of our work is based around. 

Ceramic being at its most fragile state before firing, gaining strength with each process with the potential for it to break at any point meant that the ceramic pieces we did end up using helped us portray this.”

Photos to follow

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Exhibition video