Samantha Taylor
What is your name and course at Morley?
My name is Sam Taylor and I study Ceramics.
What made you choose to come to college at Morley?
It was a happenstance moment finding ceramics after I volunteered at a children’s class to help as a technician where they worked in earthenware. I’d never worked in clay before and I found it’s constraints and deep history in craft and handmade functionality freeing. I had been making contemporary sound art and performance work, it meant what I made in clay didn’t seem to connect to my more contemporary practice and gave me room to play, as time went on, stepping into the tradition and craft of ceramics was almost a revolt against technology and the machine which I feel is a great question for our modern age.
The reason I ended up going to Morley was because I wanted to learn more about stoneware and new materials. The tutors knowledge, new techniques you learn, kilns and facilities really give you access to achieve ideas and explore the nature of ceramics more than you realise. I think there is something about having a tutor present that gives a tension to question why and how you are making your work.
Working in clay is challenging in terms of it’s learning curve; it’s a mixture of a hands-on 'childhood piroshki’s creation feeling’ coupled with engineering and complicated chemistry definitely keeps you on your toes, you’re constantly learning.
What inspired you to make the work for the anniversary?
The college has strong ties across the borough with its own gallery too and each term a project is set which students can opt into. I’m always interested in the themes set in this way and can sometimes push me out of my own working practice to make something different.
Researching the history of the Festival of Britain, it’s post-war innovation, the drive for hope and energy shows through the films archives of the Southbank during this time. It looks like it was created to build confidence in the population after coming out of the war sharing the excitement of future hope of new technologies and arts. I think in our current mid-covid climate the same energy and desire for hope and community as we come, out of our last lockdown, is at the forefront of the work I’ve made to celebrate the 70th anniversary. I initially wanted to focus of on the achievements of British women throughout history with a comparative plate, this in turn, went on to belong to a series of works documenting and questioning the current climate and use of clay.
How do I work?
I find that the making moment is the most important to me, how I’m feeling or loosing myself in time, those are my favourite moments. The final work doesn’t always please me in the same way, it does bring up questions and I’m interested in how people perceive the work but no favourites as yet.
I work in quite a few different ways in collaboration and on my own. Working in the class you are surrounded by people and conversation can be really nice. I do work a lot of the time on my own though so I can concentrate.
During the 70th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, what is the most important message you want to send out to people thinking about studying in or a career in your subject area?
That art is a voice and that living in Britain with the freedom we have for life long learning is an incredible opportunity. If you’ve ever thought, as an adult, I’d quite like to try that, give it a go! I started working in clay in my late 30’s and it’s only added joy and a new way of expressing myself to my life. It’s fun and messy and you can make something that will last a 1000 years.
