Jack O'Patsy Pottery Ireland
This is surely the most indigenous of crafts where the clay from the riverbank is shaped on the wheel, where every breath and movement of the potter is visible in the finished piece, where the soul and the skills of our potters are forever captured in these wonderful Artisan pieces.
Opening FETAC Level 5 Art Exhibition Youghal
ART CRAFT & DESIGN EXHIBITION opened by Marcella Riordan
In Jack O Patsy
Friar Street, Youghal
on
22nd, 23rd & 24th June
From FETAC 5 Art Craft & Design Class 08 -10
Official opening of the end of year Exhibition on Tuesday 22nd June 2010, 7-9pm.
On Tuesday the 22nd of June the FETAC 5 Art Craft and Design class of 08 to 10 Launched an Art Craft & Design Exhibition in the Jack O Patsy Premises, Friar st Youghal. The exhibition ran on 22nd, 23rd and 24th of June.
This was the culmination of two years work for the students and all had some of their artworks on display. The artworks covered a wide range of materials with the students exhibiting paintings, ceramics, drawings, photos and printmaking/batik pieces.
For the students this was a long journey that started on Tuesday the 30th September 2008 when a group of students entered the East Cork Further Education Center in Youghal. They were all there to take part in the FETAC level 5 course in Arts Craft and Design.
What made this group of students a little bit different then the normal student is that the age of this group ranged from 25 upwards. Despite the age, it was like the first day in school for many of the class.
The course funded under the Back to Education Initiative, was suitable for those who wanted to prepare a portfolio for application to third level art courses or for those who wished to develop their talents in a wide range of visual and artistic skills.
The course subjects covered many facets of artwork from drawing, ceramics, painting, printmaking, design, photography and communications. This course would run for two years, three mornings a week. Patricia Burns the course coordinator welcome the class to the school and before they knew what was happening had them sketching, painting and drawing.
This was to be the normal for the next two years as the students moved from one subject to the next, exploring the world of Art Craft and Design along the way. Some of the students had painted or been involved in one way or another in the subject matter but for most it was all new.
There's nothing like sitting in front of a large clean blank canvas and being told paint something, It is a daunting task but after the first brush stroke the fear melts away as you become lost in a world of colour, shade, style and before you know it its time to clean up and go home.
Many of the students spent a lot of their own time at home, outside of the normal study hours finishing paintings, ironing batiks, sketching a ceramic piece for the kiln the next day, such was the enthusiasm and enjoyment involved.
Throughout the two year course these students went to galleries, went on field trips to photograph, paint and explore our natural world and then try to capture those moments on canvas in clay or on film. Like many things the course came to an end but not before many of the students had discovered a new talent or a better understanding of Arts, Crafts and design.
Some of the students have already applied to third level courses in colleges in our area, others have found a new way to spend their leisure time, and all of the students who finished the course were agreed on one thing. It was an amazing experience, surrounded by great teachers, students who became good friends and those who all shared a common love for Art Craft and Design.