Central North Island Updates | November / December
Waiohiki Arts Village Open Day – All Welcome!
Driving Creek updates:
The Busy Season Begins
By Millie Godfery
Kia ora koutou, Millie the production apprentice here! A huge thank you to everyone who donated to the Anagama Crowdfunder, we are so grateful for the $18,957 pledged during the campaign. We can’t wait to get started on the build and will keep you updated as we progress with this over the summer.
I’m happy to be filling in for Matilda this month whilst she is away at the Taoxichuan Autumn Art Fair held in Jingdezhen, China. Travelling with a contingent of artists representing Australasia, we are super excited to hear how Matilda’s time in Jingdezhen (China’s porcelain capital) goes, as she displays a selection of her beautiful domestic ware made entirely from locally gathered clay and glaze materials.
Quite a few of us have been off on ceramic-related adventures recently – Daily Class Tutor Alexander Moore has just returned from a six week residency in Tanba-Sasayama, Japan, where he spent time learning to fire an anagama with American potter John Dix. Arts Manager Callum Trudgeon has also settled back into the busy antics of Driving Creek after two months away attending wood firing symposiums in Estonia and Latvia.
In between Callum touching down and Matilda flying off, the three of us roadtripped down to Whakatū to attend Nelson Clay Week. It was lovely to see so many familiar and new faces down there. A big mihi to the Clay Week organisers for having us and putting on such a vibrant event for clay workers and community alike!
Here in Kapanga the busy season is certainly ramping up, and the success of a bustling two weeks of the Coromandel Open Studios Arts Tour was a great marker of this. We were proud to have three of our team, Carolin Hahn, Beth Pearsall and Iona Matheson, participating in this wonderful event.
If you missed the opening of our current exhibition Mugshots, this runs through the summer until February 20. Please pay us a visit here in Kapanga to see the diverse collection of mugs by staff and friends – it’s a selling show so a great opportunity to purchase an early Christmas present (for a loved one, or yourself!).
Residencies
In August we hosted artists Florencia Ana Califano (Argentina), Jessica Komaromy (USA/Aotearoa), Madison Baird (Australia), Rahera Kahi (Tāmaki Makaurau) and Petra White (Whakatū). September saw the return of some of our Ahi Kaa friends, Chantel Matthews (Tāmaki Makaurau), Dorothy Waetford (Matapouri), Michelle Huizinga (Tāmaki Makaurau), Amelia Blundell (Whangārei) and Kaeleb Ngatai (Rotorua), as well as Georgia Hood (Tāmaki Makaurau), Darian Duan (Australia/China), Alex Jones (Tāmaki Makaurau) and Alan Worman (Tāmaki Makaurau). Find more about our residents at drivingcreek.nz/journal.
We are currently accepting applications for residencies for July and August 2027. Applications close 31 December. For more information and to apply, visit drivingcreek.nz/artists-in-
Upcoming Workshops
There’s still time to book on to Callum Trudgeon’s Two Week Wood Firing Pottery Experience, starting November 21. This immersive course focuses on wheel throwing and explores a range of decorating techniques, including slips, before culminating in a wood firing in the Phoenix soda kiln. With over a decade of experience, including eight years apprenticing and working at the Leach Pottery in St Ives, Callum brings extensive knowledge and experience to this hands-on course. If you’ve been considering joining, now is the time to book:
Starting Saturday November 21 | 2 Week Wood Firing Pottery Experience with Callum Trudgeon
Starting Monday April 5 | 5 Day Production Throwing Course
Starting Monday May 10 | 5 Day Hand Building Course with Iona Matheson
Starting Monday June 28 | 5 Day Throwing Course
Ngā mihi nui, The Driving Creek Pottery Team