BLOOM

BLOOM

A 20th Anniversary Project

Since its inception in 2002, Nucleus Arts has given a home to local artists and encouraged many more through its programme of workshops, and gallery spaces. To celebrate its twentieth anniversary a wall installation was commissioned for the main centre in Chatham. This was a collaborative project led by resident artists Holly Chad and Carol Smith. After several brainstorming sessions it was decided that as Nucleus Arts has been helping artists bloom for two decades, flowers would be the ideal motif. 

Over the summer months artists, attendees of regular workshops, and Nucleus Arts staff were offered the chance to make a ceramic flower. Clay was rolled out into a slab and the flower created by cutting around one of the templates provided. Each flower was placed in a dish and then decorated with slips in a colour scheme decided by the maker. Once dry the flowers were bisque fired in the kiln before being glazed and re-fired. 

The finished pieces were later installed outside on the freshly painted wall. The vibrant orange sets off the ceramic flowers while the ever-changing shadows from surrounding vegetation add a sense of movement. This project was not solely about the finished product. True to Nucleus Arts’ commitment to community engagement, it was about participating and working together. It was great to have people proudly recognising their own ceramic flower on the wall. There are still a few more pieces to go up on the wall, along with a commemorative plaque, so keep an eye open for the new additions! 

Written by Carol Smith