Christmas Pottery Event 2024
PHOTOS FROM OUR RECENT POTTERY EVENT ON CHRISTMAS EVE HOSTED BY BULLHOUSE EAST (photography by @stewartthompsonmedia – Instagram)
PROJECT C3CAVE
Project C3Cave is providing art-related workshops and meetups for the community. Artists will grow professionally whilst engaging with C3Cave to teach their skills in their creative arts to others. C3 Cave is a Belfast community project (social enterprise) that targets artistic skill and personal/ social and professional development. The workshops provided through the cave are ran by community for community and will use different forms of art to motivate individuals to reach the best version of themselves, grow confidence, decision-making skills, teamwork skills, communication skills, emotional development, awareness of self and others, positive sense of self, and social skills and professional development.
The creative environment makes development a natural process where people can just dive into being creative and exploring their sense of self in a safe and inclusive environment where everyone is welcome no matter their background or status. C3 cave works in small groups but can facilitate 1-1’s for those individuals not yet ready to be involved in group environments. C3Cave also has a whats app group where members can freely arrange to meetup and be in community when it is needed (go to contact)
PROJECT NARNIA
In collaboration with the Dock cafe, Chloe’s Creative Cave will design a faith-based mural for the cafe. Once sketched into the wall and the important allegories are painted, the community of Belfast NI is invited to paint the wall in a community-building event.
Faith-based Project
POTTERY SESSIONS
Chloe facilitates a crash course in pottery (On demand) at the dock cafe in Titanic Quarter on Friday and Saturdays, 1:30pm – 3:30pm. Each session costs £25. We have a range of both air dry clay and kiln clay to make this course accessible for everyone.
Want to come along as a one off? £25 for the creative session. Make a piece just for the experience and we will recommend using our air dry specialist clay as you can take your piece home with you when you finish, paint with acrylic and then varnish. Or, if you change your mind at the end of the session you can decide to send to the kiln.
If you want to make a usable or glazed piece then you would need to pay £25 for the creative session and extra £15 for us to fire when attending the first session. Once fired you will either take your fired bisque ware home depending on what you made (i.e plant pot..) or pay £25 to glaze in another session and £15 for one last firing. Total cost Approximately £80 Get in touch and Chloe will organize a session for you and your friends
C3CAVE PAINTING
C3CAVE as mentioned previously is a project where community teaches community. Ose is an artist who is passionate to share his art and talent with others. He has drafted a crash course for beginners including sketching, acrylic painting, oil painting, watercolor and mixed media. These are drop by sessions costing £10 at current for anyone who is interested and are based in the dock cafe Tuesday 11-3:30pm Friday 11am – 1PM
MISSION AND VALUES
WHY THE ELEPHANT?
Story time – The Learned helplessness
A man visits an elephant camp in Africa and notices that all the elephants are tied by their legs with small ropes. Despite their immense strength, the elephants do not attempt to break free. This peculiar sight is explained by their upbringing. As young elephants, they were tied with the same ropes, which they were too weak to break. As they grew into powerful adults, they were conditioned to believe that the small ropes still had the power to restrain them.
This story of learned helplessness resonates deeply with many living in Belfast. It reflects the mental barriers that people may face due to various societal issues. Whether it’s politics, family dynamics, relationships, homelessness, isolation, struggles with mental health or mental illness, growing up in a dysfunctional household, not feeling loved at a young age and more… These constraints can keep individuals focused on the worst parts of themselves, leaving them stagnant. The story of the elephant illustrates a mental struggle where the body has grown, but the mind remains trapped in old beliefs of inadequacy. Does this story resonate with you
HOW DOES THIS ALIGN WITH OUR VALUES IN OUR MISSION ?
Empowerment – Just as the elephants can break free from the ropes, the creative cave aims to empower individuals to overcome their own mental and emotional barriers through creative expression,
Strength and resilience – The elephant symbolizes strength and resilience, qualities that the cave encourages in their participants through supportive and therapeutic art workshops delivered by skilled artists,
Challenging beliefs – The story highlights the importance of challenging limiting beliefs. The Cave provides a safe space where individuals can explore their potential and realize that they are capable of much more than they might have believed,
Community support – Much like elephants thrive in social groups, The cave fosters a sense of community, helping individuals support each other in their journeys of personal growth and mental well-being.
TESTIMONIALS
Here are testimonials from people who have been apart of the creative cave events, projects, classes, meetups and collaborations
Skills Day Event
Unbelievable, helpful and good advice. I loved your performance its from the heart. You’ve given me the confidence to try and see wheat i can do with music in my life – Anonymous Young person
Pottery
The day was so lovely and we all enjoyed our time. The girls really appreciated you a lot and are happy they met you. Yours kindness and friendliness helped attracting more people and getting them going – yousuf
Christmas Event
I love what this is your trying to build We need this in Belfast” – Grey
From Our Creative Collaborator
You have no idea how joyful this experience was for me. It has been my dream to facilitate an Art Class! – Ose
Christmas Event
I really appreciate this event, it has really helped me. I’m glad that there was a safe space for me to go and thank you for giving me a buddy for the night I wouldn’t have been able to cope without support – David
Christmas Event
I loved it, It was a very wholesome way to experience Christmas Eve – Gareth
Pottery Class
I am so grateful for having divinely met you and all the new friends in the pottery class! I learnt a new level of patience that i’m curious to explore. You’re a wonderful teacher, especially for encouraging us and making us enjoy every moment of learning. Looking forward to the next class. God willing…all the best – Esther
Pottery Class
I thought your workshop was fantastic – you were incredibly hands on and supportive with everyone. You demonstrated how to use the clay perfect. I will definitely be back especially to pick up my little heart tray – Tommy