Image: Jessica Mason, supplied.
Tit Pottery Masterclass
When: Sunday, August 9, 2020
Where: The Mill’s Breakout Space, 154 Angas St, Adelaide (enter via Gunson St)
Session times: 11am -1pm, 1.30pm - 3.30pm or 4pm - 6pm
Cost: $95 ($10 per ticket donated to Catherine House – Supporting Women Experiencing Homelessness)
Presented by The Mill, in partnership with SALA Festival 2020.
About The Workshop:
A truly unique experience, learn to mould and create your own unique Dots Pot booby pot! These fun, easy to follow pottery workshops are perfect for anyone out there who feels they aren’t very 'creative'! It’s also just a good bloody excuse to sit around a table with a bunch of like minded legends and remind each other just how great your bodies are - in every single way!
There are far too many influences that turn our bodies into something to critique or be ashamed of. Dots Pots just want you to love and accept every bit of yourself and remind you to help other women do the same. This workshop will light-heartedly focus on these so called ‘imperfections’ where participants will learn to build and mould with pottery and make their own booby pot with the use of air dry clay.
Go home with your very own booby pot, your own mini flower arrangement to display in your new piece of art, some cute self-love reminders and a fun new skill!
No experience required - all welcome!
What Participants Can Expect:
Participants will take home their very own self-made booby pot, set of affirmation cards & small flower bunch.
Materials used:
Nontoxic Ceramic/Air Dry clay
Pottery wheel
Support Pins
Sculpting tools
Various fresh and dried flowers to arrange and display
Free tit-pot photoshoot (to be sent electronically)
Set of affirmation and self-love cards
About the artist:
Jessica Mason is a local woman who works within the legal sector of public service. As a result of severe personal trauma, as well as frequent exposure to the impacts of violence and domestic abuse, she wanted to find a way to reach out with messages of support for the local groups within Adelaide that support those experiencing displacement due to these all too common issues within society.
With the assistant of a psychologist and medical help, Jessica found a way to connect with her body again through self-taught art therapy, in particular, clay. Working with clay and pottery play can be instantly calming and reflective. As a feminist-in-training and a huge proponent of body positivity and expression, Jessica decided to create the project Dots Pots @doesmynippleoffendyou as a platform to discuss these issues, whilst also connecting locals to donate to services like Catherine House, Women’s Safety Services, Bfriend and many other local groups that work for those in need of support.
Dots Pots has run DIY pottery workshops across many public events like Gilles At the Grounds, Spin Off Festival, Laneway Festival and Porchland Festival. These workshops blossomed into a travelling party class, hosting hens shows, baby showers and birthday parties all across SA.
As a strong advocate for personal and self-care, Jessica works to try and spread the message of self-worth and expression through these Tit Pottery gatherings. Much more than a sit down how-to and a giggle with a group of friends, Jessica uses humour and vulnerability to distract the everyday person from the ‘I could never make something like that!’ and the ‘I’m not good enough’.
Where conversation can often be an incredibly important starting point for anyone who has or is currently suffering from abuse, Jessica often shares her story of sexual assault and recovery to connect women with the idea that there are always ways out of struggle and it is almost never alone. The pledge to donate $10 from every pot to these local groups is how as a group we can collectively say ‘we see the work you do and we deem it essential’, as those without networks of support truly deserve to have somewhere to turn in those dark times.
As a self-proclaimed ‘bumbling mess’, she understands the trepidation in trying something new but after assisting 100’s of people through her pottery classes, reassures you that anyone can find their inner craft Queen when it comes to working with pottery!
Dot, Jessica’s 77-year-old Nana, the project’s namesake has come along to most public events held by the project since its conception in 2018. Dot’s flirty, excitable personality brings an inspirational amount of self-confidence to Dots Pots events.
The project has recently been put on hold due to a recent and impactful loss within the family. The landscape in which the project will continue is still uncertain. Events like this may be sporadic but will assist in continuing to raise these important topics within the Adelaide community.