PWS HistoryCompared to 8000+ years of ceramic history, the Pottery Workshop is just a speck of dust in the big picture of things. However, this "dust" has over the course of 25 years collected into quite the big ball. From a tiny small local pottery studio in the basement of a dilapidated old freezer building in Hong Kong, the Pottery Workshop developed into a well known institution located in 4 different places and is now placed in the history of contemporary ceramics in China. How did that happen? Not just an individual with vision or a bunch of hard working staff who toiled endlessly for the sake of art, the Pottery Workshop is a philosophy: To educate, to produce great work, to help others and be charitable, and have a good time doing all that. Once a staff, student or friend, always a part of Pottery Workshop! This attitude ensures the survival of a humble pottery studio that continues to serve the community in a positive way.
Our interests have been many. We have served the community by hosting lectures, workshops and demonstrations by ceramic artists from all over the world, we have held charitable events that benefited a wide range of underprivileged people, we have taken trips to China to different ceramic production areas to learn about our history, we researched materials and experimented with techniques, we sold the best ceramic equipment to schools and artists, we have exhibited our work all over the world, we have invited artists from all over to come to our residency program and to learn about Chinese ceramics, we have been the education centre to many universities both in China and the world providing a learning environment they need, we have set up a weekly creative market for over 1000 young people so that they are able to see the possibilities of their future , we have revived a 1000 year old ceramic production town - Jingdezhen in ways unimaginable to even ourselves. I would like to thank all the friends and family who have supported us over the years, especially Mak Yee Fun, the founder of the Pottery Workshop for the start of a great place to be, Master Potter of the Universe Takeshi Yasuda, without whom the Jingdezhen Pottery Workshop would not be what it is today, and my mother Alice Cheng who gave generously every time we needed to expand or start a new project. These people are the backbone of the Pottery Workshop! The future is very exciting. China is beginning to appreciate the art of handmade pottery, and this means busy times ahead in producing interesting work for people to use and enjoy. There are artists to promote, young people to nurture, friends to be made, culture to be exchanged and fun to be had.
May we live long and prosper!
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