2024 is an exciting year for the SPA with our ambitious programme of exhibitions for our 50th Anniversary.
We have 5 exhibitions planned across Scotland with the theme of “Roots and Wings”, 2 exhibitions are selected (by the Galleries not SPA) and 3 are open exhibitions. This is your opportunity, wherever you are on your pottery journey, to take part in a Scottish Potter’s exhibition.
Download a timeline/planner which will hopefully help you in making decisions about what exhibitions you would like to be part of, there is no limit to the number of exhibitions you take part in as members.
Theme
The theme agreed by the committee is “Roots and Wings”. Please read the explanation of this theme, it is intended to be inclusive of all members and will hopefully encourage lots of our members to take part in one or more of our exhibitions next year.
"Roots And Wings"
As far as an explanation goes, the title comes from the saying that "Good parents give their children roots and wings. Roots to know where home is and wings to fly away and exercise what’s been taught them”. That’s the version attributed to Jonas Salk, but there are lots of different versions out there..
The Roots part relates to the idea that we want to acknowledge our history, whilst giving a nod to the idea that we’re all standing on the shoulders of our own pottery teachers.
The Wings part is envisaged as using the 50th exhibitions to show Scotland, and the world, the best of Scottish ceramics. That means asking members to bring forward what they consider to be their best work, in any ceramic form. Work that shows how far each member has developed, how they have ‘flown’. And to encourage all members, whether they have been making for four months or forty years.
We know some members don’t like themes, so I think it’s really important that we communicate to you, the members, the idea that the theme is meant to open out the possibilities of what members could submit, not close them down - no one should feel that they can’t submit their work because there’s a ’theme’.
Exhibitions
Our first exhibition was a selected exhibition at “Resipole studios fine art gallery” in Ardnamurchan.
This will soon be followed by an open exhibition at "The Granary" in Haddington.
Further exhibitions are planned for Inverness, The Barony, Manar House and at the Heinzel Gallery in Aberdeen.