Sarah (UK) and Robyn (Australia) will discuss our long-distance collaboration originating from our sensory, embodied approaches to clay, and share the opportunities, challenges and rewards of working together yet remotely.

Elsewhere: a correspondence

After discovering common ground in our sensing and embodied clay practices, Sarah Christie (UK) and Robyn Phelan (Australia) initiated a year-long experimental, long-distance correspondence, journeying across one another’s landscapes, time, and seasonal rhythms. Our ‘call and response’ methodology has encouraged improvisation by generating intuitive exchanges of material, image and text, with numerous conversations along the way. 

Centred around a series of walks in corresponding times and locations, we have exchanged letters, drawings, photography, and images of clay work, supplemented with film and text. This has laid rich ground for working together in person for the first time in Melbourne, when clay will take centre-stage as we bring ideas into material practice. Respecting the many ways in which clay tests our desires for reliability and certainty, we embrace open-ended exploration in favour of creating space for unanticipated twists and turns.

At WEDGE, the Australian Ceramics Triennale we shared how and why we have worked together. We discussed the opportunities and challenges of working long-distance, as well as offering ideas and pointers for others looking for reciprocal and supportive ways to enrich and sustain their practices in clay.