WAITHIRA CHEGE, Curriculum Vitae
email: glaze (at) waithira.com | twitter: @waithirachege
Nairobi, Kenya
Objective
To inspire the world with my passion for Ceramics & Pottery by creating beautiful works of art in addition to teaching beginners how to bring out their natural creative potentials.
Education & Professional Development
- Participant (2015)
Aberystwyth Art Centre, Wales, United Kingdom
Summary: Attended the International Pottery Festival in the capacity of an artist.
– view Facebook photos - Participant (1990)
Aberystwyth Art Centre, Wales, United Kingdom
Summary: Attended the International Pottery Festival in the capacity of an artist.
– view 1998 group pic - University of London, Goldsmiths College (1988 – 1989)
Awarded a Diploma in Ceramics (specialized on the formulation of glazes and raw materials). - Goldsmiths College (1984 – 1985)
One year full time studies in Ceramics – Complementary to the Diploma course - Loughborough University of Technology (1981)
Summer School: Attended full time Ceramics Course from 1978 to 1980.
- Full time Apprentice in Ceramics (1978 – 1980)
- Greenacres School (1969 – 1978)
Professional Experience
- Freelance Artist / Instructor (2011 – present)
– participate in various exhibitions and yearly craft fairs while teaching pottery lessons. - Supervisor/Ceramics Instructor (2000 – 2011)
Kenya Weaverbird Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya
Summary: Oversaw the development of a wide range of ceramic products that are sold at Spinners Web Kenya and to clients primarily in the Food & Beverage and Hotel industries. In addition, I taught courses in Pottery to children and adults.
- Ceramics Apprenticeships, United Kingdom (1989)
Summary: Worked under the supervision of the following professional ceramicists:
– Ray Finch – Winchcombe Pottery
– Jane Hamlyn – Yorkshire
– Robin Waln Pottery – East Anglia
– David Lloyd Jones – York - Ceramics Instructor (1980 – 1999)
Greenacres School, Nairobi, Kenya
Summary: Taught pottery to students while developing my own work which also included time off for educational pursuits abroad.
Art Travel
I was fortunate to have visited the following world-renowned artists to see their work and to gain further insights:
- the late, great David Leach (pics at Lowerdown Pottery) &
John Leach, Devon, United Kingdom (1997) - Shinsaku Hamada (Pucker Gallery, Google Books reference), Mashiko, Japan (1994)
Exhibitions
- Expressions, Village Market, Nairobi – Oct 13-16, 2016
- Awakening, Village Market, Nairobi – Nov 2011
- Light & Form, Village Market, Nairobi – May 2000
- Five Solo Exhibitions, Nairobi
Exhibited my artwork in 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993, and 1996. The 1996 Exhibition was featured on the Television magazine program, Maisha Arts.
- Group Exhibition, British Council, Nairobi – 1992
- The Art Affair group exhibition, British Council, Nairobi – 1988
Interests & Activities
I enjoy:
- Playing squash, swimming, and other sports
- Traveling to meet and share information with various artists from around the world (ie. Japan, UK, France, Italy, Holland, Canada, Belgium, Tanzania).
- Wildlife expeditions, reading, and listening to a wide variety of music.
- For relaxation, I enjoy long, peaceful walks.
References
- Mrs. Barbara Bells (Ceramacist, Port Issac UK)
- the late, great Pamela Mei Yee Leung
- Jane Hamlyn (Ceramacist, UK)
- Magdalene Anyango N Odundo (world-renowned UK Ceramacist)
- Ray Silverman (Ceramacist, UK)
- Helen Swain (Ceramacist, UK)
Photos
* A photo from an article in Travel News Magazine (now merged with Twende Magazine) in 2007
