At the end of this October I had the opportunity to travel back to Oaxaca. While on this trip I participated in a workshop through Pocoapoco, a partnership between six leaders in the community who use various forms of creative practice to cultivate support, care and connection.

The workshop I took part in, called Conversations on Clay and led by Martha Alicia (@mujer_barro), was spent learning and talking about the history of clay in Oaxaca and its connection with the ancestors and land.

Through five days of creative practice with fellow ceramicists, we learned about the importance of clay to the communities of Oaxaca through Martha Alicia’s eyes. She brought us to her home outside the city where we sourced local clay (with the permission of the village community), processed it, and at the end of program were able to fire it on an open fire at Martha's home.

In between this process, we also met women artisans working in clay and learned about their stories and practices. The knowledge, inspiration, and care shared during this time was remarkable.

Pocoapoco is offering another workshop in April 2023 called Conversations on Creative Practice, Community and Care, where they will further explore the critical importance of creative work in community through five days of creative practice, conversation and exchange. The workshop will spend time visiting, talking, and collaborating with six projects — Proyecto LAM, Mujer Barro, Casa Abierta, Habitat, Hacer Comun, and Compañía Fantasma — whose creative focuses include design, movement, theater, contemporary art, artisanal craft, and agriculture. For more information on signing up and to support their programming, click here.