In February 2025, the Virtual Ecologies project team delivered a ‘Chalk and Clay’ workshop at Champney Treasure House exploring the history of chalk in its relation to the unique geology of the East Riding. The work explored chalk as an industrial material, its relationship to the clay and alluvium deposits of the coast, and how chalk itself could by used creatively to make new art works.
*All images in this blog post are the copyright of Virtual Ecologies.
Virtual Ecologies worked in collaboration with archivist Hannah Stamp to access and select historical material including maps from the East Riding Archives, and curator Sally Hayes to utilise objects, including post-war flour sacks from local manufacturers and blown bird eggs. These resources gave lead workshop facilitator Fiona Caley and supporting artist Matt Fratson from the project team a rich and meaningful starting point, and context to introduce to participants for making new and unforeseen connections.
Participants took their initial responses to the material, and translated them creatively by working into slabs of chalk putty, prepared by Fiona, using pigments, graphite and a range of mark-making tools. From there, responses spilled over onto paper-based drawings and paintings, testing other ways of using the putty to communicate a wealth of ideas around land and sky, place and memory. Bridging past and present, many of the works included words and notes and were shaped by conversations in the room, emerging from our initial investigations.
The East Riding Archives and East Riding Museums services thank Virtual Ecologies for making use of the county’s historic collections for their inspirational and creative project.
‘Virtual Ecologies: Chalk and Clay’ workshop summary kindly provided by Matt Fratson.
Virtual Ecologies is an Arts Council England funded intergenerational learning project, which aims to unlock memories of nature, and local ecological knowledge through creative exchanges, for people of all ages across East Yorkshire. Find out more at www.virtualecologies.com
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