Bricks and Buildings
House Collective is our creative panel for 16–25-year-olds. Formed by the Learning Team and Volunteer Coordinator, House Collective was formed to bring young voices into the museum. Specifically, to learn about the heritage sector, to explore different art forms with specialists, and to give them a say in the direction of the museum.
Recently, as well as guided tours around our exhibition spaces, House Collective have been on several exciting trips to discover more about local history. There’s no better person to tell you all about it than Jilly, Learning and Engagement Curator, who helped form the group. Over to Jilly!
Insight, Off-Site
This July, House Collective enjoyed two inspiring weekends exploring the rich landscapes and heritage of our local area. Our first adventure began with a guided tour of Bulmer Brick Yard, where members learned about the history of the site and collected natural pigments to use in a watercolour workshop led by artist and Print Workshop Member Raphaella Pester. The day continued with a visit to the fascinating ruins of a Roman Villa in Gestingthorpe, where we were welcomed with incredible generosity and a wealth of local knowledge.
Inspired by these experiences, and by our current exhibition, Gainsborough, Turner & Constable: Inventing Landscape, House Collective created a series of beautiful watercolour studies capturing the colours, textures and stories of the Suffolk landscape.
Creating our own piece of history
The following weekend, the group worked with ceramic artist Ned Davies of Helgate Pottery to transform clay from Bulmer Brick Yard into their own handmade tiles. We can’t wait to see the finished pieces once they have been fired back at the brick yard.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who shared their time, expertise, and enthusiasm with us. Discovering these remarkable Suffolk gems has sparked new ideas and will continue to inspire House Collective’s future creative projects.
Stay tuned! House Collective will soon be delivering their own workshops as part of the Festival of Nature, in partnership with Mill Tye Gallery and Arts Centre. We look forward to sharing more details soon.
