Three PhD students (Jennifer Allinson, Megan Randall and Kathryn Wightman), along with the University’s ceramics lecturer Rob Winter, will travel to Peru in April this year to collaborate with producers from Traidcraft’s pottery supplier Allpa and offer their expertise.
They will design a new range of ceramics, as well as work on technical issues, such as ensuring the ceramics are glazed and therefore safe to use with food. This will hopefully improve export orders to Europe and increase the producer’s income.
Allpa manager Maria del Carmen visited the National Glass Centre and met up with the Rob and Jennifer for a tour of the Centre.
Maria says: “We are very excited about their visit. This is something that we want to encourage a lot, the ceramics work. We think there is huge potential so we are very excited to talk to Rob and the students and to see what we can do this year.”
Zenen Santana Delgado, supplier support co-ordinator at Traidcraft, says: “Traidcraft has an excellent relationship with Sunderland University. We’re thrilled that the students and Rob will be providing their expert design and technical skills and working with our pottery producers to develop a new range of ceramics.”
PhD student Jenny says: “The skills the producers have in Peru are amazing and we’re looking forward to bringing in some new ideas. It is a two-way collaboration and it’s an amazing opportunity for us students.”
Rob Winter, Sunderland University’s ceramics lecturer, adds: “We’ll be designing ceramics but also looking at technical issues such as colouring, glazing and using electric kilns.”
