Sip & Make: Memory Vessels

Learn from local artist Elizabeth Wells to create your own Memory Vessel made from air-dried clay and nontraditional materials in this three-hour workshop.

Memory Vessels, popularized among folk artists in America and Europe during the 18th & 19th century, have roots in the traditional burial practices of the Bakongo people in Central and West Africa. When some of the Bakongo people were enslaved and forcibly brought to Europe and America, their traditional burial practices then merged with local material and memorial practices and became Memory Vessels as they are known today – a popular folk art form that serves as alternatives to gravestone markers, household objects, and mementos.

This program includes a visit to the Frick’s greenhouse to gain inspiration from Atticus Adams’ new installation, Catching Sunbeams from the Porch Swing of Wisteria Castle. These dynamic sculptures are inspired by the artist’s childhood memories of summers with his grandmother and his own Neo-Appalachian folk art roots.

Elizabeth Wells is a Pittsburgh-based Appalachian artist whose work explores permanence using clay’s ability to record memories. Liz is both an independent artist and member of the Frick’s education team.

Each ticket includes a tour of Atticus Adams’ installation in the Frick’s greenhouse, dialogue with local Appalachian clay artist Liz Wells, all necessary art materials to leave the workshop with a completed vessel, and light bites and beverages.

This workshop is best suited for participants ages 14 and up. Participants below the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.