A three-day state level workshop on ‘Skill Upgradation/Capacity Building on Pottery and Clay Modelling’ was inaugurated on Friday at the office of Tribal Research Institute (TRI) in Imphal.
During the event, additional secretary of Tribal Affairs and Hills, Zuringla Kengoo said that while preserving the tradition and culture of a society, pottery and clay modelling are great ways to ignite one's creativity, enhance earning capacity and empower local artists.
The workshop was organised by the TRI in collaboration with Imphal Arts College and was sponsored by the Tribal Affairs Ministry.
“One can make pottery and clay modelling a hobby while for another, it is an economic activity. From the daily traditional uses of clay pots to sculpting as fine arts, this has a great potential for enhancing the earning capacity, in addition to one’s regular means of livelihood,” she said.
Upgrading skills to deliver custommade orders can greatly benefit the artist or sculptor, and the use of technology is a trend in this generation that leverages the potters in their earning capacity, added the additional secretary.
She said that though pottery and clay modelling can be hard to learn, anything can be achieved when people are determined and have a mind to learn and adapt.
TRI is providing this opportunity for interested entrepreneurs and beginners, she said, adding, "Let this hands-on training experience, which will be a part of this three-day workshop, encourage new initiatives in bringing out varieties of clay products, raise market values, and bring out practical useful products."
The workshop can be a beginning of a destiny. It can help create job opportunities for many potential young artists and pave way to find clay and pottery a meaningful expression of their creativity and livelihood as well, she added.
Further urging the trainees to make the most of the three days to explore their potential to a meaningful end, she said, “Clay is never boring; there is always more to explore, more to try out and more to create. Be prepared for a fine adventure as you enter the world of pottery, for clay is as deep and as broad as the earth it comes from.”
The function was attended by additional chief secretary of Tribal Affairs and Hills Letkhogin Haokip as chief guest, principal of Imphal Arts College A Hemanta as president and additional secretary Tribal Affairs and Hills DK Thangboi as guest of honour.
