Parramatta Clay & Arts Inc.

I found out about Dianne Turner and her creative social enterprise PCAI by accident when I raced into Parramatta Heritage Centre and found the Clay Connections exhibition, and then again through School of Social Entrepeneurs’s graduates directory. In Parramatta last November and needed a loo stop, went into the Heritage Centre and found an exhibition, called Clay Connections, of historical ceramics production in the Parramatta area, it was great!! It’s very rare in Sydney to find such a thorough exploration of Australian ceramic history. 2 weeks later I was filling out my profile on the SSE student directory and stumbled upon Dianne’s profile and her vision for a ceramics orientated organisation and training centre in Western Sydney Went back for the exhibition information day in March and met Dianne. She’s energetic and very committed to her goal. We found out we both went to National Art School for our ceramics training and the SSE connection is also there so we hit it off well and I joined her association. Went to an association planning meeting in April and found that Dianne has secured a workshop venue next to the Parramatta River and a Council sponsored ‘pop-up’ shop for training exhibition and sales over the next few months while the new centre is organised. Have been invited to exhibit and sell as well but don’t think I have enough yet. It’s good to have it as an option though I’d like to be more involved as I develop my own arts practice this year. Great find!