CraftCY was a two-day event held at CAARI on Thursday 12th and Friday 13th March, 2026.

Our studio contributed research, design work, practice-based methodologies and making knowledge, alongside archaeologists and fellow master craftspeople.

Craft-CY was designed as a space of dialogue, comparison and experimentation. Across two days, researchers investigating ancient cheese-making, pottery, stone-working, and textiles met and engaged directly with practitioners who continue, transform and reinterpret these same traditions today. This was not just a conference: it was a conversation across time.

Wild Clay: Material Evidence and Practice

The session presented wild clay through a structured demonstration of the raw material, including collected samples, processed clay bodies, and fired test pieces. Participants were introduced to the material’s properties, potential uses, and transformation stages. The presentation concluded with a curated selection of ceramic design pieces, illustrating the practical and aesthetic applications of the material.

Textiles: Tools, Patterns, and Making Knowledge

The textile session presented textile design samples and introduced woven pattern-making as a system based on numbers and sequences. It traced the evolution of woven patterns, emphasising how patterns function as a form of visual language, used not only to define material properties but also to transmit messages and narratives. The session concluded with the presentation of a four-shaft loom dressed with natural fibres and prepared for weaving, offering insight into both traditional practice and contemporary design processes.