Photo: Tomas Regan

A workshop related to wild clay organized in Kankaanpää gathered about twenty visual artists and traditional builders interested in local natural materials on the Art School campus for a workshop led by visual artist Katariina Guthwert.

Guthwert has used clay in a variety of ways in his art and is also active behind the Kainuu kaolin festivals.

– I have noticed that local stories and encounters with people are meaningful in my own artistic work, says Guthwert.

The workshop also included a walk led by local master bricklayer Aimo Heinonen to explore the village of Lempu and hear stories related to the place, both about the history of the brick factory and local ceramic expertise.

Pasi Talvitie, geologist at Lauhanvuori-Hämeenkangas UNESCO Global Geopark, brought a perspective to the workshop about the geological story of the area and what all can be found in clay.

The workshop will continue in spring 2026, when workshop courses related to natural materials led by expert artists will be organized in Kankaanpää.