Handwork, Art & Ceramics – Fiona Cullen

Fiona teachers Handwork across the School, and Art and Ceramics in Upper School. She grew up on a pioneering organic/Biodynamic training farm in East Sussex and attended Michael Hall Steiner School from age 12 to 18. Fiona has a degree in 3-D Design (Wood/Metal/Ceramics/Plastics), a PGCE in Art and Design, and has trained on the UK Waldorf Handwork Teacher Training Course.

Before joining Cardiff Steiner School in 2014 Fiona was Coordinator of Vision 21’s (Cyfle Cymru’s) Fairwater Pottery for 10 years. She has taught art, ceramics, crafts and handwork to a wide range of people and ages, in both formal and informal settings- including 15 years as a Creative Tutor in Art, Design & Ceramics for Pontypridd Adult Community Education, and as an Art & Design Lecturer at Pontypridd College. Fiona also teachers Clay and Kiln Building & Firing on the renowned Pyrites annual Summer Craft Camps, which offer traditional crafts and landscape skills.

Fiona has an extensive range of artisan skills including ceramics, basket making, living willow, jewellery, felting, natural dyeing and paper making. She has exhibited as a ceramic and jewellery artist, and her widely commissioned ceramic, tile and mosaic work includes many public and environmental projects. She enjoys learning new skills, deepening her expertise and developing ways of sharing her knowledge and skills with others.

Fiona’s upbringing and Steiner Education has had a major impact on her outlook and ideals, and remain an important influence.

“I have always loved making things with my hands. At Michael Hall Steiner School I loved working with wood, metal, clay and wool and spent much of my free time in the art room. I was lucky enough to have had the most wonderful history of art lessons, and to have attended an unforgettable history of art trip to Italy at the end of year 12. At Michael Hall I learnt to carve wood, to do copper raising, certefugal casting with silver using the lost wax process, to spin and weave with wool, and to throw pots on a wheel, among other craft skills.”

Fiona has always enjoyed working with children and young people, and believes strongly in the importance of encouraging them to become self-reliant and to learn to use their hands and fingers in a practical and creative way

“I think it is increasingly important to make children and young people aware of traditional heritage craft skills and socially conscious design. They need to understand where materials come from and how to fashion artisan crafts from raw materials. These techniques help them to be curious about how everyday materials are structured and to develop greater sensitivity to colour, tone, texture, line, pattern and shape.”