DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/ZT4M-5483

Defense Date

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts

Department

Dean's Office Qatar

First Advisor

Levi Hammett

Second Advisor

Reema Abu Hassan

Third Advisor

Rab McClure

Abstract

Under pressure from mass production and the decline of artisan skills, craft traditions risk becoming relics of the past. Crafting Futures challenges this by treating machines as tools of creative expression, working alongside and in harmony with traditional hand techniques. By pairing an experienced potter with a creatively deployed 3D-printer to develop a series of artifacts, this research fosters a dynamic conversation between partners. Digital fabrication can engage with, rather than replace, traditional making practices, emphasizing the role of the maker’s imagination as the site of knowledge, intuition, and improvisation. The resulting series of hybrid clay vessels reinforce not only the value of the human hand in the production process but also the role of technology, producing outcomes neither could achieve alone.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

5-9-2025

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