The earthaware division of SOLIDCORE developed out of several environment creating projects which founder Owen William Fritts completed for corporate clients of SOLIDCORE. From those beginnings earthaware has developed into an interactive educational, creativity and team building experience. Earthaware has quickly found friends across the planet.

FORM

The first earthaware project was the Portland, OR Wieden+Kennedy Nest done with sculptor Patrick Dougherty of Stickwork and made from willow branches. Fritts consulted on the form and meaning of the space with client Dan Wieden then designed and created all the internal furnishings and lighting while Dougherty wove the walls with the aid of Fritts and several interns.

TEACHING

The W+K Nest experience led Fritts to address his environmental awareness concerns by adding organic local and reuse materials to the SOLIDCORE palette. He established the educational workshop based platform during the Smiley Media Aerie project in Austin, TX where he taught college students the weaving technique while discussing environmental impacts of materials decisions with the group. The young adults in the workshop were from both the Austin Art Institute and Texas AM architecture and design program. All in attendance participated in the design and creation process during four days of weaving the freestanding conference room surround.

YOUTH

Next Fritts joined with Michelle Ricker, RD to create the OPENmotion series of projects. OPENmotion was a ground breaking initiative that combined Fritts' green design form making and educational platform with Rickers' health, movement and nutrition for kids background to create play oriented educational experiences.

The internationally notable project at the Hand in Hand School set new ground in combining local materials with kids creativity. The workshop was run over a week in Jerusalem, Israel involving over 75 Jewish and Arabic kids and included the aid of 12 graduate students from the city's Bezalel Design Acadamey.

TODAY

Earthaware now runs workshops for public and private schools, universities and corporations across the globe using the fundamentals of creation, art and hands on experience added to the use of locally found materials and through dialogue teaches awareness of our environment and the impacts our decisions make on it. See our projects page for exciting past, current and upcoming workshops and events.