Michelle Gregor
June 17th-21st 2024
Improvisation in Figurative Clay Sculpture
9:30-4:30 Tuition $750; materials included
This 5 day hands-on workshop on sculpting the human figure in clay will include live process demonstrations, improvisational exercises and slide presentations.
We will emphasize an experimental approach, manipulating your “first drafts” to discover movement, gesture and vitality. Participants will learn construction techniques to push past the common stumbling blocks of proportion, movement and balance.
Specifically, students will build small-scale maquettes in anticipation of larger work, learn solid sculpting methods and how to hollow and prepare their pieces for firing. We will break the figure down into basic components and use them to explore their potential for various poses.
Special sessions will focus on challenging areas such as creating heads and hands. Additionally, we will address surface techniques using texture, underglazes and mark-making to strengthen and unify the form and to develop rich surface effects.
Michelle will work with each participant on their individual artwork. Participants are invited to bring pieces of bisque ware to explore surface and color using a variety of techniques including underglazes, stains and pencils.
All skill levels are welcome!
Instagram: Michellegregor
Sarah Anderson
July 12th-14th 2024
Sgraffito Designs
9:30-4:30 Tuition $550; materials included
Join Sarah Anderson on a deep dive into the surface design of sgraffito!
During this 3 day hands-on workshop, you will be incorporating two-dimensional imagery onto the three-dimensional surface of clay.
Learn new ways to incorporate these elements together with the use of color, texture, movement, and other elements and principles of art.
Explore new uses of surface design techniques, how to use negative and positive space to create illusions of depth, working with the clay at various stages, underglaze tips, and more.
We will begin the workshop with clay tiles and paper to collage our imagery, and learn how to create a successful composition.
Participants are also welcome to come prepared with leather hard pieces to use for their final sgraffito design.
Instagram: SarahAndersonCeramics
Ben Lambert
July 22nd-26th 2024
Slab Happy Swimmers
9:30-4:30 Tuition $750; materials included
Have you ever wanted to use clay to make fish with personality?
In this 5 day hands-on workshop you will create your fish from a drawing or photograph.
You will learn how to make and use templates to build wall-hanging or free-standing fish with soft slabs of clay.
Ben will demonstrate methods of transforming basic forms into ones with expressive postures and surfaces.
We will also experiment by layering mid-range glazes, underglazes, and other ceramic chemicals in search of finding novel colors and textures to fire on our scaly specimens.
Instagram; Blam_ceramics
Lakyn Bowman
August 2nd-4th 2024
Mono-Printing on Clay
9:30-4:30 Tuition $550; materials included
In this 3 day hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to mono-print on clay surfaces.
This technique utilizes underglazes and colored slips to transfer hand drawn images onto the participants leather hard clay.
Lakyn will be demonstrating her method to achieve aged and weathered surfaces on a red clay base. Students will also learn how to apply handles post decoration without messing up the design.
The workshop teaches tips on composition and spacing and how that plays an important part in the end results of this diverse technique.
Instagram: @lakynbowman_art
Ariel Bowman
August 12th-16th 2024
Animals in Clay
9:30-4:30 Tuition $750; materials included
Walk on the wild side and learn to sculpt animals in clay!
In this 5 day hands-on workshop participants will create animals of their choosing using solid building methods.
Ariel will demonstrate the basics of solid construction and how to use an armature to create an 18 inch sculpture. Some clay sculpture experience is necessary for students who want to create larger pieces, but beginners are also welcome if they want to work smaller.
Clay modeling demonstrations will include a variety of techniques for sculpting animal anatomy and creating accurate proportions based on scientific observation. Discussions will focus on animal expression, gesture, and the use of maquettes and sketching to plan out larger works. Participants will learn how to hollow, reassemble, and detail their personal animal sculptures over the course of the workshop.
Ariel will also share her techniques for creating different animal textures including how to make silicone texture mats. Each student will create their own texture mats for future use. Other discussions will include creating environments and context for animal figures, and ways of making clay look like other materials by integrating mixed media with ceramics.
In the final days of the workshop, glazing animal sculpture will also be discussed including experimenting with commercial glazes and using slow cooling programs in electric kilns. Participants will have the opportunity to try out glazes and stains on test tiles that they create and plan a future surface for their finished sculptures.
Instagram: @ariel.bowman