Posts tagged Ceramics
In the Beginning
In the Beginning

This workshop will focus on basic skill building for wheel thrown pottery.  It is intended for the novice or those who have found the successful experience of wheel throwing elusive. We will begin by discussing what makes up the clay we use and how to prepare it. We will learn how to use our hands to center, pull up the clay, and shape basic cylindrical forms. Some basic handbuilding techniques will also be included, as time allows. Due to time constraints, our emphasis will be on skill building; no firing will take place. Exclusive for beginners.

Frank Pitcher (he/him) is a studio craftsperson seeking adventure with every turn of the wheel.

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Square ONEMolly FlaniganCeramics, Frank Pitcher
Narrative + Ceramics: Thinking through Making
Narrative + Ceramics: Thinking through Making

In this workshop, we will primarily work with clay, but each day will also incorporate small exercises in creative narrative building and imagery generation on paper. Our goal is to explore the possibilities of the intersection of ceramics and comics, allowing you to imagine concepts from one medium and bring your ideas to life in the other. Throughout the workshop, we will think of narrative in the broadest of terms—starting with a simple idea and then transitioning it in incremental steps to expand it into new directions. Participants will consider a wide range of options for combining ceramics and storytelling, from creating simple wall tiles to constructing dynamic comic characters as sculptures in clay. Prior experience in ceramics required, along with a willingness to explore and experiment, without the need for mastery, and a desire to express your vision of personal observations of life around you through creative messaging, narrative, and imagery.

Kevin Snipes (he/him) is a Maker and Thinker—an American artist known for his ceramic work that blurs the boundaries between craft and art.

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Session 1Molly FlaniganCeramics, Kevin Snipes
Talking Through Tiles
Talking Through Tiles

What is a tile? A slab, a sculpture, a canvas, a pattern unit, a mathematical plane shape, a piece of history, a covering for architecture, or even for the body. Tiles can transcend utility, convey ideas, and tell a story. To this end, we will learn techniques for rolling, carving, press-molding, and slip-casting ceramic tiles. We will delve into the fascinating intercultural history of tile and use this as a foundation for expressing who we are as artists and human beings. All levels welcome.

Shae Bishop (he/him) creates sculptural garments from ceramic and textile, interweaving history and personal experience.

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Session 2Molly FlaniganCeramics, Shae Bishop
Teachers' Teachers
Teachers' Teachers

In this workshop, participants are expected to be teaching artists and will be invited to exchange and generate new approaches to ceramic education that underscore the metaphoric and conceptual potential of clay. Studio time will include making work, inventing exercises, critiquing existing structures, plotting new courses, and becoming students of our own curriculum. We will experiment with the productive potential of entwining making and teaching. Participants should be teaching artists (at any level, for a minimum of one year) who are invested in non-traditional approaches to ceramics.

Nicole Seisler (she/her) is a maker/teacher/curator who creates dialogue and perspectives around ceramics that exist in the same conditions as the material: malleable, shifting, adaptable, and enduring; existing within, between, and beyond conventional definitions.

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Session 3Molly FlaniganCeramics, Nicole Seisler
Theme + Variations on Surface Design
Theme + Variations on Surface Design

This workshop focuses on creative surface design techniques using various objects as drawing tools: cookie cutters, typing press, carving tools, flexible rulers, and other items to decorate the clay surface.  By combining various shapes, colors, and textures, we aim to express a personal meaning or story. We will use different kinds of clay and examine the contrast and variations of mood and effect. Each participant will create a cup or small item of their choice (wheel-thrown or hand-built) which will be used to explore these techniques. All levels welcome.

Masa Sasaki (he/him) is an innovative, colorful, surface design ceramic artist.

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Session 4Molly FlaniganCeramics, Masa Sasaki
Everything Everywhere All at Once: A Plethora of Techniques
Everything Everywhere All at Once: A Plethora of Techniques

This ceramics workshop invites participants to explore and deepen their unique artistic voices, focusing on personal themes and expressive clarity. Through the collaborative teaching of two accomplished ceramic sculptors, participants will engage in a diverse array of techniques, from intricate carving to large-scale building. The workshop will cover innovative approaches to glazing and non-glazing, clay modifications, press-molding, and post-firing methods, as well as the integration of mixed media elements—creating a comprehensive environment for skill development and creative experimentation. This workshop is not intended for beginners. Basic skills in ceramics are required—mainly hand-building.

Richard Notkin’s teapots, ceramic sculptures, and tile murals are stages for social/political commentary. He was featured in the premier Craft in America episode on PBS and elected a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 2008.

Trey Hill (he/him) is a professor at the University of Montana where he teaches ceramics and sculpture.

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Session 5Molly FlaniganCeramics, Richard Notkin + Trey Hill
Storybook Surfaces
Storybook Surfaces

Make functional pots on and off the wheel using red earthenware, applying slip to create canvases for illustrative surface designs. Sgraffito and underglaze techniques to achieve pen and watercolor-like effects will be demonstrated. Through interactive drawing exercises, participants will learn to develop narratives and characters, plan designs, and respond to form, finding joy in the process. Pieces will be low-fired with satin, gloss, and translucent glazes. An approachable way to explore surface design, even for those who feel they can’t draw. All levels welcome.

Celia Feldberg (she/her) makes illustrated pottery, teaches, and maintains an active involvement at craft schools. She lives in Philadelphia where she is a long-term resident at The Clay Studio.

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Session 6Molly FlaniganCeramics, Celia Feldberg