Classes for All Experience Levels, Including No Experience
Kids Clay - Wednesdays, 5-weeks
Wednesdays 2/9-3/9, 3:00-4:30 PM with Sara Young. During this 5-week class kids ages 6-10 will be introduced to hand-building techniques such as pinch, slab, and coil construction as well as various surface decoration techniques for adding color, pattern, and texture. Your child will have a wonderful time creatively exploring clay while learning new skills and making great friends! All tools and materials included in class fee.
Enhanced Skills Classes for Experienced Students
Beginning Surface Design, 5 weeks
Saturdays Jan 8 - Feb 2, 2:00-4:30 PM with Charmian Toh. Want to decorate your pots beyond the usual dipping and splashing of glazes? Join Charmian as she walks you through a colorful course to ignite your inspiration as you begin your surface decoration skills! This 5-week class will be loaded with detailed step-by-step instruction that will focus on basic techniques such as sgraffito, mishima (inlay), wax resist and basic painting and stamping.
This is an enhanced skills class and does not include instruction on making the forms to be decorated, so students are required to have completed at least 1 previous either wheel or hand building class. During the 1st class Charmian will show you how to make simple press form slab plates that can be used to practice these techniques on, but students must plan on making pieces in advance during open studio times to be leather hard for each class session.
You’ll learn how to:
● Learn how to decipher which tool to use for patterns and incising lines
● Apply slip and underglaze, and use the sgraffito process to create fun, colorful patterns and designs
● Mix underglaze colors to create the perfect gradient
● Apply oxide washes to create the desired antiqued pattern effects
● Lay out a pattern on a round form
● Carefully choose colors that work well together
● How to use latex, shellac or wax resist to form patterns
● Add final touches to a finished form with sanding to create super smooth surfaces
Stencils and Monoprints on Clay, 5 weeks
Saturdays Feb 12 - Mar 12, 2:00-4:30 PM with Charmian Toh. Want to step up your game on surface decoration? Interested in getting intricate details? Want to explore portraits on your ceramic pieces? Join Charmian as she walks you through an exciting colorful class to begin your journey on printmaking on clay. This 5-week class will be loaded with detailed step-by-step instruction that will focus on techniques such as Monoprinting and stenciling.
This is an enhanced skills class and does not include instruction on making the forms to be decorated, so students are required to have completed at least 1 previous either wheel or hand building class. During the 1st class Charmian will show you how to make simple press form slab plates that can be used to practice these techniques on, but for weeks 2-5 students should plan on making pieces in advance during open studio times to be leather hard for each class session.
You’ll learn how to:
● Choose designs and pictures for your ceramic pieces
● What materials to use for mono prints and stencils - tyvek vs newsprint
● Slip trailing and applying underglazes
● Mix underglaze colors to create the perfect gradient
● Using oxide and mason stain washes to create layered textural effects
● Alter your piece to create additional movement and texture.
Glazed & Confused - Sunday Afternoons, 10 weeks
Sundays 1/9-3/13, 2:00-4:30 PM with Margaret Rattle. This is a 10 week skill focused class if you are interested in refining and expanding your glazing skills using the existing studio glazes and overglazes. You will learn how to assess glaze thickness and play with application techniques. For the 1st class, we will have some sample pieces available for you to use (but not keep) if you do not have any bisque pieces ready yet but for the remaining weeks you will need to come to class with bisqued pots ready to glaze.
Students in this class will have access to Open Studio hours to make more work for glazing throughout the class session. Making of new work will not be a part of the weekly class session. This is an enhanced skills class and does not include instruction on making the forms to be decorated, so students are required to have completed at least 1 previous either wheel or hand building class so that they can make work unassisted during open studio hours.