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
- Masks covering both your nose and mouth are required regardless of vaccination status. We will follow the CDC recommendations regarding mask usage but they will most likely be required at least through the entire class session so that we retain consistency for the duration of the classes.
- During the online checkout process it will tell you that something is ready for you to pick up. Please disregard – there is nothing to pick up prior to class starting, it is a website issue my online store platform will not allow me to change.
- Attendance is mandatory for the first 2 class sessions if you are new to clay (or have not taken a class in years.) There is so many foundational information conveyed in the 1st 2 classes that all remaining classes build on, it is really difficult to catch up. After the 2nd class, students may make up a missed class by attending one day of another class during the same session. Refunds are not provided for missed classes.
- Store credit towards a future class or a partial refund will be provided if a student must withdraw from the class due to quarantining requirements.
- 10-week class, 2.5 hours per class - total instruction time 25 hours, ages 16+. Dress for a mess and bring an old towel. Communal aprons are not available but you are welcome to bring your own.
- Beginners are welcome to use the studio tools to start with to ensure this is a hobby you want to commit to. At some point you will want to start investing in your own tools, which you can purchase at Burnish or at a number of online retailers. If you have tools already you are encouraged to bring them.
- Clay is sold separately; it is not included in the class fee. Bags of clay are $31 for 25lbs, which includes the cost for bisque and glaze firings, access to use the studio glazes and slips, and sales tax.
- Cash/Check Payment Discount: If you purchase tools or clay in the studio with cash or a check you will receive a 3% discount at the register.
- All students are encouraged to use open studio time to practice and make work. At this time we are not requiring appointments for open studio.
- Some open studio hours overlap with class times. You are welcome to use the opposite side of the studio during those times. For example, the wheels will be available to use while the Hand Building class is happening on the other side of the space but the glazing area and adjacent tables cannot be used during hand building or glazing classes.
- Open studio hours are not the same as the Retail Hours listed online. Effective Jan 4 open studio hours will be:
- Sundays: Noon-6PM
- Mondays: 10AM-9PM
- Tuesdays: 10AM-9PM
- Wednesdays: 10AM-9PM
- Thursdays: 10AM-9PM
- Fridays: 10AM-9PM
- Saturdays: 10AM-6PM
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Charmian Toh, pottery teacher - is a mud baby, daughter of a potter and sculptor mom and amateur photographer dad ... has been playing in mud since she was 12. She completed a bachelors in liberal arts with a focus on literature and ceramics in undergrad in NYC at Eugene Lang and Parsons.
She creates pottery both on the wheel and hand built with the idea of how function crosses with organic design. In her work she investigates form, surface and their relationship with flaura and fauna. Influenced by the subtleties of nature and the wealth of floral patterns, Charmian applies a range of floral motifs bringing summer blooms to her work. In her spare time, Charmian also channels her exploration of art, nature and life into being a herbalist, a multi medium artist, as well as a birth doula. |