Learn how to make your own pots and pans!

This 16-hour (4 sessions x 4 hours) course teaches the foundations of pottery and sculpture from scratch while working with clay. Clay is a medium created by mixing two substances. When air-dried, this material hardens on its own, however, it can be kiln fired to add color and texture. You will learn how to model and glaze ceramics from scratch, creating some pieces with unbaked clay and others with fired clay (this will be done offsite by a provider). Students will learn how to make plaster molds that they can reuse to create an infinite number of pieces in future projects.

The instructor's eclectic personality and hands-on approach allow students to learn technical skills and craftsmanship in an environment of creativity and passion that fuels their work. The focus of this course will be interior pieces such as plates, cups, mugs and vases.

Finally, students will learn the ancient art of Kintsugi. Kintsugi has its roots in the wabi-sabi Japanese aesthetic, which embraces imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity. Learn how to create a restoration project using the gold relief technique. “Perfection itself is imperfection.”

Course Outline:

• Topic 1
  • Methods of pottery
  • How to design freehand clay pottery
  • How to form the shapes and elements
  • How to preserve clay freehand pottery
• Topic 2
  • Understanding the pottery wheel
  • Pottery wheel settings
  • Various pottery techniques – centering, opening and pulling
• Topic 3
  • Slabbing Modeling with textures
  • Pinching and coiling modeling
  • Making a plaster cast
  • How to recycle clay
• Topic 4
  • A brief explanation of the ceramic process
  • Kiln bisque fire (offsite)
  • Glazing & decorate with color slip
  • Glaze fire in Kiln (offsite)
• Topic 5
  • What Is Kintsugi?
  • How to break the bowls
  • Joining the broken pieces
  • The gold paint