Co-taught with Lewis Denver
Saturday, June 13 · 10–4pm
$140 — work trade options available
Learn how to make ceramics from clay gathered directly from the land.
In this hands-on outdoor workshop, participants will learn how to find, collect, and refine wild clay using materials that can often be found in the landscape around their own studios. We’ll begin with a short walk down to the creek, where we’ll dig a beautiful blue-gray clay from a vein exposed along the bank. This raw clay will serve as our starting point for exploring how local materials can be transformed into workable studio clay.
Throughout the workshop, we’ll discuss approaches to sourcing local clay, from researching geology and identifying deposits to the practical and ethical considerations of gathering materials from the land. We’ll consider both what is gained by working with clay from a specific place and the responsibilities of collecting with care, while also comparing local harvesting with the less-visible impacts of commercially processed materials.
Working directly with the on-site clay vein, participants will observe and practice traditional methods for refining raw clay into a material that can be used in the studio. We’ll look closely at the physical qualities of clay, including its strengths, limitations, and how it behaves in different ceramic processes. Participants will also learn ways to test and modify local clay bodies using other materials to expand both their functional and aesthetic possibilities while still meeting the practical needs of a studio practice.
Along the way, we’ll discuss how decisions about clay and material composition can connect to larger ideas in contemporary ceramic art, including place, sustainability, material responsibility, and the relationship between artistic practice and the landscapes we work within.
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
Understand practical and ethical considerations involved in sourcing local clay
Use basic techniques for collecting and refining raw clay
Assess the properties and limitations of locally sourced clay
Test and modify local clay using commercial ceramic materials
Participants are encouraged to bring clay from home if they’d like to share or test it during the workshop.
Please note:
This is an outdoor workshop. Accessing the clay site requires stepping down a small embankment and walking through a shallow creek. Please wear appropriate footwear and be prepared to get a little muddy.
Co-taught with Lewis Denver
Saturday, June 13 · 10–4pm
$140 — work trade options available
Learn how to make ceramics from clay gathered directly from the land.
In this hands-on outdoor workshop, participants will learn how to find, collect, and refine wild clay using materials that can often be found in the landscape around their own studios. We’ll begin with a short walk down to the creek, where we’ll dig a beautiful blue-gray clay from a vein exposed along the bank. This raw clay will serve as our starting point for exploring how local materials can be transformed into workable studio clay.
Throughout the workshop, we’ll discuss approaches to sourcing local clay, from researching geology and identifying deposits to the practical and ethical considerations of gathering materials from the land. We’ll consider both what is gained by working with clay from a specific place and the responsibilities of collecting with care, while also comparing local harvesting with the less-visible impacts of commercially processed materials.
Working directly with the on-site clay vein, participants will observe and practice traditional methods for refining raw clay into a material that can be used in the studio. We’ll look closely at the physical qualities of clay, including its strengths, limitations, and how it behaves in different ceramic processes. Participants will also learn ways to test and modify local clay bodies using other materials to expand both their functional and aesthetic possibilities while still meeting the practical needs of a studio practice.
Along the way, we’ll discuss how decisions about clay and material composition can connect to larger ideas in contemporary ceramic art, including place, sustainability, material responsibility, and the relationship between artistic practice and the landscapes we work within.
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
Understand practical and ethical considerations involved in sourcing local clay
Use basic techniques for collecting and refining raw clay
Assess the properties and limitations of locally sourced clay
Test and modify local clay using commercial ceramic materials
Participants are encouraged to bring clay from home if they’d like to share or test it during the workshop.
Please note:
This is an outdoor workshop. Accessing the clay site requires stepping down a small embankment and walking through a shallow creek. Please wear appropriate footwear and be prepared to get a little muddy.
