Connecting with Clay

Connecting with clay workshop: 

Come join us for some time in nature connecting with clay and learning primitive techniques used by our ancestors as far back as we can trace. Making beautiful forms, in traditional ways and ensuring your form is functional or safe to eat or drink from if you desire. 

What you can expect from this class is to make your visions come to life with clay, a sacred material. Going inward and allowing the clay to encourage healing, insight and clarity to your life and promoting inner peace. As it has with mine. Maybe you don’t have a vision as to what you will create, that’s when you can simply ask the clay what it would like to be transformed into. 

DETAILS:

This class will be held outside and we will be building with our hands in traditional ways like, pinch pots, coil, and slab while using traditional tools. We will be working with slip and natural minerals to paint your pieces, and burnishing them as our ancestors have in the past to seal them. 

There will be a total of three classes, each one progressing with more of a challenge. Our first class, we will be making a pinch pot, coil pot, or a combination of the two. We will add coil or carve and paint to decorate as we desire. The designs can be as simple or as intricate as you would like. We will be talking about the Susquehannok and Iroquois symbols and I will have examples of their pieces and patterns if you feel inspired to incorporate them into your own piece. The second class, we will be making a mug. As for the handle, we can do several approaches and I’m excited to see what everyone choses, whether it's a traditional handle from the Native Americans or a pulled 15th century China influenced handle or perhaps something in-between. The third class, we will be making a lidded jar or box. Ensuring two separate pieces to harmonize will be the focus. 

After you have finished your piece, we will wrap them and label them. I will fire them and as soon as they are finished, I will contact you and you can pick them up at the next class (if you sign up for more than one class) or we can arrange a time for pick up at Amethyst on a different date. If you, for whatever reason are not able to pick up your piece, please let me know, and I will be in touch with you on what some other options can be.

The following will be provided: Clay, tools, paint brushes, water cups for clay, e-z ups to work under, minerals to paint with, books for reference, drinking water and tea, a vegetarian lunch.

Things you may want to bring: A fold up chair or blanket to sit on, a notebook if you like taking notes, and a reusable water bottle.