Portrait and master classes with Marc Leuthold and Martin McWilliam (July 30.-31.2015)

The
Ceramic Fair is not only a showcase of the best in the ceramic
community but also provides the opportunity to rap on the knuckles with
the best in the field as they create their pieces of work. Every year
the Werkschule invites two outstanding ceramic artists to host a one-day
“Ceramic Portrait”-Workshop. During this workshop the artists reveal
and demonstrate how and why  they go about creating their art. Collegues
from the international scene get involved in this extraordinary event
the day before the fair. Thus, it is of no surprise that, within the
creative setting of the Werkschule, – this workshop is a lot of fun  –
proven by the keen interest of participants and artists.
      

Find all the details here

upcoming workshops at MISSA

Mariko Paterson –

SHAKE & BAKE: Handbuilding Meets Surface Design

Monday to Friday, June 29 to July 3

Come spend a week making some hand-built wonders with Mariko
Paterson. You’ll explore both functional wares and sculptural wares.
Why, you might even merge the two if you so choose! Mid-week we’ll flip
to a focus on surface design using a plethora of techniques and
possibilities. Cone 6 will be our target temperature and Mariko’s got
just the right combo of underglazes, glazes, decals and china paints to
make your pieces sing. A sense of humour and willingness to tip toe to
the edge of ceramic sanity will be most welcome.

http://www.missa.ca/product/shake-bake-handbuilding-meets-surface-design/ 

Don Ellis

ALTERNATIVE FIRING TECHNIQUES: Chasing the Elusive Flame

Don Ellis will lead five intensive days of alternative firing sessions
where participants learn to take their pots to the next level. Over 34
years of firing experience have enabled Don to achieve a magic touch
with raku that is beyond the ordinary. Don will demonstrate a variety of
surface decorations and will share firing and post-firing techniques
for getting spectacular results. Students will enjoy a fiery week of
demonstrations, glazing, and of course … firing! The focus of the
sessions will be on copper mats, post-firing fuming and more.

http://www.missa.ca/product/alternative-firing-techniques-chasing-the-elusive-flame/ 

Sandra Dolph

SLABS, NATURALLY!

This workshop is devoted to exploring slabs as 2-dimensional wall pieces
as well as 3-dimensional pots. Participants will take lunch to the
beach and walk in the forest to find nature-based decorative elements,
and then bring them back to the studio to explore how they can be
incorporated into organically made 3D slab pots. As well, students will
investigate how to design and execute 2D land/seascape wall tiles, using
those found natural elements from the beach and forest, integrating
them into colorful, textural wall pieces. All recipes used will be made
available.
http://www.missa.ca/product/slabs-naturally/

For a full list of workshops that MISSA offers please visit: http://www.missa.ca/product-category/clay-workshops/

In 1984 a group of dedicated artists formed and incorporated the
Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts (MISSA). That year,
five two-week courses were offered. Over the years we have expanded our
course selection. The school has developed an excellent reputation for
bringing in acclaimed practicing artists and our workshops have expanded
from five courses and 53 participants the first summer to over 40
workshops with more than 400 students each year from around North
America and as far away as Israel, Brazil and Mexico.

Upcoming workshops: Melbourne, Canberra, Prince George

I’ve got a busy few months ahead of me, 
and I’d love to see you out at these events if they are in your part of the world. 
I’ll be demonstrating alongside some amazing artists. 
I can’t wait to learn as well : )

SURFING the SURFACE: 
Ceramic workshop with Ben Carter (US) and Carole Epp (Canada)
@ Slow Clay Centre 

Globe-trotting contemporary ceramic artists Ben Carter and Carole Epp
deliver a one-day workshop that will inform you of the rich variety of
surface decoration approaches that they use in their individual
practises. Whilst demonstrating their techniques they will also discuss
their different blogs (Musing about Mud) and podcasts (Tales of the Red
Clay Rambler) and the way they utitlise the possibilities of the
internet and social media to engage new audiences.

This workshop will inspire you to approach your surfaces with rich
variety and also be inspired to see the inherent possibilities of the
internet and social media to expand your reach thereby making your
practice more sustainable.

Content will cover: Each artist will give a presentation about the
development of their work and career, discussing their achievements and
their use of blogs, podcasts and social media. They will then
demonstrate their unique surface techniques which will include
variations of slip and engobe deocration, sgraffito, underglaze colour,
burnishing and Ben and Carole’s individual developments in the surfaces
they use. There will be scope for deep discussion and enagagment with
these two well-known and highly respected artists. All welcome!

When: Sunday 19 July, 2015, 10am – 4pm
Where: Slow Clay Centre, 13 Keele St, Collingwood
Cost: $265 ($245 early-bird price until 1 June) Bookings are essential due to limited places.

Find out more or sign up here!

Winter
School 13-15 July
Form and
Surface
with Carole Epp and Ben Carter
@ Canberra Potters Society

Focus will be on developing rich surfaces for both
functional and sculptural ceramics. Participants
will learn a variety of surface-design methods
including slip decorating, sgraffito, underglaze
painting, resist painting, mishima, and layering
stains. During the workshop we will discuss
aesthetic issues (i.e. proportions, color theory,
etc.), making strong functional pottery forms, using
metaphor and story telling as a basis for sculpture,
and creative problem solving in the studio.
Additional discussions of marketing, social media
and the changing landscape of contemporary craft
will leave the workshop attendees recharged,
rejuvenated and ready to grow in their own studio
practice.

Here’s the details: www.canberrapotters.com.au/c_workshops.html

NORTHERN BC CLAYFEST
with Brendan Tang, Cathi Jefferson, 
Bill Reddick and Carole Epp

August 7th-9th, 2015

Join us in Prince George for our fourth Northern BC Clayfest! This
exciting event will offer you the opportunity to learn about advanced
clay techniques. You will have the opportunity to network with your
fellow artists, and meet our exciting workshop presenters. We are
hosting four nationally acclaimed clay artists who will present two days
of techniques. Presenters will also provide a 45 minute slide or video
along with their hands-on techniques for the benefit of the
participants.
This year Prince George is celebrating its 100th birthday, and the
University of Northern BC is celebrating is 25th anniversary, so we will
helping to commemorate these special occasions with our events.

Full details here

Potters Retreat with Ben Carter, Chandra Debuse and Kathy King

June 10-13th, 2015
 
The
Mary Anderson Center for the Arts is excited to host our second
Potters’ Retreat.  This June our presenters will be Ben Carter, Chandra
DeBuse and Kathy King. 
Come to the beautiful
grounds of Mt. St. Francis for this amazing three day workshop
experience. Not only will each artist work independently, but the three
will work together, interacting and exchanging stories and insights into
their lives as working artists. This workshop is designed to be a true
retreat, set on the 450 acres grounds, you will be recharged by the
community of fellow artists and the land around you. Meals will be
provided on site by the Mount’s two professional chefs and rooms are
available on site. Come and experience this fantastic retreat.
This demonstration only workshop
will showcase each artists’ work, focusing on their approach to the
surface and decoration. The intimate and personal talks with each artist
will give insight into their process and the unique approach each of
them take to their work.

Ben Carter will
demonstrate quick manipulations of soft wheel thrown clay to create
expressive pitcher, bowl, and cup forms.  He will also cover decorating
with deflocculated slip and techniques for drawing on clay, including
sgraffito, wax resists, and underglaze painting.
Chandra DeBuse
will demonstrate how she designs unique and personal pottery forms using
simple and inexpensive materials, such as plywood and craft foam.  In
addition to handbuilding, Chandra will share techniques used to alter
wheel-thrown work and to create multiple parts for building narrative
pots.

Chandra will share her surface decoration techniques, which include
sprigging, stamping, freehand drawing, underglaze inlay, sgraffito, and
the use of wax resist to create a layered and colorful surface.

Kathy King will
demostrate how to center on building a personal vocabulary of imagery
while considering methods of composition of that imagery onto the
wheel-thrown and hand built ceramic form.  With humor as a tool to
create narratives within her work, King will introduce some
non-traditional ideas about function and methods of storytelling.   She
will carve through slip-colored clay (sgraffito) and will showcase other
methods on leather-hard clay with transfer techniques such as decals,
silk-screening, resist printing from a photocopy and block-printing
images onto clay.  In addition, glaze techniques that will enhance
surface work will be demonstrated.