This is a 2 day weekend workshop which will give you a solid foundation for creating textured ceramic mosaics and will also take your hand-building and ceramic work to the next level. On day 1 we will learn the basics of tile making, simple techniques for molds and tips/tricks for incorporating texture. The afternoon will consist of hands-on experimenting with texture in new ways. Day 2, we will discuss substrates, grouting and simple to complex tools for creating a mosaic without a pattern. In the afternoon we will work with a variety of tools and create a mosaic using textured tiles. Some clay experience is recommended. A $35 materials fee will be paid directly to the instructor

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This is a 3-day hands-on cone 6 electric glaze testing workshop which is designed to show students how to test a base recipe and get various colors. On Friday we will be preparing test tiles with a base glaze and ten colorant variations. We will fire on Saturday in the cone 6 electric kiln and then on Sunday we will discuss the results when they are unloaded from the kiln. The workshop will also be a general overview of ceramic glazes, focusing on cone 6 glazes, reduction and oxidation. We will discuss cones, kilns, firing dynamics and principles as well as applying those principles to various firing cycles. This will lead us into some basic classifications of glazes, like ash, celadon, temmoku, etc.

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Let's gaze together into our crystal ball together to examine the mysteries of crystalline glazes... and discover that there is no magic.

Crystalline glazes are wondrous to observe but challenging to make, but they aren't magic, they are chemistry. We will dive into exploring how and why crystalline glazes actual work, testing new and interesting glazes, and look into what we still can discover about these amazing glazes.

Matt Katz has a BFA from Alfred University and a MFA from CU-Boulder. In addition to his training in the arts, for 15 years Matt has worked as a research scientist in the ceramic engineering department at Alfred. Matt teaches ceramic materials to artists for Alfred University, as well as Harvard University, The Herron School of Art, Montana State University and many other schools. In his time Matt has dedicated himself to unveiling the myths and mysteries of glazes.

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Using hand building techniques, we will explore sculpting the human face by creating a smaller than life size bust. Students will learn about basic facial anatomy and explore unique surfaces that can be used to bring your work to life. Katherine will demonstrate alternative non-fired surfaces and some low fire temperature surface finishes on some bisque pieces. We will not be overly concerned with realism, we want magic! Bring your ideas, an open mind, curiosity and a fearless willingness to experiment. If time allows, we will make a small face sculpture that can be used for a sculpture or used to make a mold. Clay will be provided to each student.

Because of time constraints, no firing will be done in this workshop.

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Ceramic paper clay artist Cory McCrory is taking clay to the wall! Whether you enjoy fin to feather or human to housing, learn about ceramic paper clay while building a piece for your wall. Bring your sketchbook with a few ideas to get a jump on engineering the building of a lightweight and steady sculpture. Make your sculpture as simple or detailed as you like (more detail means longer work). Short on ideas? Cory will have a few to get you started. We will also learn to use high temp wire for decorative accents. Included in this workshop is a demo of how to make your own small batch of paper clay. We will cover how to store your paper clay for short term or long term. Also a discussion of how Cory decorates and glazes with underglaze and wash. And finally, tips on supporting and firing more complicated wall pieces.

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