Surface Decoration Boot Camp: 3 Part Workshop Series for Clay Students

This new workshop series is for clay students who are comfortable making pots and want to explore new ways of finishing their pieces. Each 3 hour workshop will include detailed demonstrations, discussion of materials/tools used and examples of finished work by potters working in these methods. Workshop fee includes the opportunity to try the demonstrated techniques during the last hour of class with tools and clay provided by the instructor. Potter Amy Higgason has spent her career using surface decoration techniques to develop a recognizable and unique body of work. See examples of her pottery at http://www.pigeonroadpottery.com.

Sgraffito is a technique where the potter lays down a background of colored slip or underglaze and then carves through it to reveal the clay’s natural color. Sgraffito has a wood cut quality which varies based on the tools used for carving. The class will discuss ways to transfer images and the types of marks made by various tools. Students will carve a sample tile at the end of class.

Learn how to decorate a form with drawings and carved patterns. Explore creating textures with every day objects. Watch as a pot is divided in to sections for carving. The class will discuss ways to make marks, create stamps from clay or craft foam and choosing glazes that accentuate textured surfaces. Students will be provided a small cup to carve at the end of class.