This is a six week class with two options

Mondays in September (7-28) and October (5 and 12) - 6:00PM-9:00PM with Stephen Homer

OR

Thursdays in September (3, 10, 17, no class the 24th) and October (1, 8, 15) - 6:00PM-9:00PM with Stephen Homer

Skill Level: Three (Advanced)

Requirements: Ability to create work without assistance and with intention. This is for students who have significant experience with creating functional ceramic objects.

Feel like your pieces are missing something? Are your functional pieces not as functional as you wish? Does pouring from your pitcher leave you with more on the table than in your cup? Then join us for this six-week class exploring ways to help refine your work and take it to another level! We will cover considerations in design and approaches to finishing that will make your work feel more complete. From the design and concept phase through to final finishing touches, we will cover all the “big” and the “little” things that can make your work feel more complete and refined. 

Week One: 

How to evaluate and critique work

Group discussion on what makes a piece “good”

Students will bring in examples of their own work and that of others (including commercially produced items)

Some of the topics for week two will be discussed here as time allows

Week Two:

Size and Proportion

Weight

Balance

Visual consistency

Rule of thirds

The golden ratio

Sketching, design, and planning

Pre-bisque refining - burnishing, sanding, using slip, sponging, terra sig

Potential work time

Week Three: 

Creating multiples

Post-bisque refining - sanding

Food safety considerations in functional work

Putting things into practice

Work time

Week Four:

Group discussion/crits over work made/in progress

Post glaze refining - sanding, evaluating glaze results, reglazing

Seconds and when a piece just doesn’t work out

Work time

Week Five: 

Group discussion/crits over work made/in progress

Final chance to work and finish pieces

Week Six: 

Final group discussion/critique of finished works (and those still in progress)

Revisiting the pieces discussed in the first week

Included with class:

• 15lbs cone 6 clay

• Firings of all work made during the course

• Studio access outside of class time during the following hours:
  Monday-Thursday 9:00AM-9:00PM, Friday-Sunday 10:00AM-6:00PM

You will need to bring:

Whatever tools you need for creating your work

Highly suggested that you have your own bats/bat system if you’re throwing

For the first and final classes you will need to bring at least six examples of work, these can be yours or made by someone else. Bring pieces that have things you feel are really successful and those you find less so.

An open mind in regards to receiving constructive feedback on work you’ve created.