Course Descriptions
Wheel I: Intro to wheel >
Begin your clay experience with a fun and exciting experience on the potter’s wheel. It’s not as easy as it looks on T.V. but we know you can do it with the help of our skilled teaching staff. You will learn to create mugs, bowls, plates, simple vases, and more. Remember, the more you practice the better you get so use your free studio time. This class is designed for the absolute beginner and those artists wishing to brush up on the fundamentals.
Wheel II: Intermediate
So you can center some clay and make basic forms; now let’s see how far you can push those skills! This class will strengthen your foundation techniques and get you comfortable with most wheel-thrown forms. We will also cover new shaping techniques and surface decoration. Our goal is make you a better potter while having as much fun as the law allows.
Wheel II: Advanced
We know you can throw so now let’s put some personality into those pots. This class will cover several advanced forming techniques while putting a focus on personal style. Class discussion will play a major role in the direction of each lesson and we will work as a team to develop an eye for form. This class will make you a better potter.
Wheel III: Alterations
Ben Clark will work with the class on turning wheel thrown pots into every form imaginable! We will alter the wheel thrown forms enough to make the viewer question how they were created. See you there!
Wheel III: Pouring Vessels
Ben Clark will work with students on various forms that pour. Batter bowls, pitchers, creamers, teapots, oil and vinegar containers and those giant buckets that fill with water and pour on the heads of kids at the water parks will all be covered in this course. Wear your swimsuit.
Wheel III: A Potter's Workbook II
Wheel throwers at every skill level will strengthen technique amd eye for form. We will focus on every section of a vessel through throwing exercises and critique. Our goal will be to create forms that have a sense of purpose and thoughtfulness.
Wheel III: Sets
Studio manager Bethany Kramer will take you step by step through the difficult process of creating plate sets, bowl sets, cup sets, and anything else you want to use for that next dinner party. Bethany crosses back and forth from wheel to handbuilding and will give you the tools to successfully work in both styles. This class pushes you to figure out a little more about developing your own style and helps you understand what is and isn’t important in your own pottery process.
Wheel III: Alterations II
Wheel throwers at every skill level will strengthen technique amd eye for form. We will focus on every section of a vessel through throwing exercises and critique. Our goal will be to create forms that have a sense of purpose and thoughtfulness.
Crystalline Glazes
This is a test and learn class! We will make wheel forms with porcelain and mix our own crystalline glazes. Students will study crystalline firing techniques as well as glaze formulation. As a class, we will attempt to find mild success in this very tricky glazing and firing technique. $200
Japanese Techniques for the Wheel
In this course we will be studying many traditional Japanese forms. We will not only be focusing on the throwing process, but will also discuss the aesthetic, history, traditions, and ceremonies surrounding Japanese ceramics. This class will run for eight weeks, as opposed to our usual 6 week session. We feel that it is necessary to extend this course because of the vast amount of material necessary to include, in order to accurately depict the fundamentals of the Japanese pottery process. Previous Wheel-Throwing experience is required.
Handbuilding I
This program is great for anyone from a true beginner, to throwing students looking to get off of the wheel and try something different for a while. Learn the basics of how clay behaves through rolling, stacking, and blending coils. Discover what you can make the clay do at various stages of dryness through working with both soft and hard slabs. You will also have the opportunity to work with molds, which can help you attain difficult-to-build shapes. Students will be taught how to use the slab-roller, the extruder, and studio glazes. At the end of the class each student will take home a 15” tall coiled piece decorated with clay slips, a slab-built cylinder and box, as well as a set of three or four pieces made from slabs and/or molds. There is also an option of an open project. This class allows students to build large pots quickly and break out of the circle!
Handbulding II
Refine the skills you’ve learned in Handbuilding I. Master the techniques required to create truly professional pieces. Students will create an asymmetrical coil pot from a drawing or picture, emphasizing the importance of coil placement. These pieces will then be Raku fired. Next, a slab-built teapot will emphasize the importance of form and function. Students will be challenged with the many pieces required to make a teapot. There is an option of an open project. Try Handbuilding II and challenge yourself!
Handbulding II: Teapots
An advanced handbuilding and wheel class that keeps the focus on teapots for the entire six weeks. We will be using multiple techniques on each teapot; students can use any building technique they wish (wheel, handbuilding, extruding, etc).
Handbulding II: Large Scale Coil Pots
Have the urge to make something really big? Students will work for six weeks on one large coiled piece. Make a pot for your garden, a bird bath, a table, or whatever else you may have in mind. You will be taught how to roll large amounts of clay into coils and how to use the extruder to make coils. You will also learn how to make quick internal and external supports for your structure and how to build a large piece in sections. Emphasis will also be placed on surface treatment. There is no limit to how big your piece may be. Firing of one piece is included in the class, no need to worry about cubic inches!
Adventures in Clay
For ages 7-13. A quest to work on hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques. If you want to try it all and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, this is the class for you. Good for beginning or intermediate level students.
After School Teen Program
Our staff will work with middle school and high school students to further their clay education and give them every opportunity to achieve their long-term goals in art.
Basic Tile Mosaics
Students will create a 15” x 20” wall hanging made up of handmade pieces of their own design which are then joined and grouted. Students will use earthenware and a variety of interesting glazes ranging from bright glossy colors to highly textured finishes. Learn design, construction, and finishing techniques that will allow students to emulate the process in a variety of environments. Tackle that tile job with confidence and creativity!
Sculpture: Forget Function I
Explore the fundamentals of clay sculpture with Kirk Mayhew of Thin Air Studio. This course will push ceramic artists to deepen their concept of sculpture to include found objects and mixed media. From conceptual design to implementation students will be challenged to broaden their horizons, to play with forms, relationships, and finishes. Projects can be tailored to the student depending on ability. Mold-making may be taught. The pre-requisite for this class is Hand-Building I or permission from the instructor.
Sculpture: Off the Wall
Don’t have space on the living room floor? Move that “sofa-sized” painting! Using both solid and hollow slab techniques, student will learn several wall-based hanging systems specialized for ceramics. During this session you can choose to make either a few different separate forms or a series of 3-5 objects that could be ultimately arranged together. Bring your own ideas to the table--Figurative, natural, architectural, and abstract sculptures will be discussed as jumping off points. The pre-requisite for this class is Hand-Building I or permission from the instructor.
Sculpture: Self Portrait
Put yourself on a pedestal! Using basic clay techniques and an armature, students will create their own half-sized likeness during this session. Learn to see yourself from all directions use measuring tricks to get ther correct proportions right away. Be absolutely real with yourself or have fun making changes to express your inner self; scalpel not required! A variety of surfacing techniques in wet clay and fired ceramic will be covered to create the uniquely individual finishing touches that you desire. Handbuilding I is helpful but not necessary.
Sculpture: Portrait Busts
Using basic clay techniques and an armature, students will create their own half-sized portrait bust during this session. Learn to see the human form from all directions and measuring tricks to get the correct proportions right away. Be absolutely realistic or have fun making abstractions. A variety of surfacing techniques in wet clay and fired ceramic will be covered to create the uniquely individual finishing touches that you desire. Handbuilding I is helpful but not necessary.
FUNKe Functionals with Kirk MayhewI
All ages are invited to the studio every Saturday from 10am - 12pm to create a clay project that you can use in your home (think mugs, plates, bowls, etc)! This is a two hour class and the $25 fee includes all materials, instruction, and firing for a single clay project .
Learning Raku
Take part in one of the most exciting firing processes in ceramics. This class will cover the making of raku clay (although we will use aged commercial clay), creating wheel thrown forms that work well with the raku process, glazing, and firing the pots as a group. This experience is a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. Be prepared to discuss everything we do.
Mosaic Tile Sculpture
As a group project we will learn how to build a large-scale outdoor sculpture and install it on the premises. Each person will also create their own smaller scale mosaic sculpture. We will provide all of the supplies for the group project. In addition, each student will receive 30 lbs of clay, 2500 cubic inches of firing space, and select broken tile pieces from the studio for their sculpture. Students may supply their own specialty tiles and supplies. (8 weeks) $200.00
Minigama
YOU MUST TAKE THIS CLASS!!! If the hypnosis didn’t work then here’s why this class is awesome: We will attempt to build our own little wood kilns! Each student will build a tabletop wood kiln to fit a few small pieces. We will then fire all of our wood kilns with teeny tiny pieces of wood. Then you take your wood kiln home and re-fire it every weekend until it breaks. But that’s O.K. because you already know how to build another one!
Wheel Thrown Wall Sculpture
Wheel Thrown Wall Sculpture will be a fast paced class where we work together to come up with creative ways to create unique sculpture and functional work meant for hanging. The wheel is a versatile tool and we will try to unlock some new techniques in order to further our understanding of the wheel’s possibilities. We will be doing a few functional projects but this class will mainly focus on the sculptural side of things. Any and all firing techniques will be used in this class.
Participants will be asked to purchase their own clay because of the diversity of the projects. Firing of all items made in class will be covered in the class fee. Clay will cost around $24.00 for 50 pounds unless participants use porcelain. Normal wheel tool kits are all that is needed for the projects.
Finding a Finish: Alternative Surface Treatments
This class will showcase some alternative decorating techniques to glazing without requiring any alternative firing techniques. We will explore the use of oxides to stain the clay, as well as to color clay slips. Each student will make their own batch of terra sigillata. Students will also get the chance to play with and test commercial underglazes. Post-firing techniques, such as the use of waxes and acrylic paint washes, will also be discussed. Students must bring their own pieces to experiment on. Some of these techniques may produce non-functional surfaces, which is fine for sculpture, but pots should have a liner glaze inside if they are intended to be food-safe. If you are having trouble finding a glaze that seems to work with your creations, or are just plain tired of glazes and feel the need to experiment, this is the class for you!
Professional Practices—Presentation IS Everything!
This six week seminar will explore how we move to the next level as a professional artist. While focusing on your career as an artist and entrepreneur we will cover how to market yourself, how to price your work, presentation of work, resumes, artist statements, create your own website, approaching galleries, applying for grants, etc… *Throughout the course we will have guest artists to present material.
Stacking—The Art of Making BIG Pots!
Jon Stein will teach students the art of making BIG pots. Methods for stacking pots come from all over the world. Jon will explore several different methods which will help you achieve very different forms and amazing height and width. Funke Fired Arts will cover the cost of firing student projects made in class. Participants in this class will be responsible for purchasing their own clay. Remember, the size of these projects is up to you so HIT THE GYM because handling 80 lbs. of clay is no easy task!