Wheel Throwing for Everyone (Ages 14+)
Have you always wanted to try wheel throwing? Come throw a pot using white stoneware, then fire and finish your pieces using food-safe glazes.
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Create a Ceramic Wreath – NEW!
Create a beautiful holiday wreath out of clay! Students will learn to make a variety of clay flora and leaves using hand-building skills. We’ll assemble our leaves to create a beautiful wreath great for hanging or using as a table centerpiece. Students will learn hand-building skills such as: slab, coil, pinching and pressing. We’ll go […]
read moreCreating Clay Votives, Ornaments and Gift Tags – NEW!
Make your own clay votives, holiday ornaments and gift tags! We’ll use basic hand-building techniques to create unique and personal pieces. Clay and tools are provided. You’ll choose from our beautiful glazes and work will be fired.
read morePolymer Clay Earrings – NEW! (Ages 15+)
Make your own one-of-a-kind, handmade earrings. Polymer clay comes in a range of colors, including pastel and neon. Colors can even be mixed to create your own personal hue. The clay can be softened into any design, sculpted on a miniature scale, abstracted into geometrical shapes and more. Students can create studs, hoops, and hook […]
read moreBuilding a Better Beast – NEW!
Use components of hand building to design and make clay creatures. We’ll build our creatures from the ground up using a hollow slab form technique. We’ll use an additive process to flesh out the forms. Students should have basic hand-building experience and a willingness to explore new ideas.
read moreStorytelling + Ceramic Surfaces with Kevin Snipes
Challenge yourself to consider the ceramic object as a canvas for storytelling. Expect a variety of demonstrations showing the techniques that Kevin uses to produce his wonderfully colorful, layered, intricate surfaces using the traditional techniques of mishima, sgrafitto, underglaze and slip decoration. We’ll discuss how Kevin uses these techniques in non-traditional ways to explore pop […]
read moreThrown, Altered and Slab-Constructed with Jen Allen
Learn ways to alter wheel-thrown work and combine with slab-constructed forms. Jennifer will lead students through various demonstrations including throwing on the wheel, altering thrown forms and creating slab-built pieces from 2-D and 3-D templates. Jennifer will also share her approaches lids, handles and spouts and add these to demonstration pieces. Expect to walk away […]
read moreAssembling the Figure + Exploring Surfaces with Tom Bartel
Learn from artist Tom Bartel to create unique figures by assembling clay components. Tom will lead students through hand-building and press-mold processes to create and assemble building blocks for larger figures. Students will also learn more about incorporating various low-fire and multiple-firing surface techniques using vitreous slip and underglazes.
read moreLarge Forms + Saggar Firing with James Watkins
Discover the saggar firing technique and create large forms on the wheel. James will share his techniques, address technical issues involved in large-scale throwing and show students how to throw large platters, vessels and double-walled forms. James will also demonstrate the saggar firing technique, which is a method of creating confined atmospheres within a container […]
read moreLearn to Use Your Sewing Machine
Learn the basics of sewing machines in a class designed for the true beginner. We’ll cover machine fundamentals like threading, bobbins, needles and stitch length. We’ll also discuss stitching options, tools for your sewing kit, project ideas and sewing resources.
read moreClay Comics: Autobiographical Ceramics – NEW!
In this two-day, hands-on workshop, we’ll explore drawing techniques for ceramics, starting with idea-generating exercises on paper. Next, we’ll explore ways to translate your imagery onto functional mugs and cups. You’ll learn to use different ceramic surface decoration techniques to tell a unique story on your pieces, which will be fired and ready for pick […]
read morePens Up, Fears Down: Write Now!
Unravel the tales traveling through your head. We’ll explore memory and character with writing exercises that inspire you to put your fears down and get the writing onto the page.
read moreThe Nuts + Bolts of Freelance Writing Workshop
Learn the ins and outs of freelance writing from a local journalist, who can teach you the art of brainstorming and pitching stories, the etiquette behind communicating with editors, negotiating and selling your writing and the rewarding editing and publishing process.
read moreSpoon Carving
Explore spoon carving, a wonderful introduction to woodworking that combines both hand and machine work. You’ll learn to use hand tools such as chisels, gouges, rasps and files to hollow and shape. You’ll also use the bandsaw, drill press and sanders. Enjoy your next meal with one of the hand–carved spoons, bowls, cheese boards or […]
read moreZines: DIY Books – NEW!
Learn about the history of zines, explore different collaging techniques and make your own one-page zine. All materials provided.
read morePrintmaking Mixer – NEW!
Explore a range of simple printmaking techniques, including monotype and linocut. These techniques are easily incorporated into mixed media works on paper. You’ll discover how printmaking enhances color complexity, mark-making and texture when layered with traditional dry and wet media such as charcoal, gouache and drawing ink. Adding printmaking methods to one’s creative vocabulary reveals […]
read moreSolarplate Photogravure – NEW!
Learn to work with Solarplate polymer plates to create intaglio prints from your digital photography. You’ll optimize your images with Adobe Photoshop and print onto transparent film. Then you’ll expose the film to the Solarplate with UV light and develop in ordinary tap water. With a classic Charles Brand etching press, you’ll create heirloom quality […]
read moreIntroduction to Woodblock Printing
Explore woodblock printing, humanity’s oldest printmaking process. You’ll learn to design and transfer an image onto the block and cut the block to produce a relief image. Then, we’ll cover how to transfer the image to paper, both printing it by hand and by press.
read moreLetterpress Holiday Cards
The letterpress dates back to the 15th century and the time of Gutenberg, and it remains a compelling printing process today. We’ll cover typesetting, inking, printing, and paper selection as you create your own set of printed holiday cards to give as gifts or send to friends and family.
read moreBook Plate Print Swap – NEW!
Turn your drawings into a lino print postcard inspired by vintage book plates. A linocut print is made by transferring a drawing of your own onto a linoleum block and then carving the image into the piece of linoleum using a linoleum cutter. Students will turn their drawings into a series of postcard prints while […]
read moreIntroduction to Linocut – NEW!
Learn the basics of carving a linoleum block to create a relief print. We will go over inking techniques and multi-color printing.
read moreIntroduction to Screen Printing (D)
Explore screen printing, a process that allows artists to create hand-printed multiples of the same image. Translate your graphic design, photography, or drawings into vibrant, layered compositions. Learn a variety of ways to create screens that can be used to print onto fabric, paper or wood.
read moreExperimental Letterpress
Think outside the box with non-traditional techniques and materials to find out what’s possible using letterpress equipment. We will print using objects such as Legos and hardware from your local home improvement store to create experimental prints to either keep or trade with your classmates.
read moreLetterpress Buttonmaking – NEW!
Get a taste of the letterpress printing process with this one day workshop. You will dabble in typesetting and printing on VisArts’ presses as well as learning how to use a buttonmaker. You will walk away with a collection of buttons to wear on clothes, bags, or hats as well as some to trade or […]
read moreTintype Photography (B)
Use one of the earliest forms of photography to create tintypes, which are direct positives printed on an aluminum sheet using large format cameras. Learn the basics of this 19th century process, including how to pour and sensitize collodion, properly expose and develop plates, and apply a protective varnish. Plan to walk away with two […]
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