Memory Vessels: Storytelling on Porcelain

This workshop guides students through producing meaningfully designed and decorated porcelain wares for domestic use and display. By drawing inspiration from the history of ceramic objects, as well as our own personal stories, symbols, and mythologies, participants will create their own hand-painted functional and sculptural objects.

We will be covering how to combine carving techniques, sgraffito, inlay, underglaze painting, and strategic glazing to transform wheel-thrown and hand-built forms into one-of-a-kind “memory vessels.”

Ideal for those who are comfortable with creating clay forms and feel ready to further develop their unique visual language.

Materials To Bring:

• Favorite texture and carving tools
• Favorite paint brushes in a variety of sizes, especially fine detail brushes
• Lightweight plastic sheets — dry-cleaner plastic bags are ideal
• Additional underglaze colors, if desired
• Printed inspiration photos

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Schedule:

Sunday

• 4:00–5:00 PM: Arrive & Check-In at Adamah Retreat Center
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Welcome Dinner
• 6:00–7:00 PM: Studio Introduction & Workshop Orientation
  • Go over schedule for the week, discussion of goals and techniques to be covered: go over terminology and students’ prior clay experience 
• 7:00 PM–Evening: Get Settled/Review Inspiration & Ideas

Monday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00 AM–12:00 PM: Studio Instruction & Demonstrations
  • Short PowerPoint of instructor’s work and background; discussion of process, inspiration, and sourcing of visual language to build vocabulary of personal mythology
  • Writing/drawing exercise to generate project ideas and sketch them out
  • Throwing demo to review best habits
• 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:00–5:00 PM: Studio Instruction & Demonstrations
  • Continue throwing work and begin drying to trim
  • Demo painting backgrounds from printed reference pictures: using blue ink to design the surface, layering underglaze colors, carving
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Dinner
• 6:00 PM–Evening: Open Studio/Hiking/Explore

Tuesday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00 AM–12:00 PM: Studio Instruction & Demonstrations
  • Trim thrown work and tidy vessels
  • Demo making graphite transfer tracing paper templates from printed reference images
  • Demo carving into the porcelain surface
• 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:00–5:00 PM: Studio Instruction & Demonstrations
  • Slip inlay demo: making black slip from dry scraps and black mason stain, sketching design with blue ink or using graphite transfer, carving and inlaying the slip, discussion of sanding once bisqued
  • Quick slab plate demo with scalloped edge
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Dinner
• 6:00 PM–Evening: Open Studio/Hiking/Explore

Wednesday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00 AM–12:00 PM: Studio Instruction & Demonstrations
  • One-on-one project and goal check-ins
  • Demo interlayering of templates and painting
• 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:00–5:00 PM: Studio Instruction & Demonstrations
  • Begin drying the work!
  • Individualized demos based on student interest
  • Bisque fire in evening
• Evening: Chef’s Night Off — Explore the area and enjoy dinner on your own!
• After Dinner: Open Studio/Hiking/Explore

Thursday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00 AM–12:00 PM: Studio Instruction & Demonstrations
  • Unload kiln if possible and demo underglaze painting on bisque: mixing underglazes to create new colors, applying in layers, etc.
  • Work on finishing small wet work while kiln cools
  • Load another small bisque if necessary
• 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:00–5:00 PM: Studio Instruction & Demonstrations
  • Finish painting bisqueware; discussion on strategic glazing to emphasize details
  • Work time
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Dinner
• 6:00 PM–Evening: Open Studio/Hiking/Explore

Friday

• 8:00–9:00 AM — Breakfast
• 9:00–11:00 AM — Final Studio Time, Group Discussion & Workshop Review
  • Unload second bisque if doing
  • Mini critique, discuss finishing pieces at home, review of techniques and symbolism
• 11:00 AM–12:00 PM — Studio Clean-Up, Group Photo & End of Workshop Review
• 12:00 PM — Workshop Ends

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View frequently asked questions here!