Bob Johnson: 8-week ZOOM class “The Teapot: Leather-Hard Slabs and Altered Forms”
The Teapot: Leather-Hard Slabs and Altered Forms with Bob Johnson
Eight Tuesdays: September 15 through November 3, 10am—12pm
SUGGESTED CLAY and FIRING TEMPERATURE:
Cone 10 clay
(Recycled Clay, B-Mix, Black Mountain, Soldate or Rod’s Bod)
Cone 5/6 clay will also work.
Note: This class is primarily focused on hand-building. The wheel will be used in a few demos. It is helpful but not necessary to know how to throw pots on the wheel.
This eight-week intermediate-level class aims to increase the range of creative possibilities through the assembly of thrown and hand-built elements. Our focus will be the teapot. Demonstrations will include making and using simple press molds, making and forming “cheesy” soft leather-hard slabs and altering and reshaping thrown pieces. The use of soft leather-hard clay allows one to work with slabs both malleable yet somewhat rigid. Using the potter’s wheel allows one to add the parts that the wheel does best. Through the course of these demonstrations we will build a unique, asymmetrical teapot. The class will address various teapot questions such as: what kind of spout to make and where to put it, different handle options, and what kind of lid might be best. Finally we will discuss and demonstrate how to glaze the teapot with a different glaze inside and out.
Overview of classes by week:
Week One: Introduction and overview of processes to be covered
Week Two: Discussion of press molds and how to make and use them
Week Three: Throwing teapot body parts, constructed slab elements
Week Four: Alter and assemble teapot body
Week Five: Forming the additional elements: the galley, spout and lid
Week Six: Assemble remaining pieces except for the handle
Week Seven: Demonstration of various handles and handle construction
Week Eight: Demonstration of glazing the teapot with different glazes inside and out
Bob has been teaching and working in ceramics since, as he says, “before the invention of dirt”. He received a BFA and MFA from California College of the Arts (CCA) with a major in ceramics, and later taught at Chadron State College in Nebraska, and at New Mexico State University as a member of both the graduate and undergraduate faculties. He has shown in many galleries throughout the US including the Fairtree Gallery in New York City, and his work is in various collections, such as New York State University at Buffalo, the permanent collection at CCA, and the Antonio Prieto Memorial Collection of Contemporary Ceramics at Mills College. Bob created Big River Pottery in New Mexico, selling his work throughout the US (and working as a fireman while not doing pottery). He has taught at The Potters’ Studio in Berkeley and Studio One in Oakland since 1990.
Leah Bowring: 8-week ZOOM class “The Sculptural Vessel”
The Sculptural Vessel with Leah Bowring
Eight Tuesdays: September 15 through November 3, 1—3pm
https://www.berkeleypottersstudio.com/online-classes/the-sculpural-vessel-with-leah-bowring
This eight-week intermediate-level hand-building class will focus on constructing sculptural vessels. Students will make at least four vessels, with each vessel utilizing one of several construction methods you’ll learn about in class. An overview of techniques includes closed forms, combined construction techniques (slabs and coiling, throwing and coiling), building with asymmetry, incorporating negative space, and finishing your surface as you build up to a final form. While making four or more pieces at once, the student will learn to build quickly and learn to see each piece as having the potential to inspire a future body of work. Special tools will be required to be purchased for this class.
Week One: Overview of the building techniques to be covered – make at least four bases
Week Two: Building with coils and slab coils with focus on quickly gaining height
Week Three: Creating asymmetrical shapes, building one side at a time with coils/slabs
Week Four: Introduction to negative space and making one shape split into two
Week Five: Learn to connect two sections of a piece with proper planning techniques
Week Six: Learn to close one form entirely using paddling and wedge coils
Week Seven: Learn how to finish the surface of work as you go – either in refined or textured manner
Week Eight: Discuss “dry sanding” for hard-to-reach areas when work is bone dry
Leah Bowring received her BA in ceramics and BFA in graphic design from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri in 2011. During her undergraduate study, she spent a year in Tokyo studying Japanese language, historical ceramics, traditional theater and architecture. She was a student of Koiichi Koyama, an accomplished Japanese potter. She conducted personal research studying traditional Japanese kilns and wares, traveling throughout Japan while she taught English in the time between her formal degrees. She recently received her MFA in ceramics in May 2015 and now lives in Oakland, California and makes her work in Berkeley. She currently is teaching ceramics at City College of San Francisco, Laney College in Oakland, CA, as well as in Berkeley at The Potters’ Studio. She is currently on the Board of Directors of The Potters’ Studio.
Sharon Virtue: 8-week ZOOM class series “Weekly Clay Projects for Children and Young Adults “
Mini-Series – Weekly Clay Projects for Children and Young Adults with Sharon Virtue
Eight Wednesdays: September 16 through November 4, 2–3:30pm
These mini-classes are suitable for children from ages five and older and can be adjusted in complexity according to the imagination of the child. They are all designed to teach basic hand-building skills using coils, slabs and pinch pots and require minimal tools and supplies. Children will learn various techniques in each project, and each week the projects will build upon the skills learned in the previous class. The projects are designed to encourage imagination but also have basic follow-along instructions for those just starting out. Each project can be created in a single session so you can pick and choose which project you would like to work on. The first three projects are suitable for complete beginners. The following projects are a little more complex for more experienced artists or older children. Sign up for one mini-class or all eight!
Week One: Snail in the Garden Scene
Week Two: Flower Bowls
Week Three: Coiled Pot
Week Four: Self-Portraits
Week Five: Clay Birdhouse or Fairy House
Week Six: Peacock Candle Holder
Week Seven: Clay Car
Week Eight: Mythological Creature
Sharon has worked with clay for over 30 years in unconventional ways. She began during her BA program at Sheffield Poly in UK, where she studied film and painting and sculpture. She began teaching ceramics in 1998 at Ruby’s Clay Studio in San Francisco, where she developed the Mud Bus project, a community outreach program bringing ceramics to under-served communities. In 2006 she was the Artist in Residence at the De Young Museum and built a mud hut in the galleries with visitors. In 2010 she was awarded the International Residency Award from NCECA and worked with women in northern Ghana on coil-building techniques. In 2013 she completed her MA in Community Arts from Goldsmiths University in London. She has been teaching ceramics at The Potters’ Studio since 2019. The functional work that she makes combines throwing, altering and hand-building techniques and reflects her love of color and surface pattern inspired by international travel.
Sharon Virtue: 8-week ZOOM class series “Exploring the Clay Surface “
Exploring the Clay Surface with Sharon Virtue
Eight Wednesdays: September 16 through November 4, 10:30am—12pm
This is an eight-week series of mini-classes covering a wide variety of surface treatments for low-fire, mid-fire and high-fire applications. Take one mini-class or take all eight! Prior to each class, participants will receive a list of suggested tools and supplies. We suggest purchasing a basic clay-kit ($20) and a set of underglazes ($30) at our studio (if you don’t already own these things). Clay and some supplies will be included and can be picked up at the studio before classes start. The last class will require purchasing some special glaze online or at a local supplier like Clay People.
Week One: Texturing the Surface of Clay
Week Two: Inkjet Printer Image Transfer and Laser Print Underglaze Transfer
Week Three: Scraffito
Week Four: Mishima
Week Five: Slip-Painted Newsprint Transfers
Week Six: Wax- and Water-Etching
Week Seven: Slip-Trailing
Week Eight: Majolica-Style Painting with Mid-Temperature Glaze
Sharon has worked with clay for over 30 years in unconventional ways. She began during her BA program at Sheffield Poly in UK, where she studied film and painting and sculpture. She began teaching ceramics in 1998 at Ruby’s Clay Studio in San Francisco, where she developed the Mud Bus project, a community outreach program bringing ceramics to under-served communities. In 2006 she was the Artist in Residence at the De Young Museum and built a mud hut in the galleries with visitors. In 2010 she was awarded the International Residency Award from NCECA and worked with women in northern Ghana on coil-building techniques. In 2013 she completed her MA in Community Arts from Goldsmiths University in London. She has been teaching ceramics at The Potters’ Studio since 2019. The functional work that she makes combines throwing, altering and hand-building techniques and reflects her love of color and surface pattern inspired by international travel.
Hiroshige Kato: 8-week ZOOM class “Traditional Japanese Wheel-Throwing Techniques”
Eight Wednesdays: September 16 through November 4, 4–6pm
This eight-week intermediate-level class is designed to teach the traditional pottery making techniques carried on in the Akazu area of Seto City, Aichi, Japan. Hiroshige Kato, a 12th-generation master potter will be teaching LIVE from his studio! Each week will cover a different topic and the final week will be a field trip to another studio, a look at the local kilns and a discussion of glazes and glazing techniques. This class will be particularly helpful for those interested in learning about making production pottery. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to travel virtually and learn Japanese ceramic techniques.
Week One: Japanese Wheel-Throwing Techniques, Spiral Wedging, Special Tools, Narrow-Necked Forms
Week Two: Making Chucks, Throwing Plates with Unusual Shapes
Week Three: Advanced Chucks, Trimming Tools and Field Trip to a Japanese Tool Shop
Week Four: Making Variety of Teapots
Week Five: How to Make Lids
Week Six: Throwing Larger Pieces and Throwing off the Hump vs. Throwing Directly on the Wheel
Week Seven: How to Assemble and Attach Separate Thrown Elements, Cake Stand, Bamboo-shaped Vase
Week Eight: Types of Kilns, Glazing Techniques, Loading for Bisque-Firing and Field Trip to another pottery studio
Potters have worked in the hills near Akazu for over 1000 years. Hiroshige Kato is a 12th-generation pottery master. Around 1610, his family was one of only four families to be protected by the Shogunate from the warring state in order to make tea ceremony goods for Nagoya Castle. At that time, his family broke away to build the kiln known as “Kitagama”. Today it is the only kiln remaining from that time. In the late 1990’s Hiroshige’s father turned the family business into a very successful production line with the company name “Kasen”. Many internationally known ceramic artists have had their start at the wheel of Kasen. Over some 400 years, the family has survived major earthquakes, financial ruin and industrialization to continue hand-crafting their art. Hiroshige Kato has returned the family to its roots and his studio, “Kasen Pottery”, has come full-circle to produce hand-crafted traditional pottery of the highest quality.
Scott Jennings: 8-week ZOOM class “Hand-Building Basics: Pinch, Coil and Slab”
Hand-Building Basics: Pinch, Coil and Slab with Scott Jennings
Eight Thursdays: September 17 through November 5, 10am—12pm
This is an eight-week introduction to hand-building with clay for beginners or people with very little clay experience. We will explore a variety of forming and finishing techniques including, but not limited to, the basics of working with clay, using soft slabs to make cups and bowls, coil and pinch vessels, kurinuki forms, rigid slab construction, using slip in the decorative process, and finally glaze application.
Week One: Introduction to working with clay, making soft slab cups and bowls
Week Two: Coil and pinch vessels
Week Three: Hard slab planter
Week Four: Kurinuki forms
Week Five: Using slip and underglaze
Week Six: Plates
Week Seven: Building with textured slabs
Week Eight: Glazing and firing process
Scott Jennings is a Bay Area artist who has been working with clay for over 25 years. He has many years of teaching experience at the community college level as well as at private and public studios. Scott has worked as a ceramic lab technician and was the Dinnerware Production Manager at Heath Ceramics. He maintains a workspace in San Francisco at Red Brick Studio in the Mission.
Scott Jennings: 8-week ZOOM class “In the Garden: Vessels for Flowers and Plants”
In the Garden: Vessels for Flowers and Plants with Scott Jennings
Eight Thursdays: September 17 through November 5, 1—3pm
This eight-week intermediate-level hand-building class focuses on creating vessels that hold flowers and plants or are used in the garden. Scott will guide and advise students who wish to work on individual ideas or projects. Participants will be encouraged to repeat projects and to discuss works in progress as well as to look at finished pieces critically. The goal is to help improve craftsmanship and to learn to make ceramics that are well constructed and meaningful to you. Demonstrations are suggestions of techniques or projects; please feel free to do whatever you are interested in during this class.
Week One: Darted soft-slab vases
Week Two: Advanced coiling techniques for planters
Week Three: Coloring clay and making slip
Week Four: Hard-slab garden lanterns
Week Five: Making and using bisque molds
Week Six: Flower bricks
Week Seven: Watering cans
Week Eight: Advanced glazing strategies
Sante Salvoni: 8-week ZOOM class “High-Fire Ceramics for the Kitchen and Table”
High-Fire Ceramics for the Kitchen and Table
Eight Thursdays: September 17 through November 5, 7–9pm
In this eight-week intermediate-level class we will explore and learn about the processes for hand-building kitchenware. From his unique perspective as a chef, Sante will talk about making ceramic vessels for cooking and serving food. Together we will:
- Focus on creating everyday functional pieces for the kitchen and home.
- Discuss how to identify the best mold-making forms.
- Create tableware sets that will enhance any food serving style.
- Consider how to incorporate special finishes that underscore the handmade aspects of your work.
- Practice letting go of fear and letting your developing skills take over.
- Develop and share your personal goals regarding your work.
Week One: Dinnerware 1: Overview – slabs, mold-making
Week Two: Dinnerware 2: Bowls and plates
Week Three: Dinnerware 2: Mugs and tumblers
Week Four: Cookware 1: Casseroles, grill trays and other ovenware
Week Five: Cookware 2: Feet, handles, and knobs
Week Six: Cookware 3: Combining throwing and hand-building, oven casseroles
Week Seven: Other kitchen containers – cruets, bottles, pitchers and spouts
Week Eight: Final demos, discuss glazing and recipes
Sante Salvoni is a potter and former chef whose work focuses mostly on forms that accent the cooking and serving of food. He is proficient at both wheel-throwing and hand-building and the investigation of combining these techniques. Sante believes that all meals are complemented by handmade ceramics. As a firm believer in community, not competition, he thrives on sharing his knowledge and learning from students at all levels. His students note that his on-the-spot demos are a particular highlight of his classes. While all of Sante’s work is dishwasher safe, it doesn’t always fit in the dishwasher properly! Sante is a member of The Potters’ Studio Board of Directors.