Intro to Handbuilding

Over the course of four weeks students will explore the nature of clay using the classic pinch, coil, and slab handbuilding methods to construct functional vessels and/or ceramic sculpture.

Up to 25 pounds of clay is provided for each participant, which will be enough for creating several small and medium size works. Glazes are also provided at the studio, and after everyone's work is fired to cone 6 (oxidation) students can take home their handmade art.

Course Goals, Concepts and Activities

The class will consist of demonstrations, discussion, viewing of artworks, and working directly with clay in the studio. Students will be encouraged to do teacher-generated exercises as well as to generate ideas for personal projects. The majority of class time will be devoted to working with handbuilding methods to create works while learning the limits and possibilities of this magical material.

By the end of the course, students will have several finished works and an understanding of:

· the medium of ceramics in history and contemporary art

· the physical properties of clay, such as plasticity, shrinkage, cohesion and vitrification

· working principles such as the importance of developing sensitivity to the moisture content of clay

· how to generate ideas and keep a clay sketchbook/journal

· creating three-dimensional forms with simple or complex surface treatment

· developing personal preferences for using clay to express ideas and works of art.

Teacher: Marianne Wilson

Marianne is an artist and art educator from Fayetteville, currently painting and making ceramics at Mt. Sequoyah. She began her journey in art and ceramics at Fayetteville High School and received a BA in Art from the Fulbright College of Art at the University of Arkansas in 1985. Marianne continued to exhibit her work while teaching high school art for the last two decades, first in Northwest Arkansas and later in Bahrain, Myanmar, Japan and China. Throughout her time living and teaching abroad, she has acquired works of art and ceramics which she will share with students.

Classes meet from 6-8PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays:

• August 19th
• August 21st
• August 26th
• August 28th
• September 2nd
• September 4th
• September 9th
• September 11th

Host or Publisher Mount Sequoyah Center