New class alert
Advanced Spring/Summer Project Class
with Brigitte Lang
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Work by Brigitte Lang
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This class gives you the opportunity to practice and hone the skills you've learned in your beginning and continuing classes. Get personalized advice and support from distinguished potter Brigitte Lang while you work on projects of your choice.
Advanced students of wheel throwing and hand building are welcome to enroll. The class covers designing and creating forms; glazing; and decoration techniques such as sponge stamping, wax resist, slip trailing, shellac resist, and more. Interested students will also have a hands-on introduction to glaze kiln stacking and helping with a gas kiln firing.
How do you know if you're ready for this class? You must have taken several beginning/continuing classes and be proficient in hand building or throwing cylinders, bowls, and lidded pots. For more information or to register, click here.
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Field trip to a clay workshop
3 Days of Clay
The annual 3 Days of Clay workshop, organized and sponsored by the Jackson Pottery & Clay Guild, took place this year on March 15-17 at the Ella Sharp Museum of Art & History in Jackson, Michigan.
From its outstanding presenters, potters Sandi Pierantozzi and Neil Patterson (who are partners in life as well as pottery), to the delicious box lunches for participants, every detail of this workshop was well planned and executed. "We really do try to put on one of the best workshops in the midwest," said Mary Humphrey, chair of the event.
The workshop began on Friday evening with an opening reception at the Michigan Theatre, a lecture by Sandi and Neil, and a showing of the movie, "Ghost."
As participants arrived at the workshop on Saturday morning, they were greeted with welcome bags stuffed with materials from vendors, and a showcase of clay information and freebies provided by vendors.
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Thanks to video cameras and large, elevated screens, there was not a bad seat in the house for Sandi and Neil's demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday. The pair took turns assembling teapots, lidded boxes, vases, and other vessels from components they built and textured, Sandi by slab construction and Neil by wheel throwing. They explained that their goal was to take "a fresh look at traditional pottery forms" and "to demonstrate how pots can be made more unique and personal." More than once, Neil, who explained that he likes to set himself problems to solve, drew gasps from viewers as he cut up and altered a beautifully thrown and textured form to see how he could reassemble it with other components to make an entirely new piece.  | Oh, I want
that one!
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The workshop also featured a sale of works by Sandi and Neil; a Book and Tool Shop, which was mobbed at every break; a hands-on tile making demonstration; tool demonstrations; and a drawing for coveted giveaways from vendors. It concluded with an auction of the wet ware created by Sandi and Neil during the workshop. The next 3 Days of Clay workshop is scheduled for March, 2014, with exact dates to be determined soon and announced on the Jackson Pottery & Clay Guild web site. If you plan to go, don't forget to take a notebook and pen because you're sure to come away with pages of tips and instructions you can put to work right away. |
Unsticking lids: A potter's quick tip
Okay, if you've ever had a lid stuck to a pot after glaze firing, raise your hand. Pretty much every one of us, right? Here's a method from a Ceramics Monthly reader that might just get that lid unstuck. First, put the pot in the freezer of your refrigerator and leave it for about 20 minutes (or as long as it takes to get to freezer temperature). Quickly take the pot out of the freezer and dip the bottom part into very hot water for a minute or two. Finally, remove the pot from the water and give it a good rap near (not on) the lid with a wooden spoon or other wooden tool. Try again if the lid doesn't come unstuck the first time.
Ed. note: I tried this tip on one of my pots, and it worked like a charm.
Got a pottery question for Kay? Ask away.
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Have you noticed . . .
. . . how clean and well-organized the studio is these days, thanks to the efforts of our community whirlwind and gifted organizer Anny Unbehaun and her band of helpers?
Now it's up to all of us to keep the studio this way. Please clean your work spaces and wheels; sponge off and put away all the studio tools you use, including containers, ware boards, rolling pins, glaze stirrers, dipping tongs, and so on; and then thoroughly rinse out those sponges.
Watch for other changes as well, as we refresh the gallery with a new coat of paint and other improvements. We've got some exciting plans in store, so stay tuned.
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Next cone 10 firing set for April 9. Your help is needed!
A cone 10 reduction firing is planned for Tuesday, April 9. Wares for the firing will be loaded on Monday, April 8, so now is the time to get your glazing done.
If you're a Community Studio member or an advanced student, we encourage you to sign up a shift firing the gas kiln on April 9. It's an awesome process. Please let Kay know if you can help out. Email Kay or call her at 734.662.4914
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Studio calendar
First Sunday VideoSunday, May 5, 2013, at 4:00 pm. Second showing of Hand Thrown: East Asian Wedged Coil Technique. Artist and teacher Joyce Michaud demonstrates a coiling technique used in Korean, China, Japan, and other East Asian countries to hand throw strong, elegant pots. This video runs for 129 minutes, so we are reshowing it for those who were not able view the full video in one sitting in April.
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Cone ^10 Firing
Tuesday, April 9. Wares will be loaded on Monday, April 8. Volunteers are needed! To lend a hand, email Kay or call her at 734.662.4914.
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Spring 2013 classes
Spring classes are about to bloom.
Beginning/Cont. Wheel Throwing
Apr. 25-May 30
Thursdays, 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Instructor: Inge Merlin
Thursdays, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Instructor: Nancy Bulkley
Apr. 29-Jun. 10
Mondays, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Instructor: Kevan Wilson
Coffee & Clay - Hand Building Techniques
Apr. 20-May 25
Saturdays, 9:30 to 11:30 am. Instructor: Nancy Bulkley Coffee & Clay WeekdaysMay 8-Jun. 12
Wednesdays, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. Instructor: Sarah Gelsanliter Kids Clay Class
Apr. 22-May 20
Mondays, 4:30-5:30 pm. Instructor: Nancy Bulkley
Advanced Spring/Summer Project Class
May 1-Aug. 7
Wednesdays, 6:30-9:00 pm. Instructor: Brigitte Lang
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Yourist Studio Gallery
Inspiring classes and workshops for new and experienced students
Bright, modern, fully equipped community studio workspace Comprehensive selection of pottery tools for sale Gallery exhibiting the works of celebrated artists
1133 Broadway Ann Arbor, MI 734.662.4914 youristpottery.com |
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