Thom Bohnert Drawings and Sculpture
Now on exhibit in our gallery until October 4.
Artist's reception on Friday, September 13, from 5 to 8 pm Mott Community College instructor shares his unique approach to clay with our community.
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Fall class newsRegistration for fall is in progress, and our classes are filling. Sign up now for that class you want to take. By the way, have you heard about the new classes we've added to our fall schedule?
Intermediate Wheel Throwing
 Move up to the next level with our Intermediate Wheel Throwing class taught by Sarah Gelsanliter, who will help you expand your throwing skills and refine your finishing techniques. This class will cover lids; handles; and surface decoration using slips, stamps, and carving. You will continue to build strong throwing skills by working on wheel-thrown forms such as cups, mugs, bowls, and plates. You will also learn about various glaze techniques and applications as well. Class starts on Tuesday, September 24, and runs from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Register here.
Bead, Buttons, and Pendants (Oh, my!)
How about trying your hand at something different? In this class you'll learn how to design and create pendants, beads, and buttons from ceramic clay and how to make jewelry from them. This class is designed for beginners, aged 12 and over, so you don't need to have any experience with clay or with jewelry making to participate. Instructor Jeanine Center is an experienced jewelry designer and maker whose work has been published in a number of international beading magazines. Class starts on Sunday, October 6, and runs from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Register here. Instructor change
Instructors Nancy Bulkley and Inge Merlin have switched their Thursday Beginning/Continuing Wheel Throwing classes. Nancy will teach the 12:30 to 2:30 pm class, while Inge will teach the 7:00 to 9:00 pm class.
For details about these classes or to register, click here.
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New instructor
Shannon Nelson to teach wheel throwing
Ceramic artist Shannon Nelson has joined the ranks of Yourist Studio Gallery instructors and will teach a Beginning/Continuing Wheel Throwing class this fall (October 6 to November 10, 1:00 to 3:00 pm). She will also teach our monthly Try It Once on the Wheel classes and our Kids Clay Class on Monday afternoons beginning September 30.
Shannon holds an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Florida and has taught ceramic courses at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she lived for more than a decade. Shannon also completed a degree in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan and worked for several years at parks and wildlife refuges in Alaska.
Shannon's work is frequently inspired by the natural world and an interest in the decorative arts. Her pieces have been exhibited widely and featured in several publications
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including The Art of Contemporary American Pottery, The Best of Pottery 2, Wheel Thrown Ceramics, and the Lark book series 500 Cups, 500 Bowls, and 500 Pitchers.
Shannon enjoys teaching wheel throwing and a variety of surface design techniques. She encourages students to find their own unique expression in clay and believes the creative process is a gateway to our deeper selves. Since returning to Ann Arbor, she has taught ceramic classes at the Ann Arbor Art Center. She lives in the Ann Arbor area with her husband and three pampered tuxedo cats.
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Our shelves are overflowing with unclaimed bisque ware and glazed pieces, and we must clear them to make room for new work. Studio policy is to allow pieces to remain on our shelves for 30 days, at which time they are disposed of if they have not been claimed. In the month of September, we're giving you a short amnesty period, so you'll have a few extra days--until September 5--to come and get your pieces. All work 30 days and older will be disposed of then. Please come claim the pieces that you made in class. |
Softening hard clay
Q. Help, my clay has gotten too hard to work with. What should I do? A. Try this quick and easy method demonstrated by potter Simon Leach to recuperate and soften your clay. You'll also learn another use for chopsticks and those ubiquitous plastic grocery bags. |
| Recuperating and softening clay
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A big thank you to reader Charlene Harris for letting us know about this video. Readers, if you have a pottery question for Kay, ask away. |
Seen on the Web
Mustering a terracotta army
The terracotta army of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi (221-210 BC), is one of the world's major achievements in ceramics. If you've ever wondered how the emperor's 8,000 warriors were created, this outstanding video from National Geographic will tell you how archaeologists and ceramic artists believe from their studies that it was done.
Why did Qin Shi Huangdi assemble a terracotta army for his tomb? How many artisans did it take to mass produce the warriors? What technologies did the artisans use to make and fire the warriors? Why didn't the warriors collapse from their own weight during production? What did the warriors look like when they were finished? The answers to these questions may astonish you.
If you know of any web sites or videos of interest to ceramic enthusiasts, be sure to share them with us.
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Studio calendar
First Sunday VideoSunday, September 1, 2013, at 4:00 pm.
Traditional Thai Pottery. Pay a visit to the Thai pottery village of Dan Kwian to watch potters compete during their folk pottery festival to create the most pots, the tallest pots, and the pots with the greatest volume. You'll also see their day-to-day pottery operations, including building a kiln from scratch. Fish fanciers, there's even something for you as you learn how these potters build their famous fish from coils. This fascinating video will give you a close look at the sturdy Southeast Asian method of coil building.
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Cone ^10 Firing
The next gas kiln firing is tentatively set for Friday, Sep 13, with loading on Thursday, Sep 12. This firing will take place only if we have enough pots to fill the kiln, so please get your glazing done now. To volunteer to help with the firing, call Kay at 734-662-4914.
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2013 schedule of exhibits
Aug 26-Oct 4Thom Bohnert: Drawings and Sculpture. Artist reception on Friday, Sep 13, 5 to 8 pm. Oct 18-Dec 8Dinnerware. Set an inviting table. Artist reception on Oct 25. Dec 13-15Holiday Sale. Preview and artist reception on Dec 13.
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Fall class schedule
Classes start soon. have you signed up?
Beginning/Cont. Wheel Throwing
Sep 16-Oct 21
Mondays, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Instructor: Kevan Wilson
Sep 19-Oct 24
Thursdays, 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Instructor: Nancy Bulkley
Thursdays, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Instructor: Inge Merlin
New! Oct 6-Nov 10 Sundays, 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Instructor: Shannon Nelson Coffee & Clay
Sep 14-Oct 19
Saturdays, 9:30 to 11:30 am. Instructor: Nancy Bulkley
Back for Fall!
Sep 18-Oct 23
Wednesdays, 9:30 to 11:30 am. Instructor: Nancy Bulkley Kids Clay Class
Sep 30-Oct 28
Mondays, 4:30-5:30 pm. Instructor: Shannon Nelson
New!
Intermediate Wheel Throwing
Sep 24-Oct 29
Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 pm. Instructor: Sarah Gelsanliter
Advanced Wheel
Sep 11-Dec. 18
Wednesdays, 6:30-9:00 pm. Instructor: Sarah Gelsanliter
New!
Beads, Buttons, and Pendants
Oct 6-Nov 10
Sundays, 10:30 am-12:30 pm. Instructor: Jeanine Center
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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
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