The Human Figure

We are very excited to announce a summer masterclass on July 16, 23 & 30 2023

This is a great opportunity to learn how to sculpt the human form with Jean-Paul Zilliacus over a relaxed 3 Sundays 11am-3pm in the beautiful surrounds of Montsalvat in the Clay Talk studio!

This masterclass will introduce you to sculptural form. It is suitable for those who are beginner sculptors through to advanced. As long as you have some basic experience handbuilding in clay and you are over 18+ years of age this is your chance to learn from one of the very best!

Jean-Paul was a pupil of Matcham Skipper and has held numerous exhibitions and clay sculpting commissions of people over the years. His work can be seen at Montsalvat and Clay Talk studio. Jean-Paul has a keen following from the public who have enjoyed his works over the years.

As part of the masterclass experience, a live model will be in attendance for each session with a focus on Observational Realism. Please be aware the model will be posing nude. 

Please note this masterclass is suitable for participants 18+ years of age only. 

Each attendee will be given 12.5kgs of high quality white stoneware clay. The cost does not include a Pottery Toolkit. If you need a Pottery Toolkit you can purchase one for $40 at checkout here. You will be guided to make more than one solid human figure piece on 30cm x 30cm boards.

After the workshop finishes, your pieces will need to dry for 2 weeks before they are ready for pick up. Your pieces won’t be fired in the kiln but instead left in their natural state. You will receive an email when your pieces are dried, safe to transport and ready for collection from Montsalvat Reception.

The masterclass runs for 3 days:

Sunday March 12 11am-3pm

Sunday March 19 11am-3pm

Sunday April 2 11am-3pm. 

The cost of the masterclass includes:

*a live model

*1 x 12.5kg sculpting clay

*some tools and equipment 

*storage and safe drying of your work

*tea and coffee provided

--- Lunch is not provided, however the Boulevard Restaurant at Montsalvat is open 9.30am - 3.30pm. For bookings please call (03) 9431 2681. 

The cost of the masterclass does NOT include firing your pieces. If you wish to fire all your pieces a $50 firing credit will need to be purchased separately via a QR code payment under Jean-Paul's direction at Clay Talk.

Places for the masterclass are limited to seven people. So book in today to guarantee your place for this exciting and rare opportunity to learn from a real master of sculpture!

Clay Talk reserves the right to cancel the workshop:

• if a minimum number of people have not booked 7 days before the workshop. 
• If there is a health order directive to isolate prior to or during the workshop.

Upon booking please pay attention to Clay Talk Terms and Conditions and Conditions of Entry.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

To secure your place in a class, course or workshop we require full payment at the time of booking.

Bookings are only accepted through our online portal at www.

Payment of class, course or workshop fees can only be made through our online portal at  www.

ACCESS

Clay Talk studio is located on the grounds of Montsalvat. For this reason, there are security measures in place to prevent trespassing and maintain your safety. Upon booking you will receive an Information Kit which has instructions on how to access Clay Talk studio. Please read this before coming to class.

REFUNDS / ABSENCE / TRANSFERS/ CANCELLATION

• We do not offer refunds if you change your mind after you have made the booking. Please be sure you are able to commit to the class, course or workshop dates and times prior to booking.
• Transfers are done upon email request and subject to available spaces only. Failure to transfer successfully will mean receiving a credit note or being transferred to a later term of the same class.
• If you are unable to attend a class, please contact us at claytalk@montsalvat.com.au on the day of your class. In exceptional circumstances, we can make alternative arrangements to compensate for lost class time.
• Retrospective requests (a request for a make-up from last term for example) for class make-ups are not accepted. We request you make contact via email or phone to Clay Talk as soon as you can’t make class so that we can make alternative arrangements for you.
• Clay Talk reserves the right to cancel a class due to unforeseen circumstances such as insufficient enrolments or illness or for maintenance works. You will be notified prior to the class if cancellation of the class is deemed necessary, or if there will be another date scheduled, or if a pro-rata refund will be provided.

ILLNESS

If classes and workshops are cancelled due to illness of a tutor, and the inability to find a suitable replacement, Clay Talk will endeavour to provide rescheduled dates for classes and workshops.

In the event that students cannot attend the rescheduled classes, students must email claytalk@montsalvat.com.au as soon as possible prior to the commencement of the rescheduled class or workshop.

If a student is unable to attend the rescheduled classes or workshop Clay Talk may, at its absolute discretion, provide either a credit note, or a pro-rata refund (minus an administration fee of 10%).

 GIFT VOUCHERS

Gift vouchers are only available through our online portal www. Gift vouchers can be purchased for a minimum of $20 and are valid for 3 years from purchase.

Gift vouchers can only be used for booking classes, courses and/or workshops at Clay Talk through our online portal. Gift vouchers can be applied at check out when booking a class, course or workshop.

FIRING OF WORK

Most workshops and classes include firing and glazing of a specific number of pieces. Check the workshop listing description on our online platform.

We take extreme care with your work however accidents do happen, and we are unable to guarantee fully that your work will be successfully fired. Clay Talk takes no responsibility for failure or breakage of work.

Term classes:

Firing of 2.5kg of finished work per student is included in the term class fee.

Students can make and fire more work over this limit however additional charges apply.

Students must label each of their pieces with their Makers Mark (your Makers Mark is made up of the initials of your first, middle & last name and your class code e.g. John Adam Smith = JAS). No Makers Mark could mean losing your pieces.

If a kiln shelf is badly damaged from your work due to materials brought to Clay Talk from elsewhere, you will be charged for the cost of replacing that shelf.

Incorrect glazing or wrong clay body type in the wrong firing type will incur a penalty fee for damages.

• If your work damages the interior walls, burners or elements of the kiln, you will be required to pay for the damage to be determined by the Clay Talk Studio Manager.

COLLECTION OF WORK

• Firing, glazing and packaging of your work takes approximately 2-4 weeks after your class/workshop.
• You will be notified by a written or digital notification, an email, or the Clay Talk Newsletter when your work is ready for collection.
• Clay Taster & Kids School Holiday programme students have 30 days to collect their pieces from the time they received notification of their pieces to be collected before uncollected works are repurposed elsewhere.
• Non-returning term student work must be collected on the last Friday before term classes begin.
• Non-returning term students must talk with their teachers to understand the process of collecting their work and clearing student shelf items on the last day of their class. 
• Uncollected works, bisqued pieces, items on student shelf including tools and clay - unless the student notifies staff at Clay Talk that they wish to make alternative arrangements to collect their work - will not be guaranteed safe keeping or storage and will be re-purposed.
• EMAIL / SMS NOTIFICATIONS
• Clay Talk takes no responsibility for students not reading or checking their messages, emails or checking their spam/junk mail regarding work collection.

The Clay Talk Ceramics Centre in Montsalvat is a ceramics facility located in the grounds of Montsalvat – Australia’s oldest continuously active artists’ community. The studio is an addition to Montsalvat’s already rich history as a place where art is made, taught, shown and experienced.

At Clay Talk, we aim to be a creative environment that brings students and practitioners together through education and skills-based programs. Currently we offer classes where you can learn wheel throwing and hand building at all stages of development supplemented by specialist programs and workshops taught by established artists.