Studio Practice Program: SPRING SCHOOL
Description
Special Workshop: Thinking Tools for the Journey, is part of our ongoing Studio Practice Program (SPP) designed particularly for serious students of ceramics who are looking to fill some gaps in their learning. Join us for this special three-day workshop where renowned professional ceramic artists will share their journey with clay and teach you some practical structured methods and approaches designed to unlock your own unique journey with clay.
Early Bird price: $655 (cut off: 1 September)
Slow Clay Students: $655
Concession: $675
Normal Price: $725
In person for the best and most meaningful and fun learning!
Join Jane Sawyer (Day 1), Shannon Garson (Day 2) and Ben Richardson (Day 3) as they lead you each day. The structure of one-day with each teacher will enable a deep exploration. They share a passion for clay and are active in the teaching of ceramics. See our website for further details: slowclay.com
Day 1: Jane Sawyer: Kick-Starting your Journey
Day 1 is designed to give you the tools to kick-start your journey by deeply personalising your unique pathway. Weaving a dialogue through reflection, analysis and using personal responses to objects, we are able to turn the mirror to our own work to create meaningful pathways forward.
Day 2: Shannon Garson: Mapping the Unknown
Day 2 is designed as an adventure! Expand your techniques and build your creative vocabulary including the importance of line, the true weight of volume, how to solve technical design issues, and what to do when you are at a creative dead end.
Day 3: Ben Richardson: Local is Global: Utilising your Environment
Day 3 is focussed on some tangible ways to open your perceptual awareness to your local surroundings and utilise them both conceptually through design and physically through materials.
Students must enrol in all three days.
Teacher/Artist Bios:
Jane Sawyer is an active ceramic artist and director of Slow Clay Centre, Melbourne, Australia. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics and has served on the boards of Craft Victoria on The World Craft Council Australia. Her work draws on a blend of contemporary design, craft practice and conceptual curiosity. She eschews categorisation as her versatile ceramic objects often inhabit a territory in between all the above. Whether engaging the tactile sense through a humble tea cup or the visual sense through sculptural pieces and installations, fluidity, movement and a keen interest in materiality are her pathways through an overriding interest in the object as a catalyst for connection and meaning. To fond our more about Jane and see examples of her work visit her website.
Shannon Garson is an Australian ceramic artist, writer and curator with a studio practice spanning 20 years that includes commissions for festivals, exhibitions at public and private galleries, and arts advocacy. Shannon holds a Masters degree in Ceramics from the Australian National University and is a Churchill Fellow, and previous winner of the Gold Coast International Ceramic Award. Shannon’s practice encompasses both handmade tableware and exhibition work, in two and three dimensions, she works primarily with Australian porcelain and drawings. Enduring themes within Shannon’s practice investigate the relationship between human activity and the infinite variety of striations, spots, and marks found in nature. To find out more about Shannon and see examples of her work visit her website.
Ben Richardson is an Australian ceramic artist based in Lutruwita/Tasmania and holds a Master of Art, Design and Environment at the University of Tasmania. Ben established the renowned Ridgeline Pottery in 1981 and is a leader in creating contemporary tableware for restaurants, working with culinary experts who seek to express an integrated "plate-based" response to place and season. Ben's interest in wood-firing and the use of indigenous raw materials in his practice is a response to place and his belief in the meaning that comes from connection to the local through all aspects of making. This involves gathering wood, clay, stone, wood ash and ochre; an alchemic mix then fired to high temperatures. He seeks to make utensils that, not only have a strong presence at rest, but explore an enhanced potency in daily or special use. To find out more about Ben and see examples of his work visit his website.
What you will learn
- many different approaches to unlocking creative thinking
- engage with three renowned ceramic artists about their own journey to unlock their ideas
- experience some tried and tested exercises to find your unique pathway with clay
What you will get
- New knowledge and access to some amazing teachers
What to bring
- Notebook/pen
What to wear
Sensible shoes: Leave the stilettos at home!
Appropriate for
Serious students of ceramics who are keen to find their own pathway forward
Escape to Slow Clay Centre and learn the art, craft and design of expression in clay.
Slow Clay Centre is one of the most highly regarded specialist ceramics/pottery schools in Australia. We aim to give you the best experience learning our ancient craft! We welcome all levels from beginners to advanced, including professional development and mentoring. We offer courses on a weekly basis by the term, intensive weekends, and a rich variety of one-day guest artist workshops and forums. We also offer a popular single session "taster class" once per week and look out for our Professional Development Program for serious practitioners! Oh and we never forget our precious little ones: we have a Clay Club for kids offered as a holiday program and after school so everyone can learn the art of working with clay!
Our weekly students receive priority to re-enrol each term and take advantage of our generous loyalty program providing free studio access (conditions apply). In this way we can help you to develop your skills to a high level.
Our unique "Slow Clay" (TM) method for teaching the pottery wheel, established by Slow Clay Centre director and ceramic artist Jane Sawyer, has been taught for more than thirty years. Based on the Japanese techniques Jane studied training as a production thrower in Japan in combination with western techniques, the "Slow Clay" method offers a synthesis of East and West. It provides ergonomic best-practice and a solid foundation for personal expression and confidence with clay. All our courses offer a foundation of skill-based learning within a rich framework of contemporary art and design enquiry so you can follow your interests. Our ultimate aim is to help you achieve whatever your personal goals are with clay!
Based in a beautiful inner-city studio in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia, the Slow Clay team consists of leading professional ceramic artists and experienced teachers who offer high-level teaching in a broad variety of topics - see our web site for teacher profiles. Together with guest professional artists who host workshops and forums, we are a vibrant community and wish to share our passion for clay with everyone who is keen, no matter what level.
Cancellations & Refunds
If the organiser cancels the class:
You are entitled to a full refund.
If you can't attend the class:
You’re welcome to send someone in your place.
OR
- A transfer can be requested 14 days before the class starts. An admin fee of AU$25.00 applies.
No changes will be allowed after these times.
We recommend the refund upgrade option upon checkout in case you’re not able to attend the class. Learn more about refund upgrade option.
Terms & Conditions
Welcome to Slow Clay Centre!
We aim to give you the best experience learning ceramics! Each course may have slightly different terms but these are our generic ones: please read carefully:
General:
These apply to all Slow Clay Centre courses, workshops and events:
- Deposit or full payment (depending on the course/workshop/event) must be made at the time of booking
- Please choose carefully. Due to our limited class sizes once you've booked and paid either the deposit or the full fee we will only refund what you have paid if the class is cancelled by us. If you are unable to attend you may transfer your booking to a friend for no charge or, provided we can fill your place, we can sometimes transfer you to another class or hold your payment in credit for up to 24 months for a future course
- There is a $25 fee for transfer or credit note and you must pay any fee difference if the new course price is higher
- Please note: All students will receive a reminder between three weeks and one week (depending on the course) before the start date with a link to pay any remaining balance with your credit card. Students who paid the deposit online will have the balance automatically deducted. Others will need to click on the link provided or ring our office on 99437844.
- Due to our limited class sizes, if your balance is not received three weeks before the start date and you have not made arrangements with us, we reserve the right to find a replacement student and your deposit will be forfeited
Weekly classes: These additional conditions apply to all Slow Clay Centre weekly classes.
- Please note that making ceramics, particularly on the pottery wheel, can be a physically demanding activity. If you have any pre-existing illnesses and/or chronic injuries to your back, shoulders, hips, neck, wrists or elbows we strongly advise you to seek a medical opinion before enrolling as some activities might exacerbate past injuries and we take no responsibility if this occurs.
- We ask that you fully disclose any prior and/or ongoing illnesses or injuries that could affect you before you enrol AND inform your teacher in person during the first class.
- Your enrolment is conditional on your acceptance that Slow Clay Centre and/or the company's employees, whether casual, contract, or permanently employed, are indemnified against any exacerbation of any past or any new injuries that may arise as a result of your activites.
- All work made during classes is to be used for personal, non-commercial purposes. This is individually negotiable for advanced students or for studio exhibitions but we ask students to accept that the emphasis of our classes is strictly on education not studio production. If you sell your work made using our materials you must acknowledge Slow Clay Centre and also ensure you have your own product liability insurance
- Teaching fees are fully inclusive of materials but students will incur a single firing fee based on the current cost (advised in your class)
- Please note: we encourage judicious selection of your work to fire. Firing is always optional and all clay is recycled until the first firing. After that you must pay the firing fee for everything that gets fired. If it cracks, glaze drips, or you just don't like it, you are still required to pay the firing fee unless the fault is caused by us.
- Collection of fired pieces: Please understand that our storage capacity is extremely limited. Students will be notified via email when work is ready to be collected. Work will only be retained for two weeks following notification.
Regarding Kids Clay Club:
- It is your responsibility to clearly report in writing on the enrolment form, any illness, allergies or disability that may affect your child's involvement in the Clay Club activities.
- Please sign-in and sign-out your children
- Please respect our teachers and be prompt to arrive and to collect your children (within 5 minutes of class time)
- Children are expected to be mature enough to follow instructions, to work in a group together, to respect everyone's needs and differences and to be polite to everyone.
Thanks Helen, so pleased you got so much from it!
So pleased you got so much from the course Anne and thanks for the lovely words!