Kia ora koutou
This week we’ve been working on setting up the next School Holiday Programme and planning some short workshops for the upcoming term-break. We have one of those workshops below for you to take a gander at, and more to come next week 😊
Making a Makers’ Mark – one-night workshop
Create a potter's mark or any other stamp using plaster and porcelain
Monday 23rd September 2024
6pm - 9pm
Join Yasmin Davis to create your potter's mark stamp, or any other small texture stamps you have in mind.
In this workshop, you will learn to make small plaster slabs, then carve into them with a specialised tool to create small and intricate stamps. Once your design is finalised, you will use porcelain clay to make a negative impression. The porcelain clay then gets bisque fired and becomes your Maker's Mark stamp!
This is the perfect method for creating small, detailed stamps that you can use over and over. You can keep the plaster slab as a master too, meaning you can use it to create more stamps, should you lose or break them.
You can also carve a bigger design to get more detail into your stamp, then make a porcelain impression that gets fired, then stamped again, then fired again, then stamped again, then... Each time you stamp and fire, your design gets smaller with the clay shrinkage! So, you can make a tiny stamp with good detail, or have multiple stamps of the same design in different sizes.
All materials and tools you need for this workshop are included in the enrolment fee:
Plaster of Paris
A carving tool
Porcelain clay
Containers for making the plaster slabs
Bisque firing of stamps created at the workshop
Just bring your ideas and a pencil and paper. More info here.
School Holiday Programme
We had so much fun doing the School Holiday programmes last time, that we’re doing it all again! Take a look below at what’s on offer for your young ones in the next school holiday break.
Full Day School Holiday Pottery Programmes
1st October OR 8th of October
9am – 3pm
For children 7-14 years
In these kids' day-programmes, your child/ren will get to make their own pottery pieces using a variety of techniques, including:
Slab Animal Pencil Cup - using the slab method and adding features to create an animal-styled pencil cup.
Press Mould Bowls - use hand-moulded or cookie cutter shapes to create a textured bowl.
Wheel Adventures - have a fun, messy time spinning clay on the pottery wheel.
Paint a Pot - choose a pre-made pot to paint with underglazes.
We will have four experienced potters facilitating the activities and guiding your child/ren through the creative process.
Find more info and enrol for these here:
Tuesday 1st October session
Tuesday 8th October session
2-hour Pinch Pot Animals
3rd October OR 10th October
10am – 12noon
for children 7-14 years
In this kids session your child/ren will use the pinch pot technique to make an animal of their choosing. We will then glaze and fire the piece for them, and they will be able to collect their piece 2 weeks later.
We will have two experienced potters facilitating the session and guiding your child/ren through the creative process.
Find more information and enrol for these here:
Thursday 3rd October session
Thursday 10th October session
2-hour Adventures on the Wheel
3rd October OR 10th October
1pm – 3pm
for children 7-14 years
In this kids session your child/ren will get to have a go at making a pot on the pottery wheel. We will then glaze and fire the piece for them, and they will be able to collect their piece 2 weeks later.
We will have two experienced potters facilitating the session and guiding your child/ren through the creative process.
Find more information and enrol for these here:
Thursday 3rd October session
Thursday 10th October session
Raku Club Firing – 12th October
Raku club is firing up again in October – come along with your bisqued pots and give them a fast-smoky firing! Our raku expert, David, will help you get involved in this awesome firing process, providing you with an opportunity to fire a few items.
If you haven't been part of a raku firing before, they are fun, dramatic, and yield unpredictable but breathtaking results. Members and non-members welcome.
You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream (containers)
If you happen to have any spare ice cream containers lying around, we’d love to take them off your hands! Just pop them in and leave them on Libby’s desk. Thanks!
Studio Schedule
Here’s what’s happening next week… Make sure you check the online calendar though, just in case anything changes.
Saturday 31st of August
10am – 1pm, Play with Clay – thanks Lydia!
Sunday 1st of September
10am – 1pm, Class – Wheel Throwing Taster
Monday 2nd of September
9.30am – 1pm, Class – Wheel Throwing
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Class – Hand building
Tuesday 3rd of September
9.30am – 12pm, CLOSED for Private Class
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Play with Clay – Thank you Margaret and Alicia!
Wednesday 4th of September
9.30am – 12.30pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Larissa, Mark and Yasmin!
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Class – Wheel Throwing and Decorating
Thursday 5th of September
9.30am – 12.30pm, Class – Sculpture Skills
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Class, Wheel Throwing
Friday 6th of September
9.30am – 4pm, CLOSED for Diploma
6pm – 9pm, Class – Wheel Throwing Taster
Saturday 7th of September
10am – 1pm, Play with Clay – thanks Teresa!
Sunday 8th of September
10am – 1pm, Class – Wheel Throwing Taster
