Greetings from the carriage House. The General, the toughest of the neighborhood feral cats, wants nothing more than to get into my studio. He’s not allowed but you are most certainly welcome to join me.
On a crisp fall morning in 1986, my life changed. I participated in my very first raku workshop and it was love at first pull. I discovered intense lusters, rich jewel-toned glazes, intricate crackle effects and smoky slate darkness of all unglazed surfaces. Every touch and manipulation created something wonderful. I was literally painting with fire. From that day on, my love and appreciation for this wonderful artform has grown.
Now, some 30 years on, I fortunate to have the opportunity to share my passion with a new generation of craftspeople. In 2011, I started offering workshops in my 1887 carriage house. The space is cozy, inviting and perfect for making great work and new friends. I always look forward to seeing what wonderful things my students will create. And for those that are new to the process or have been away from clay for a while, fear not, I have all sorts of nifty projects for potters of all levels.
I prefer to conduct sessions featuring small groups of preferably no more than four participants. This gives me a chance to work in close collaboration with every participant and to develop memorable and individualized projects. Small group sizes also provide some flexibility in setting up days to work and accommodating those who may need to make up a missed session or work around the challenges of our demanding schedules. Because let’s face it, even though these workshops are tons of fun, life often intervenes.
My workshops give folks plenty of opportunities to settle in and find their way. A workshop includes four three-hour sessions to build work, a five-hour glazing session and conclude with an exciting all-day firing. Sessions typically are conducted on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday mornings beginning at 10:00 AM. I have found this allows people to navigate the parkway with relatively light traffic and get home before the remorseless eating machines known as children return to the nest.
And then what about the people who work for a living? As an AT&T escapee, I can appreciate the desire to have a bit of after work fun to explore and foster one’s creative side. So even though the lazy side of me is cringing, I might be willing to entertain one evening session if there is sufficient interest.
The cost for an all-inclusive workshop is $400.00. I provide clay, glazes, firing materials, tools, brushes and gloves so all you have to haul into the studio is yourself. Click here for a list of current workshop dates and availability. Let me know what days and times work best for you and if you would like to participate. Please try to get back to me quickly as small group classes like these tend to fill up quickly and I hate to be the guy who says no. I also want to try to make sure that buddies get to work together. Based on your responses, I will put some fun groups together.
I look forward to seeing you in the carriage house.
RAKU FIRINGS
For those folks that have access to a studio or are only interested in firing their wonderful creations, I provide a firing only option. Participants in the firing program can select a firing day and bring up to 12 pieces to be fired. I provide everything you need from glazes and brushes to all important guidance on how to apply them to get the most out of each and every piece. Firings take place throughout the day beginning at 9:00 AM and typically wrap up around 5:00 PM.
The nice thing about raku is that it embodies pottery for the impatient. A typical load requires only an hour to go from room temperature to 1800 degrees and then cool back to room temperature. This means we can complete between 7 and 9 loads during a firing day.
Flexible per piece pricing lets you have as much fun as you want. Sign up for a firing and get set to have a magical day. Click here to see the next available firing days.
Firing costs
Small pieces (less than 6”) $12.00 per piece
Lager pieces (from 6” to 16”) $15.00 per piece
Glaze and materials fee $20.00 per day