Handmade ceramic birdbaths can be a great way to add charm to your garden while also offering a functional  watering space for birds, bugs, and other critters. Using durable mid-range clay and finishes we will be designing large sturdy birdbaths that will serve as canvases to explore low relief sculpture.

In this workshop we will address techniques to build large format pretty quickly using large slabs of compressed clay. We will utilize different molds and forms to create nested bowls that fit snugly into tall cylindrical bases. Finally, we will dedicate a meaningful amount of time to different surface design processes including an in-depth investigation of different low relief carving and Sgraffito techniques. We will have 4 dedicated sessions for staining, underglazing and using commercial cone 5 glazes. If you have been waiting for a glaze intensive workshop, this is an offering that is going to dedicate a meaningful portion to glazing techniques.

This workshop includes participation in 10 studio sessions. After the workshop, there is an additional gathering where the finished artworks are unveiled and participants can share about their inspirations and experiences. You can see some recent examples of previous participants projects in the photo gallery. The 5:15pm start time is set to accommodate people driving from work. The studio will open at 5pm for attendees to socialize, draw, imagine. Demonstrations will happen after 5:15pm.

Necessary materials and tools will be available for participants to use throughout the workshop. You don’t need to bring anything with you to participate, but you are welcome to bring an apron,  water bottle, and sketch-book. It is recommended to not wear any hand jewelry such as expensive rings, watches, press-on nails. We will be playing with finely filtered premium mud and that will make our hands very dirty. 

Instructor: Zachary Myers

Class Maximum: 8 participants

Number of Sessions: 6 clay buildings sessions, 4 glazing sessions, and an artwork pickup gathering.

When signing up for this workshop, you are signing up for 10 workshop sessions. There are no partial refunds if you miss a session. Out of respect for the small group, please make sure you are able to attend all 10 work sessions before signing up. You can view the scheduled sessions below.

These evening workshop sessions are intended for beginner to intermediate artists and will cover a variety of beginner and intermediate hand-building techniques. This workshop is best suited for an artist who has taken a clay workshop or class in some capacity before. You do not need to be an expert, but some experience is helpful.