New for
Kingston Potters’ Guild Classes:
-
introductory classes on Saturday as well as Monday
and
Tuesday evenings
-
introductory class series only 6 weeks so you can
try it without a big cash outlay
-
other class series shortened to 8 weeks still
include access to the studio outside of class
-
gift certificates are
now avaialble for the 6 or 8 week class series by contacting
Shelagh at
KPGclasses@gmail.com
(preferred) or 613-384-5545
Working with clay is marvellous! It's
engaging without being stressful and you'll find you'll look at things
made from clay with a whole new appreciation. You'll get to know new
people with a similar interest because the classes are small.After completing the introductory class you will be
qualified to join the guild and have access to the studio outside of
class.
The curriculum is designed
to help you progress towards being independent in the guild.
You will start with
handbuilding and can then learn to throw and progress to more complex
forms, and different surface decoration methods to develop your own
style.
It is
our intention to offer each of the classes at some point over a two to
three year period so that, if you wish, you can progress through the
curriculum in two or three years.
All classes are
for adults only.
A general
overview of the curriculum, detailed class descriptions and registration
information follow the class dates:
Next series of pottery classes starts January
2012:
Introduction
to Clay - Handbuilding with a “taste” of Throwing
- cost $160.00 (+ HST) includes everything you need –
clay, glaze, tools and firing
-
3 hour class runs for six afternoons or
evenings:
-
Saturday afternoon 1
to 4 pm January 7 to
February 25 (
due to workshops in the studio there will be no
class on two Saturdays so the six classes are spread over 8 weeks (no
class on one of Jan 14 or 22 (yet to be determined); no class Feb
19
)
-
or
Monday evening 7 to 10 pm January 9 to
February 13
-
or Tuesday evening 7 to 10 pm January 10 to
February 28
-
if there are enough students we will run all
three classes, so please indicate the day you would like in order of
preference, and indicate if there is a day of the week that you could
not attend
Throwing III –
consolidation/refresher throwing cylinders, bowls and plates
-
$185.00 (+HST)
-
additional material costs (see below for more
information)
-
3 hour class runs for 8 evenings
-
Thursday January 12 to
Thursday March 1
To Register:
The only way to hold a place in the class
is to send a cheque as described below, payable to the Kingston Potters’
Guild and
dated no later than December 30, 2011.
The
costs are
as follows
:
Introduction
to Clay 6 week class including supplies
$160.00
+ 20.80 HST = $180.80
Throwing
III 8 week class$185.00
+$24.70 HST = $209.05
- If you need a key for the studio then please tell
class coordinator that you will need a key and bring a cheque for $25.00
to your first class; also bring money to buy clay if you need some.
A final decision about which classes will
run will depend upon the number of students.
The decision will
be made on December 15. If the class will not run then your cheque will be
returned.
Please send your cheque for tuition + HST, payable to
the Kingston Potters’ Guild , along with your name, address,
telephone number, and email address, to the class coordinator, Shelagh
Mirski, 36 Lakeland Point Drive, Kingston Ontario, K7M 4E7 (or drop it in
her mailbox).
Be sure to
indicate which class you are registering for, and if there are multiple
sessions offered then your order of preference.
Also, please email
KPGclasses@gmail.com to tell Shelagh that a cheque is coming so she knows
how many people are serious about attending.
Participation in these classes is on a first-come
first-served basis, determined by when Shelagh receives the cheque.
We will notify you when your cheque has been received.
Once the class has started, we do not
offer refunds.
If you have any
questions, please phone me at 613-384-5545 or, preferably, email Shelagh
at
KPGclasses@gmail.com
Class Descriptions:
Introduction
to Clay - Handbuilding with a “taste” of Throwing
Lots of people are anxious to try the
potter’s wheel, so we will include one session on the wheel.
But throwing on the
wheel is the most difficult technique that requires lots of practice,
whereas handbuilding can lead to a feeling of success quickly.
-
cost $160.00 (+ HST) includes everything you need –
clay, glaze, tools and firing
- class runs for six afternoons or evenings:
-
if enough students register we will run more than
one class per week, so please indicate the day you would like in order
of preference, and indicate if there is a day of the week that you
could not attend
-
Perfect course if you have never worked with clay
or had a little experience but want to start at the very beginning again
with handbuilding
-
a prerequisite for our other guild courses (unless
you have equivalent experience)
- focus on handbuilding techniques that are easy
enough to learn that students can make a few glazed pots to take
home.These
techniques are also extremely useful for expert potters so if you want
to continue with clay you will have a good foundation.
- At the end of this course you will have made
functional pots using the following techniques:
- soft slab
- hard slab
- extruded coil
- a small cylinder on the wheel
- limited amount of clay, glaze and firing costs
included
- does not include access to studio outside of class
What to do after the Introduction to Clay
course?
Some people fall so much in love with
handbuilding that they want to focus on that. If that describes
you then talk to your teacher, and/or the class coordinator about how to
become a full studio member so that you can continue. There will be other
courses or workshops from time to time that will interest you, like
surface decoration and glazing, and more advanced handbuilding projects
and sculpture.
And the guild has lots of sources of information for you to
access. In
addition some members give private classes using handbuilding.
Many people want to learn to throw so
register for our Throwing I course. You will have access to the studio so you can
keep doing handbuilding on your own to add variety to your throwing
practice.
Note that there are a strictly limited
number of allotted firings for the classes and we try to make sure that
the kiln space is divided fairly among the students in the class. Students
working at an intermediate level are encouraged to develop their glazing
and firing skills so that they can gradually become fully independent
potters and members of the Guild. Outside of class you can work cooperatively
with members of the Guild who have kiln firing privileges, paying your
share of the firing costs and eventually qualifying to fire the kilns on
your own. Class members may get together and make glazes, although they
should discuss the recipes with the teacher or another experienced
potter.
Decorating the Clay
Surface
- Prerequisite – some experience in addition to
Introduction to Clay is recommended, at least Throwing I and II, or
equivalent studio practice in handbuilding
- Slips and underglazes
- Achieving and enhancing texture
- Using resists
- Make cone 6 glazes from recipes and test fire
- Practice glaze application – dipping, spraying,
painting
- Majolica (on-glaze painting)
Cone 10 glazes and
Reduction Kiln Firing
·
Prerequisite – intermediate level of skill in pottery
making
·
knowledge about firing our gas kiln is usually
transferred through mentoring by current reduction group members, but in
the future a more formal course may be developed
- a Reduction Group handbook is available to assist
you
Throwing classes – General Overview
When throwing, repetition of forms is
important so that your body will gain the muscle memory needed to make
good strong forms that you will find pleasing. So classes are
structured around progressing through the cylinder, bowl and plate
forms.
Repetition of forms won’t be boring because the basic forms can be
altered in many ways to make different functional vessels. Also, we will offer
a class in surface decoration so that you can explore different techniques
for finishing the surface of your pots. Once you have some facility with throwing the
basic forms you can progress to more complex forms in our
intermediate/advanced courses.
- $185.00 (+HST) for 8 classes
- classes include (1) time learning pottery in class,
glaze materials and a limited number of firings (2) time practicing
pottery-making in the studio outside of class time
- classes are small (a maximum of 10 to 12 students
in a class depending on the class)
- you will be a student member of the guild with all
its benefits while the classes are running, including having a key to
the guild studio for potting outside of class time, attending Guild
meetings and workshops (at member's rates for workshops), receive the
newsletter and buy supplies at cost
- additional costs:
- a refundable key deposit of $25.00 payable at the
first class
- clay to be purchased from the guild supply room
(~$10.00 per 10 kg bag + HST)
- for your first throwing class you will need to
buy a basic tool kit from the guild supply room (~$14.00 + HST)
- purchases at the first class are on a cash or
cheque basis
- How much clay you use depends on whether you
recycle your clay and how much pottery you make and keep. More clay can
be purchased as needed.
- The teacher will fire a limited number of
average-sized pieces made during class time only.
- Arrangements can be made with Guild members (who
are qualified to fire the kilns) to fire extra work at an additional
cost.
Throwing Courses – the details:
Throwing I –
cylinders
- cylinders make cups, mugs,
pitchers, vases, flower pots, etc.
- prerequisite Introduction to Clay or equivalent
- intention that students will take this class
once
Throwing II – bowls
and plates
- prerequisite Introduction to Clay or equivalent
- best to take Throwing I first if available
- intention that students will take this class once
Note that Throwing I and II may be offered during the
same evening session
Throwing III –
consolidation/refresher throwing cylinders, bowls and plates
- make forms with more uniform thickness, better
shape control, stronger rims, larger, taller, starting to produce what
you envision
- prerequisite one class each of Throwing I and II,
or equivalent
- intention that students will take this course
multiple times, working with the teacher to master the forms to the
point that they will be ready to move to more difficult or complex forms
with success.
The number of classes required will depend in part on how much
time the student has to practice outside of class. We expect that
students might take Throwing III three or four times before moving
on.
Throwing IV and V
- more
difficult and complex forms
- lids (for jars, sugar
bowls, casseroles), altered forms (now that
you can make it round really well, how about throwing a square
casserole), composite forms (tea pots are
the ultimate challenge), making sets of something (i.e. repeating success)
- prerequisite Throwing III or equivalent
- for Throwing V you are encourage to discuss your
specific throwing goals with the teacher before the classes begin so
that both you and your teacher can prepare; e.g. making a teapot could
be a goal for this class
- students may take these classes more than once, but
qualified students who have not taken them will have first priority
Note that
Throwing IV and V may be offered during the same evening session
