One of things I love doing in January is planning my pottery year: what workshops to offer, if any, what shows to do, sales... workshops to take, projects, challenges to take on... ah, dreamtime.
One workshop I definitely will do again this year is the one I called 'Making Marks on Pottery'. We did it last year and it was a great success. The creativity shown by the people who came was awesome. On the first day we decorated (made marks) on pottery place settings. I provided the bisque ware pieces (three plates, a cereal bowl and a mug in most cases) and demonstrated some ways of decorating pottery, then the students went ahead and blew right past anything I'd ever have thought of in their wonderful original designs. Later I dipped everyone's pieces in a clear glaze and fired them. A few weeks after that we had a pot-luck lunch which we ate from our new dishes. I called that 'The Artful Meal'. Seeing all the place settings on the table was totally exciting!
So I'm offering 'The Artful Meal' again this year. On Feb. 17 you'll choose your place setting, learn about some pottery decorating materials and techniques, and then decorate your pieces. Mostly we'll be painting on the bisque ware so it would help to have some basic painting skills. It'll be a full day, starting at 10am, breaking for a soup & a bun lunch, and continuing until about 4pm. We'll decide on a date for our meal before everyone goes home. Including lunch, your place setting and all materials, there will be a cost of $50 per person. Since my studio isn't very large and I want to be able to give everyone enough attention, this workshop will be limited to 8 people.
Another definite on the agenda is Clay Days. This is for total beginners, or people who haven't done pottery for a while. The first day of the workshop, March 10, will be devoted to learning a bit about clay and the pottery process, and making some pieces such as small bowls, pendants, tiles or other such projects. I'll be concentrating on hand-building techniques, but if someone is keen to try the wheel we can probably manage that as well. Someone with some prior experience would be free to go ahead with their own projects. Then the pieces have to dry and be fired, so the second day, when we will decorate our work, will be the Saturday after. The cost per person will be $25 (2 days of playing with clay, lunch both days, and all materials included) and the class will be limited to 8 people.
If you are interested in signing up for one of these workshops, just hit the 'contact me' button.
March will be a busy month as I'll be at the Carp Farmers' Market Easter Market on March 31. The fun part is deciding what to have for sale that day, let's see, bunnies, bunnies... bunnies... ok, I'm sure I'll think of something more than bunnies well before then!
Right after the Easter Market will be the Maple Run Studio Tour. Have to have stuff with Maple leaves on it for sure, and maybe some bunnies... the Tour is April 7 and 8 this year. I don't know which stop I'll be at yet, but I'll post the info in the side bar once I know. This tour has some very fine craftspeople and artists on it and I feel honoured to be on it. It's a lovely area, too, and Fulton's Pancake House always has lots going on at the same time.
After that it will soon be Market opening and the busy summer will have begun. Until then:
* With a grateful nod to Anne of Green Gables' whose lovely line, 'Just think, a whole day with no mistakes in it yet' expresses exactly how I feel about 2018!
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