Thrown ceramics with carving and faceting with Emily Myers

Pottery and ceramics

Ref: S3D32885

Location: West Dean
£535
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About this course

Learn how to throw taller forms, including bottles and vases, how to carve into and facet leather-hard pots and to experiment with new forms and surfaces. This course is aimed at those who can already confidently throw a cylinder.

Course Description

This course is designed to encourage you to improve your throwing skills, and to learn how to facet and carve at the leather-hard stage. The emphasis will be on producing pieces, but not to be too precious about them. More pots to work on will enable you to hone your skills and to experiment with form and surface.

At the introduction evening, the tutor will show examples and pictures of faceted pots made by a variety of potters and will also show some objects that inspire her, such as seedpods. This will be a good time for you to sketch out your ideas.

The tutor will teach techniques to throw taller forms, such as vases and bottles, giving options to those of you with more basic throwing skills. Your tutor will demonstrate how to spiral wedge clay and stress the importance of clay preparation. She will give various throwing demonstrations, showing her own particular tricks, for example, standing up whilst throwing to get taller forms.

You will spend the first day wedging and preparing your clay, and throwing a variety of evenly thrown forms, which will be left to dry overnight. Forms will include small stem vases and larger bottles.

On day two, the tutor will demonstrate how to facet the pots using a banding-wheel and harp tool. You will work on your own pots; repetition of the process will help you gain fluidity in the making process. The afternoon will be used for throwing new forms, including rounder vases.

On the last day the tutor will demonstrate fine carving lines with loop tools and also how to use a metal kidney to texture surfaces. You will carry on experimenting with carving and faceting your own pieces, concentrating on roughly 4 pieces to take home.

Timetable

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Course Materials

Included

  • The cost of clay/glazing materials and firing costs of work made – large work in size and quantity may be charged extra.

What students need to bring

  • Apron for throwing plus a small towel
  • Sketch book for recording ideas throughout the course

Available to buy

  • Available from shop:
  • Pottery tools, pottery knife
  • Rough paper or sketch pad and pencil
  • Natural sponge

Additional information

Firing and glazing options: 1. Leave you’re a selection of your most successful raw finished pieces for biscuit firing, basic glazing and re-firing by the College, for collection within six months. 2. Leave a selection of your most successful raw finished pieces for biscuit firing at the College. You can then book a place on a Glazing Day and glaze your own work (allowing four weeks for your work to be biscuit fired). This work will be re-fired after glazing and available for collection within six months. 3. Take away your unfired pots for firing and glazing elsewhere. Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes). Possible equipment restrictions in tutor absence.

Tutors

Emily Myers

Emily Myers has been a Fellow of The Craft Potter’s Association since 1990. She trained at Camberwell and Bristol Art School in the late 1980s.

Accommodation

Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.

Courses of interest

Further study options

Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study. 

Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.