Photo by Alex Byers

2024 Ceramics Workshops

Workshop enrollment happens on a first-come, first-served basis. Many fill to capacity quickly and have waitlists months in advance. It’s best to register as early as possible – don’t delay! Registrations for onsite workshops should be made no later than 15 days ahead of the workshop start date so that we can include you when we’re making workshop determinations, ordering materials, etc. Touchstone’s onsite workshop determinations (running vs cancelling) are made 14 days in advance of their scheduled start dates, primarily based on the number of participants registered at that time.

  • A processing fee of $25 will be added to 2-5 day onsite workshops.
  • All workshop participants must be at least 18 years of age, unless otherwise noted.
  • Remember: Materials and studio fees are separate from tuition fees and are to be paid in full once finalized (typically two weeks prior to the workshop).

To view a full listing of the Terms and Conditions as part of your enrollment, download the 2024 Participant Guide. Please review our updated Health & Safety Guidelines* and Cancellation Policy* prior to registering for any workshop.

 

*Subject to change based on health regulations and best practices. Registered participants will be notified if changes are made.

COMMUNITY WOOD FIRINGS

MAY 25-27 (Unload SUN, JUN 2)
JUN 29-JUL 1 (Unload SAT, JUL 6)
AUG 24-26 (Unload SAT, AUG 31)
SEP 28-30 (Unload SAT, OCT 5)

3-DAY (SAT-MON)
Community Wood Firings  
Instructors: Meghan Burke & Daniel Tomcik 

$470 Member | $500 Non-Member 
$200 Stand-In Fee (required if not working your kiln shifts) 
Participants bring their bisque-fired works, Touchstone provides all other wood firing materials.

REGISTER FOR MAY REGISTER FOR JUNE REGISTER FOR AUGUST REGISTER FOR SEPTEMBER

Each Community Wood Firing welcomes ceramic artists of all skill levels, from novices to professionals. Handbuilders, wheel throwers, sculptors, and anyone in-between are encouraged to register and experience firing Touchstone’s two-chamber noborigama kiln. Participants will be introduced to all necessary steps of a successful wood firing: how to glaze (or leave a piece raw!), wadding, kiln loading techniques, lighting a kiln, stoking the kiln, working kiln shifts, kiln safety, soda mixing techniques, stoking soda, down-firing/reduction cooling with wood, wood stacking and drying, working with a team, kiln unloading, and sanding your wares, plus discussions about materials. 

Recently Added — COMMUNITY CLASSES

JUN 5, 12, 19, & 26 | WEDNESDAYS (6:00-8:30 p.m.)
Introduction to Handbuilding
Instructor: Travis Winters

All Levels - No Experience Needed! (Ages 18+)
$240 Tuition Plus $10 Nonrefundable Processing Fee
Materials Fees Included

REGISTER NOW

This weekly class covers the fundamentals of handbuilding through pinching, coiling, and slab building techniques. You’ll also explore color and texture through surface decoration and glazes, and walk away with finished pieces and a solid foundation in handbuilding. Open studio hours included.

HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS (AGES 14 AND OLDER): JUN 8TH & AUG 25TH

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at working in a craft medium? In these exciting half-day (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) workshops for ages 14 and older, you will learn new techniques and processes while creating hands-on projects in the medium of your choosing. Projects vary and may utilize different materials and techniques per session/instructor.

 

Projects examples may include:

  • Blacksmithing – forged steel hooks, leaves, or bottle openers
  • Ceramics* – wheel thrown (June 8) or handbuilt (August 25) clay mugs, tiles, or small sculptures
  • Glass* – marbles, beads, or small objects/sculptures created with flameworking/fused glass techniques (not glass blowing) 
  • Metals & Jewelry – making metal rings, pendants, or keychains
  • Painting & Drawing – sketching/drawing using colored pencils or different paints for still lifes, portraits, or scenery

*Some projects in ceramics or glass may require that you pick your items up at a later date due to the need for kiln firing.

JUN 8 | SATURDAY (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Try It! - Wheel Throwing

All Levels - No Experience Needed! (Ages 14+)
$140 Tuition Plus $10 Nonrefundable Processing Fee
Materials Fees Included

REGISTER NOW

AUG 25 | SUNDAY (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Try It! - Handbuilding

All Levels - No Experience Needed! (Ages 14+)
$140 Tuition Plus $10 Nonrefundable Processing Fee
Materials Fees Included

REGISTER NOW

Dress appropriately as you will likely get messy! We recommend all participants wear closed-toe shoes, restrain long hair, and avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling jewelry. If you try Blacksmithing or glass, wear cotton or denim clothing (avoid cuffs) and closed-toe shoes are required (no flip-flops or sandals). We will provide safety glasses and ear plugs where necessary.

 

Please check in at Blaney Lodge between 8:15 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. Workshops begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. within their designated studios.

5 DAY WORKSHOPS: JUN 10-14 THROUGH AUG 19-23

JUN 10-14 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Hand Meets Wheel
Instructor: Wes Brown

*Pre-approved for Act 48 Credit by PAEA

All Levels
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$105-$155 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

An exciting introduction to combining wheel throwing and slab building, this workshop is for both experienced and beginning participants looking to approach clay in a new way. Wes will walk you through his own studio practice, utilizing the wheel to generate forms to merge with slab construction methods. You will sketch through ideas, learn wheel throwing techniques for both complex and simple forms, and employ slab construction. Wes will cover both functional and sculptural considerations. Come and learn new ways of combining within the world of ceramics!

JUN 17-21 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Let’s Talk – A Conversation Between Form and Imagery
Instructor: Kathy King

*Pre-approved for Act 48 Credit by PAEA

Intermediate-Advanced
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$160-$210 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

This hands-on workshop will center on building a personal vocabulary of imagery while considering methods of composing that imagery onto both wheel-thrown and hand-built ceramic forms. With humor as a tool to create narratives within her work, King will introduce some nontraditional ideas about function and methods of storytelling. Participants will incorporate their own imagery by carving through slip-colored clay (sgraffito) as well as experiment on leather-hard clay with transfer techniques such as Photo EZ silk-screening and resist printing. In addition, glaze techniques that will enhance surface work will be demonstrated.

JUN 24-28 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Playing with Stencils on Clay
Instructor: Samantha Oliver

Beginner-Intermediate
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$125-$175 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

Using sketches adapted into stencils, participants will explore ways of layering imagery onto wet clay surfaces. We will use coil building and slab building techniques to create cups and vases while considering fun floral arrangements. Post bisque wash techniques will be demonstrated to help add depth and softness to finished pieces.

JUL 8-12 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Creamers, Pitchers, & Teapots, Oh My!
Instructor: Dallas Wooten

Intermediate
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$80-$130 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

The slightest difference in angle and lift can make or break the pour of a beautiful teapot or pitcher. From the handle to the spout, pouring pots require consideration to achieve harmony and a clean pour. Dallas will demonstrate a variety of forms, with an emphasis on how things work, especially handles, spouts, and lids. Techniques covered include wheel thrown and hand-built spouts, pulled and pinched-pulled handles, a variety of lid designs for teapots, and different pitcher and altering techniques. Open to participants who have basic skills in either wheel throwing or handbuilding and are able to successfully create a body shape for the foundation of a pitcher or teapot.

JUL 14-19 | 6-DAY (SUN-FRI) | TEEN WEEK
We Aren’t Making the Same Old Pots
Instructor: Melissa Weiss

All Levels (Ages 14-17)
$750 Tuition
$100 Materials and Studio Fees

APPLY TODAY

 

The deadline for submitting applications is April 15th. Notifications will go out by May 1st.

 

Explore many handbuilding techniques including, but not limited to, coiling, carving, pinching and slab building. We’ll use glaze and underglaze to decorate and finish our pots. Participants will examine the non-clay world for inspiration to make functional and decorative objects, creating the things that we want in our world.

JUL 22-26 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Clay Identity: Sculpting Busts
Instructor: Nathan Murray

All Levels
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$80-$130 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

Explore storytelling though clay as you learn the fundamentals of building half-life scale busts using an armature. You will select an individual of personal significance to create a bust that visually represents a story or idea. Solid building on an armature will allow for quickly getting the basic structure of the individual, and participants will be instructed on the basics of capturing a likeness in clay. Group discussions on visual storytelling and idea generation will be the foundation for the completion of the work, culminating in the creation of a unique work of art. More advanced students will have time to hone their own style and skills.

JUL 29-AUG 2 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI) NATURE WEEK
Glazing with Intent
Instructor: HP Bloomer IV

Intermediate-Advanced
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$85-$135 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

Focusing on glazing and surface techniques, you will be pushed to consider glazing and mark making as part of the overall composition of a pot instead of a way to simply finish a piece. Participants will be encouraged to think about color of a glaze as well as deeper design elements that will compound and elevate each piece. Learn to use opacity, texture, mark making, line weight & quality, glaze application, and various methods of achieving different types of surfaces to their advantage. Each participant will bring simple bisqued forms (10-15 pieces) to practice glazing and mark making on. This workshop will culminate in a firing with participants walking away with examples of many methods of resist, mark making, and application.

AUG 5-9 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Pinchy Pinchy
Instructor: Emily Schroeder Willis

*Pre-approved for Act 48 Credit by PAEA

All Levels
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$75-$125 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

Pinching and coiling is one of the oldest methods of working with clay. We will delve into this deceptively simple yet versatile approach to handbuilding, exploring the realms of both functional vessels and sculpture using a blend of traditional and contemporary methods. Through the lens of historical pinched vessels from diverse cultures, we'll glean insights to expand our artistic process. Prepare to pinch till your hearts content, no prior experience required. Bisque firing only.

AUG 12-16 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Human Head & Surface Strategies
Instructor: Tom Bartel

All Levels
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$90-$140 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

Sculpt the human head through hollow, hand-forming construction methods, including coil, slab, and press molding techniques. Demonstrations will include head sculpting methods and how to render facial features (eyes, nose, lips, teeth, and ears) as well as low-fire surface methods. Participants will also experiment on tiles of clay to test possible surface/color treatments using vitreous slip and underglaze which will serve as a point of departure for individual directions.

AUG 19-23 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Take a Seat: A Chair Building Workshop
Instructor: Austin Coudriet

Intermediate-Advanced
$695 Member | $725 Non-Member
$105-$155 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

"Take a Seat" is an interactive workshop where you will fabricate a chair, stool, or bench. Learn Austin’s coil and slab-building techniques with an emphasis on moisture control and proper attachment styles. Austin will instruct on where, when, and how to add internal supports for optimal weight distribution for each chair. You will learn how to enclose forms, construct shrink slabs, properly slow dry each chair, and how to move and fire finished works. This workshop is not for beginners.

WEEKEND WORKSHOPS: AUG 31-SEP 1 THROUGH SEP 28-30

AUG 31-SEP 1 | 2-DAY (SAT-SUN) | LABOR DAY WEEKEND
Pinched Cups: Handbuilding Functional Pottery
Instructor: Marcé Nixon-Washington

No Experience-Beginner
$375 Member | $405 Non-Member
$50-$100 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

Come along and learn simple tips and tricks to create functional pottery more efficiently, where you will learn how to create pinched cups using wheel thrown slump molds. We will explore slab, coil, and pinching techniques. The methods used during this workshop are inspired by West African and Indigenous handbuilding methods.

SEP 7-9 | 3-DAY (SAT-MON)
Exploring Musical Ceramics
Instructor: Kimberlyn Bloise

No Experience-Beginner
$490 Member | $520 Non-Member
$55-$105 Materials and Studio Fees

REGISTER NOW

Make musical instruments with clay! Using handbuilding techniques, you will create hollow forms and transform them into wind instruments (similar to ocarinas). Examples of other ceramic instruments will be on hand for investigation. You will have the opportunity to explore several methods of surface design to make their creations truly unique.

Touchstone Center for Crafts prohibits discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or association preference. Touchstone Center for Crafts also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to its facilities and programming.