Happy New year - Special Classses!

​We have so many special classes coming up, that you need to act fast and sign up to reserve your spot! Here is a highlight on three classes that are all happening in a couple of days/weeks. They are all exciting and I'm sure you will find something to spark your creativity!

Sculptural Material: Paper Clay
with Maureen McLeod
Short-term class
Feb 2-4, 2018 9:30am-4:00pm
All levels of experience
$200/student, $35 supply fee
Contact Maureen at sandalphonm@gmail.com
​or 386-259-3115 for details or to sign up

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​This product is clay combined with paper pulp and water. In India,"Paper Clay" has a history of being used for thousands of years. Paper clay is extremely strong as greenware and the clay can be worked in multiple layers of wet clay over dry clay without much cracking. The work can be altered at any stage in the forming process. It can be worked as coil, slab or thrown on a potter's wheel. The finished work can be sealed with a waterproof sealer, then painted, stained or polished.

Breakdown of the Paper Clay Sculpting 3-day Workshop:
1.Presentation  of the history of Paper Clay and the rebirth of this
clay material today.
2. Covering the basics of using clay by rolling coils, pinching and
forming the material and rolling out slabs of clay.
3.Have students do a basic drawing of their concept for design.
4.Teach students how to build an armature to support their sculptural piece.
5.Begin building on armature.
6.Learn about details of textures and different markings in clay and
the movement of the material.
7.The sculpture will be exposed to air and sunshine for continual
drying as one works.
8.When the work is dry it will be sealed with a waterproof sealer several times.
9.Final work will be painted or stained and ready to take home.

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PIT FIRING
 
Short-Term Class in the studio and outside
Fri, Jan 26, 1-4pm and Sun, Jan 28, all day
$50/members, $65/non-members
$10 supply fee
​Need a minimum of 4 students to hold the class
Contact Susie Means susiemeans6@gmail.com or 317.498.1202

​Clay Studio is having a PIT FIRING all day on Sunday, January 28.  This is another alternative firing method to explore and will substitute for the Raku Firing scheduled for that day. Under the direction of teacher Susie Means  we will build a pit and a wood  fire around our pots out in  back of the AWI Studios, just as Native Americans did. The heat of the fire will harden the clay and various additions such as borax, banana peels, glazes, copper wire, etc.,  will help color them. 
The class will also gather on Friday, January 26, 1-4pm to glaze pieces and to learn more about the process prior to the Sunday event.

Make your pots out of Raku-type clay that can withstand the shock of fast-rising irregular heat.  Make them a bit thicker than usual and please don’t make them larger than 9” x 9” x 9”. You can bring up to 3 pieces. They need to be bisque fired when you come to the Friday Class Session.  Visitors are welcome anytime Sunday, but would love to have you come to the unveiling Sunday at 5pm.
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Susie Means has a great deal of PIT FIRING experience and will make this a wonderful new experience for our Clay Studio. Please call her to register.

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​We are still scheduled to do on Raku Firing short-term class on Friday March 23 and Sunday March 25 with Kathy O'Meara and Margaret Anglin as per printed class schedule.

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FISH PRINTING
with Kenneth Nusbaum, Professor in the Biology Dept at Stetson University

For more details or to sign up
contact Margaret Anglin at manglin44@gmail.com or 407-252-5726
Class on Saturday, Feb 10 is 3 hours (10am-1pm) and costs $30.

​Fish Rubbing, Gyotaku (Japanese) or U-Toh (Mandarin) is a technique developed by Japanese scientists to record their catches.  Using the varied textures of rice paper and block printing ink, we will bring out the hidden features of local fishes. The work offers a Zen-like involvement with a single fish and provides unique images that are both natural, and some say, fossil-like.

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We hope you will try out one or more of these exciting classes! Please contact the instructors directly as soon as possible to reserve your spot!
As always,
Happy Painting! Ruth