What We Learned This Summer

In my over 10 years of teaching, 2024 was the first year I hosted a Summer Term! Now with the Labour Day long weekend fast approaching (where does the time go?), we're reflecting on what a wonderful summer of learning it's been!

In June, we welcomed the amazing Linda Fraser into our community studio to teach us everything she knew about decorating. We actually ran out of time with all the techniques she could show us! We learned so much, we all agreed we went home each day bursting with ideas and inspiration. 

July was our intense Pottery Bootcamp, that I tag-teamed with Sarah Hamelin. We hit the ground running making cylinder after cylinder on day one! The progress on Day 5 was staggering. Everyone had moved up to doubling the clay they could throw, AND were going bigger than ever (thanks to an Ed Vanderbaaren demo on Day 4)!

In August, we brought in renowned ceramic artist Diane Black to join a record-breaking enrollment of students to learn how to create figurative sculpture. We learned how to create emotion and narrative with clay, while learning the technical skills to achieve it. We left with our own self-discovery, and the confidence to make (once challenging) pieces that are self-standing and can withstand breakage in the kiln. 

So what can we pass along to you? We've compiled a few nuggets of wisdom from each class:

1. Layer underglaze at different stages! Add it to your toolbox and start experimenting with how and when you apply it. Add it to leather-hard clay and scratch it away, paint it on newsprint and transfer to wet clay, apply it on bisqueware for concentrated colour, wash it away for nuanced colour... the list could go on!

2. Build in sections! Going big is much easier, and less daunting, when you start stacking cylinders. This can also be applied for throwing and handbuilding. Key is to let the bottom piece firm-up to a soft leather hard before adding the next section.

3. Work in a group! Although there's benefits to experimenting (and failing!) alone, we end up learning 3x, 4x, 5x more when we peek over our shoulder and see what our neighbours are doing! That's what makes taking a class so great, but if you're a member of the Clay Studio Collective, why not plan meetups and see what ideas come up when you work together!

Did you take a class with us this summer? What nuggets of wisdom would you add to the list?