Visiting Artist Workshops

The following workshops are two hands-on pottery workshops offered at Khnemu Studio by the 2012 visiting artists.  Space is limited, so make sure to make a reservation.  For additional workshops or pottery classes visits the events page or the pottery classes page for information.  Suitable to various skill levels. 
Download a 2012 studio brochure.


Workshop outline: Radical Paperclay
Graham Hay, Australia
(don't miss this opportunity of Graham in the USA, limited to 15 participants)
Date: June 16-17, Saturday-Sunday
Time: 10am-4pm
$150 
Space is limited, reservations required.
$75 non-refundable registration fee and remainder
due 30 days prior to event. Contact studio for reservations

A hands on, fun, information packed workshop from this paperclay expert. Paperclay is any clay to which cellulose has been added. All traditional, and now radical techniques can be used; pieces can be worked on, added to or removed, at any stage. This includes dry-to-dry joins, wet-to-dry joins! Learn about "dip and stick", foodclay, speed firing, rough throwing, non firing, non-glaze decoration and many more techniques. Gain a complete understanding of paperclay. Techniques will be illustrated, then demonstrated to you step by step, with plenty of time to have a go yourself, with expert support. Create detailed and expressive sculptures with paper clay while discovering its unique energy, resources and time saving properties. Graham has a well deserved reputation for highly informative, but fun workshops.

Artist Bio
Artist and educator Graham Hay has been developing, exhibiting and sharing paperclay sculpture techniques for two decades. He has given over 220 lectures, workshops and demonstrations in a dozen countries. These include co-leading the first international paperclay symposiums in Hungary, the US and Norway. As an artist he has participated in over 150 exhibitions in a dozen countries and his work included in books and public collections in many of these countries. Generous by nature, his information packed website grahamhay.com.au is visited by 1.5 m visitors each year, while he runs community-based classes from his studio in Perth, Western Australia. Currently in Perth (pop 1.8m) about 1/3 of all clay used in studios and classrooms is now paperclay.

Artist Statement
“My ceramic paperclay work is an attempt to illustrate an on-going interest in social organization, I'm trying to suggest the cycles, rigidities and dynamic nature of arts and craft, our society, and myself. In looking for ways to do this, I am inspired by architecture and our unique local plants. Western Australia is now internationally recognised as a "megadiverse hotspot". In one small national park there are over 80 unique plant species, which occur nowhere else in the world.

Often I find myself collecting the flower and seeds of Eucalyptus and Banksia trees and bushes as I walk to and from my inner city studio. Given my background and that these plants have literally hundreds of heads in each flower head, have predisposed me to see society as a collection of parts, and to make work out of multiples.”

Each workshop is customized depending upon the individual ages, experience and interests of participants. There is no point giving a planned workshop, if it does answer the ability, needs and interests of those in it.

Topics and techniques covered in my section will include both radical variations of traditional ceramic practices, as well as new techniques adapted from other arts craft and arts: These include:
A) Making different types of paperclay (percentages, paper and fibre types, types of clay), for fired and radical non-fired works.
B) Joining, wet to dry, dry to dry (dip'stick), "pour-joins", combinations
(eg “dip-joins”), unfired to fired, lattice vertical and upside down building
C) Wet, dry, and combination casting, "overcasting", speed casting
D) Recycle Pasta and other additions eg foampaperclays, foodpaperclay, woolpaperclay, gluepaperclay, which all enable new shortcuts, textures, clay bodies, and greater creative expression.
E) Speed drying and firing aspects
F) Sculpturing and texture shortcuts, such as dryballs, feathering, armature-less,
G) Implications for studio production, classroom organisation and working methods.
I) Common fallacies about paperclay.
H) The emerging paperclay aesthetics.
I) “Short and sharp” slideshows of images instantly selected from over 140+ paperclay artists from around the world, to quickly and clearly answer audience questions, stimulate discussion and illustrate techniques not covered.

Attendees will be instructed on and undertake hands-on learn to:
master all aspects of the mor radical dry to dry, wet to dry joining techniques, plus shortcuts to extruding, coil handbuilding, slipcasting etc. There will be opportunities for them to build their own small works.

 
Handles, Lids, Production
- Tips, Tools, and Techniques
with Chris Trabka

Hands-on Workshop Oct  13 - 14
Time:  Sat - Sun  10 - 5

Cost $80 per person, materials included
Reservations required-space is limited

Special Showing Oct 4 - 30
Open Wed-Sun 10 - 5, or by appointment

This hands-on workshop will focus on how to create
consistant forms using handbuilding and throwing
methods.  Demonstrations will show how tools (hand-
made and purchased) are used to create consistent
shapes, how to create lids that fit, and how to create
consistent handles. Participants will see all the steps
of creating a form, and discussions will include glazing
and firing. Participants will learn hands-on techniques
while creating a set of mugs; on the first day:  the body
of the mugs and the handles; on the second day; mugs
will be assembled. Contact studio for reservations. 
$40 non-refundable deposit, remainder due 30 days
prior to event.