Ceramics
Code: C1317-24
-
O
Open to All
Students of any skill and knowledge level.
Clay Collage
Aug 26 - Sep 6, 2024
9AM - 5PM
Concept
Delve into the interplay of color relationships, collage techniques, and compositional elements in clay. Participants experiment with a diverse range of mason stains to develop their own personal color palette, explore formal elements to create movement and emphasis, and learn cold-finishing techniques. Participants create visually compelling, colorful ceramic collages that can be used in functional or sculptural works. Emphasis is on the fusion of ceramic practice with contemporary design principles, fostering a nuanced understanding of pattern, movement, and color. Through collaborative exploration and individual expression, attendees discover the unlimited potential of color and composition, adding depth and playfulness to their work.
Media & Techniques
Handbuilding, cone 6, oxidation, colored clay, slab and coil building, nerikomi-like process, tile sealing
Supply ListFaculty
Joanna Poag
Joanna Poag loves the tactile and process-based nature of clay and has held a dynamic studio practice for the past ten years. Her work explores memory as it relates to line, color, and pattern. She holds an MFA from RIT and has participated in several residencies, and recently exhibited with Soft Times Gallery in San Francisco. In addition to her art practice, she teaches at a liberal arts university in Rochester, NY where she lives with her husband and three young children.
Joanna Poag, No Fathom Between
Workshop Details
Workshop Supplies
For general information about studio access, shipping, and more, please visit our info page.
If you have any questions regarding your supplies for your workshop, please contact Joanne Seongweon Lee, [email protected].
Lodging & Meals
Housing is limited and includes shared and private lodging options. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. The earlier you reserve housing, the better your chance of receiving your preferred option. Please note: Workshop costs do not include accommodations.
NEW: Course fees includes a welcome dinner and lunches. In our effort to foster a stronger sense of community and accessibility at Anderson Ranch, we include the welcome dinner and all lunches as part of course fees for summer workshop students. Our hope is that this adjustment will encourage all students to come together to share meals and engage in meaningful conversations. The Ranch Café Meal Plan, which is included with Room and Board fees, strives to provide healthy, creative meals that will nourish your artistic creativity. Learn more.
We have established a Business Safety Plan with added layers of precaution that prioritize the health and safety of our staff, students, faculty and guests while continuing to provide you with the Anderson Ranch experience that you know and enjoy.
Ceramics
Ceramics Studio at Anderson Ranch, Aspen / Snowmass
The ceramics studio at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, located in Snowmass Village near Aspen, Colorado, is a fully equipped professional ceramics studio designed to support immersive workshops and advanced studio practice. The facility offers dedicated workspaces, high-quality kilns, glazing areas, and technical infrastructure for artists working in clay across a range of processes and firing methods.
Interested in enrolling? Explore the full schedule of Ceramics Workshops at Anderson Ranch.
In 1966, American ceramicist Paul Soldner selected the site for what is now Anderson Ranch Arts Center, forming the foundation for a thriving ceramics program. Then and now, Anderson Ranch is a place where students exchange ideas and examine ceramic art and pottery techniques. It has always been a place where seminal moments of growth happen in an artist’s creative and critical thinking. Here, both beginning and emerging artists gain strong fundamental support, while established artists achieve new perspectives and advance their techniques.
The Ranch Ceramics team provides support, feedback and technical problem-solving, giving each artist the freedom to experiment and grow. Our primary focus is on personal advancement through a process of creative discovery.
The Soldner Ceramics Center makes up more than 10,000 square feet in three buildings with 3 studio spaces and 1 kiln yard; Soldner Studio, Long Studio, Sorenson Studio and Lyeth/Lyon Kiln Building. Soldner and Long studios are used for wheel-throwing, hand-building, or general ceramics creativity. Sorenson studio is equipped with five PotterBot 3d clay printers. The Lyeth/Lyon kiln building is equipped with gas, electric, soda and wood kilns for both oxidation and reduction firing at all temperature ranges. The Ranch offers three wood kilns including a gas/wood hybrid kiln, three gas reduction kilns, one soda kiln and eleven high-temperature electric kilns.
Don’t know where to start? View the skill levels for ceramics workshops.
Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a historic, rustic campus that features gravel pathways and uneven terrain that may pose challenges for individuals using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. We strive to provide accommodations to ensure all guests can access and enjoy our programs and facilities. With advance notice, our staff can offer personalized assistance and coordinate access to studios and campus spaces. For questions or to request an accommodation, please contact us at (970) 923-3181 or [email protected].
Anderson Ranch is happy to extend a 20% tuition discount for summer one- or two-week adult ceramics workshops for NCECA members at the student membership level or above. Please email [email protected] with your NCECA membership information prior to registering and we will send you a promo code to complete registration with your discount applied. You are also welcome to call 970-924-5089 to register after verifying your membership with us. **Please note, this discount must be approved prior to registering and cannot be applied retroactively. NCECA discount does not apply to Advanced Mentored Studies programs or Destination Workshops, nor can it be combined with any other discount, scholarship or special offer.
Scholarships, College Credit & Discounts
Making Art Accessible
Applications for scholarship support are encouraged. Specific scholarships are funded by Ranch supporters, either through endowed funds or special gifts.
Many colleges and universities offer college credit for workshops taken at Anderson Ranch. Discounts are available for students and teachers.
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
O
Open to All
Students of any skill and knowledge level.
Jul 6 - 10, 2026
9 AM - 5 PM
Prototyping in Clay: A Hand Building Design Intensive and Professional Practices
Bari Ziperstein
Tuition $1,300
Code C0606-26
In this intensive class on product design in clay, students focus on a combination of professional practices and hand-building strategies, learning the techniques behind crafting unique, tabletop-sized vessels. Through demonstrations, we learn essential design principles around shape, form, and silhouettes, and techniques for hand-building and coil-building. Participants receive personalized guidance and feedback on projects while developing technical and problem-solving skills. The goal is for each participant to complete a minimum of two models and two prototypes.
-
III
Level III
Students have formal training in critical issues of 2-D art making, experience with public critiques and a solid portfolio of their artwork.
-
IV
Level IV
Students have advanced skill and knowledge of painting and drawing. Students are highly motivated and self-directed, have a minimum of five years experience in their field and have multiple portfolios of their artwork. Portfolio review is required for admittance to some Level IV classes.
Jul 13 - 17, 2026
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: July 13, 15, & 17, 9AM-12PM
Beyond Judgment: The Work of Critique
Paula Crown, Liz Ferrill
Tuition $150
Code D0734-26
In Against Interpretation, Susan Sontag writes, "What is important now is to recover our senses. We must learn to See more, to Hear more, to Feel more." This community focused, discussion and critique-based workshop encourages artists to investigate their artistic intentions within a supportive environment of critical thinking, looking, and responding. As a cohort of artists who are active participants in the act of observation and interpretation, the intention is to expand one's understanding of how to speak about the work of our peers without judgment or categorization. Though this is not a traditional critique class, we focus on building skills in how to guide a studio visit with questions, avoiding art world sound bytes but rather spotlighting authentic and unique feedback. This workshop is for serious artists who are searching for community, dialogue, and honesty within a cohort. Participants are encouraged to bring physical work as well as digital images to share and discuss, with emphasis on awareness and being present among the group. TO REGISTER: Please contact Lindsey Yeager, Studio Coordinator of Painting, Drawing & Printmaking, at [email protected] to inquire about attending this workshop.
-
Ages 13-17
Jul 13 - 17, 2026
9 AM - 3 PM
Clay Camp: Hand Building for Teens
Joanne Seongweon Lee
Tuition $725
Code C0707-26
Young artists discover the endless possibilities in clay through its many creative forms, including functional ware and sculpture. This workshop, designed specifically for teens, introduces methods of handbuilding cups, mugs, and other forms. Participants learn basic coil, slab, extrusion, and pinch techniques as they develop skills and create from their imagination. Fun and informative, this workshop is for both beginning and experienced students who want to explore clay as an expressive medium.