Ceramics
Code: C1014-22
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II
Level II
Students have a basic understanding of forming techniques, such as throwing and hand building. Students have taken one or two ceramics classes or workshops.
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III
Level III
Students have significant experience with clay forming techniques, such as throwing, hand building and modeling. Students are comfortable with ceramics equipment, such as wheels, extruders and slab rollers. Students are self-starting with some formal training and have taken a minimum of three classes or workshops.
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IV
Level IV
Students have advanced skills and knowledge of the ceramics field. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.
Commentary in Clay: Increasing Your Impact
Aug 8 - 19, 2022
9AM-5PM
Concept
Richard Notkin has been a ceramic artist at the forefront of the movement for social/political commentary in clay for over fifty years. In this workshop Richard shares how he developed his philosophy–and several strategies–to effectively express passions and statements in their chosen media. Participants are challenged to dig into their deepest concerns and to express their innermost stories in a way that profoundly engages and impacts viewers. Images are chosen, juxtaposed, altered and manipulated to specifically engage a viewer’s eye, mind and heart. Richard demonstrates his many processes, including hand-building, carving, surface detailing, small-scale approaches, assemblage, press-molding and much more. Participants are prompted to expand both their conceptual aptitude and technical skills to achieve artworks which can mesmerize an audience and carry a profound message.
Media & Techniques
Hand-building, stoneware, electric fire to cone 6
Supply ListFaculty
Richard Notkin
Richard Notkin is a studio artist whose work is in over 75 museum collections throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He has taught workshops and been an artist-in-residence at over 350 schools and arts organizations worldwide. Among his awards are three National Endowment for the Arts Individual Artist Grants, and Visual Arts Fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, Tiffany Foundation, and United States Artists Foundation. He is a Fellow of the American Craft Council and an Honorary Member of NCECA.
Richard Notkin, Heart Teapot Military Industrial Hostage
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.
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II
Level II
Students have a basic understanding of forming techniques, such as throwing and hand building. Students have taken one or two ceramics classes or workshops.
-
III
Level III
Students have significant experience with clay forming techniques, such as throwing, hand building and modeling. Students are comfortable with ceramics equipment, such as wheels, extruders and slab rollers. Students are self-starting with some formal training and have taken a minimum of three classes or workshops.
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During the workshop, participants discuss making forms that can be enhanced by the soda-firing process as well as what slips and materials to use for different effects in the firing. The workshop demonstrates a wide array of techniques for throwing and altering forms and gives students the opportunity to practice them. Vessels and sculptures will be created during the first week, followed by soda firings the following week.
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Prototyping in Clay: A Hand Building Design Intensive and Professional Practices
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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.
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Clay Camp: Hand Building for Teens
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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.