Ceramics
Code: C1114-25
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I
Level I
Students are new to ceramics and have no formal training.
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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.
Patterned Expressions: Sculpting Your Memories into Vessels
Aug 11 - 22, 2025
9AM-5PM
Concept
This course focuses on artist Yoonjee Kwak’s unique hand building technique in which clay coils and bits are accumulated outward and upward, in a technique similar to fiber weaving but in clay. Demonstrations cover a range of sculptural vessels from functional cups to larger moon jars. Over the course of two weeks, participants investigate the beauty of progressive, meditative growth of building one coil at a time.
Media & Techniques
Porcelain, clay tools, banding wheel, coil-building, hand-building, sculptural, functional, cone 6 oxidation
Faculty
YoonJee Kwak
Originally from South Korea, YoonJee Kwak is an artist and educator who has exhibited internationally and participated in numerous artist residencies and teaching workshops. She was a long-term resident at the Archie Bray Foundation and Pottery Northwest. She holds an MFA in Ceramics from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a BFA in Ceramics and Glass from Hong-Ik University in Seoul. Kwak’s work draws on a Korean metaphor that describes a person’s character as a “vessel” of tolerance and depth, while exploring contemporary themes of openness and human connection. Her work has been recognized with honors including the James Renwick Alliance Chrysalis Award, Ceramics Monthly’s Emerging Artist Award, and a 2024 Teaching Artist Cohort grant from the Center for Craft. Her pieces have been featured in major international biennials, including those in Icheon and Cheongju, Korea, and Jingdezhen, China. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of Ceramics in the School of Art and Art History and Design at the University of Iowa.
YoonJee Kwak, Patterned Memories
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].
Provided by Anderson Ranch
Equipment
- 1/4" Wooden Rod
- Banding Wheel
- Individual Tables
- Kilns
- Rolling Pin
- Water Buckets
Supplies
- Mason Stains
- Newspaper
- Plastic for Covering Works
- Saran Wrap
- The clay allowance is 125 pounds for this two-week workshop. Only the clays and glazes chosen for the workshop will be available for use, which are predetermined by the instructor. Please do not bring additional clay from your studio.
What you need to bring
Required Tools and Supplies
- Apron and/or Towel**
- Basic Pottery Tools**
- Favorite Pottery Tools From Your Home Studio
- Needle Tool or Sharp, Thin Knife Tool**
- Respirator/N-99 Dust Mask**
- Sketchbook/Notebook**
Optional Tools and Supplies
- Mason Stains. Anderson Ranch will provide a limited amount of Mason Stains. Students are welcome to bring their own.
- Packing Materials**
- T-Shirt for Screen Printing**
* Available for purchase in the studio.
** Available to purchase at the Anderson Ranch ArtWorks Store for 10% off. The store aims to stock comparable items, though specific products from the supply list may vary based on inventory.
Learn more about shipping supplies and artwork to and from the Ranch in the Student Handbook.
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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I
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