Ceramics
Code: C1015-22
-
O
Open to All
Students of any skill and knowledge level.
Pinch-forming: A Mindful Approach
Aug 8 - 19, 2022
9AM-5PM
Concept
Students learn how to move beyond the usual threshold of the 3- to 5-inch pinch-formed bowl by focusing on the movement of the clay upward and around the expanding clay form. The vessel becomes a byproduct of the process of growing and expanding a form from one piece of clay without addition or subtraction, being mindful of transitions in the forming process. Students begin by gaining fluency with cylindrical, bowl and vase forms and refining these objects during the various stages of the clay-hardening process. Students then move on to learn how to competently move clay using only their hands as well as develop an understanding of how to strategically reserve clay to create relief designs and patterns that emerge from the pinch-formed vessel.
Media
Hand-building, pinch technique, stoneware, glazes, gas reduction fire to cone 10
Supply ListFaculty
Paul Briggs
Paul Briggs is a ceramic artist who primarily uses slab-building and pinch-forming techniques. He studied at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Pennsylvania State University and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in art education and ceramics. His research includes visual literacy and art making as a spiritual practice. He is an Associate Professor at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Paul Briggs, Wind Flower
Join Waitlist for Pinch-forming: A Mindful Approach
Thank you for your interest in the waitlist. When space in a workshop or program becomes available, registration will open on the website. Everyone on the waitlist will be emailed to alert them of the opening. This ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to register for the workshop or program.
Ceramics
In 1966, American raku 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-making 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. We also offer community engagement through events like our Locals’ Clubs “Circle of Fire” where artists engage with the Ranch outside of the workshop setting.
The Soldner Ceramics Center makes up more than 10,000 square feet in three buildings. The Lyeth/Lyon kiln building is equipped with gas, electric, soda and wood kilns for both oxidation and reduction firings at all temperature ranges. The Ranch offers three wood kilns, four gas reduction kilns, one soda kiln and eleven high-temperature electric kilns.
Anderson Ranch is happy to extend a 20% tuition discount* in summer one- or two-week adult workshops for NCECA members. Please register online and then email reg@andersonranch.org with your membership information and we will make the adjustment once you are in the system. You are also welcome to call 970-924-5089 to register. *Please note that the NCECA discount does not apply to The Center / Advanced Mentored Studies program, nor can it be combined with any other discount, scholarship or special offer.
Workshop Details
Supply List
Many of the items you'll need are available in the ArtWorks Store. Please click "View Full Supply List" to see a comprehensive list of items you'll need for this workshop.
Ceramic Tool Kit
Notebook
Writing Utensil
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.
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.
The Ranch Café meal plan that is included with Room and Board fees strives to provide healthy, creative meals that will nourish your artistic creativity. The meal plan includes 5 days of continental breakfasts that will include a hot offering, 5 lunches with a selection of offerings, and 5 dinners.
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
-
I
Level I
Students are new to ceramics and have no formal training.
-
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.
Jun 3 - 14, 2024
9AM - 5PM
Path into Practice: Wheel Throwing and the Creative Process
Yutaka Kawahito
Tuition $1,450
Code C0101-24
This beginner-friendly workshop focuses on developing basic and intermediate wheel throwing, surface treatment, and firing skills, aligning them with key elements of the creative process. Covering the basic skills of centering, throwing off the hump, and teapot assembly, the course meets individual participants where they are, giving them new perspectives to broaden their creative horizons. Sources of inspiration and personal creative growth accompany skill building through discussions about observation, time, energy, and focus. Daily demonstration, sketching, practice, and assessment help students expand their practices. This course aligns the how and why in service of fresh directions and an open mind.
-
O
Open to All
Students of any skill and knowledge level.
Jun 3 - 7, 2024
9AM - 5PM
Explorations in Kiln-Formed Glass and Ceramics
Kelly Witmer
Tuition $1,200
Code C0102-24
This one-week workshop delves into the process of combining ceramic and glass in a technique known as slumping. Gravity and heat from a kiln shapes sheet glass into a mold. Simple commercial molds are available for this process, usually to produce a dish, bowl, or vase form, but here students take this process in a different direction, making sculptural objects by including the ceramic “mold” as part of the finished work. Students create ceramic forms and experiment with several glass firings to truly understand the stages of glass as it melts in the kiln, gaining the knowledge to develop this technique within their own practice.
-
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.
Jun 10 - 21, 2024
9AM - 5PM
Building with Clay and Steel
Trey Hill
Tuition $1,600
Code S0203-24
Investigate new materials and approaches to building sculpture in this two-week exploratory workshop. Students discover innovative ways to combine different materials, creating dynamic mixed-media sculptures. This workshop experiments with adding different materials to students’ work—such as clay, steel, and found objects—while considering how each adds formal information and intensified content. This rigorous studio environment gives access to a variety of new materials and fresh ways of approaching students’ studio practice. The workshop is open to students working in any media who are looking to try something different and add new skills to their toolbox.