Spend a weekend learning how to make clay animals using a contemporary technique that is loose, expressive and breaks all the rules. The course is great for beginners and experienced artists alike. And the best part is that you can make pretty much whatever animals you like too.
The course is taught by artist, James Ort. He specializes in a form of contemporary clay modelling which pushes clay to its limits – it’s a fast, easy to learn technique which brings life, energy and grace to the creations. Over the two days James will demonstrate the principles of the technique to you through a series of short demonstrations. The rest of the weekend will be spent making your own pieces with guidance and support every step of the way. Once completed, your masterpieces will be dried out and then fired in our kilns. You will then need to return for a later glazing session to bring colour and life to your pieces.
This fun weekend course includes:
- Informal, relaxed & attentive guidance for every student, provided by James Ort
- Step-by-step demonstrations covering…
- How to build an armature for reclined, seated and standing animals
- How to apply the clay to best capture the animal’s anatomy
- How to create expressive facial features and character
- An outline of the firing process in our kiln room
- How to glaze your work using underglazes on a separate session a few weeks after the weekend course
COURSE OUTLINE
DAY 1: SATURDAY
Reclined or seated animals.
DAY 2: SUNDAY
Four-legged standing animals.
Suitable for?
Anyone regardless of experience – we generally limit the age to 14 years old+ though.
What is included in the price?
- Two full days teaching (10am-4pm-ish)
- A printed course handout outlining the technique’s main principles
- Clay, firings and glazes*
- The return glazing session (16th & 17th April)
- Tea, coffee, biscuits/cakes
- Use of a beautiful, purpose built art studio with all the equipment & materials you will need
- Beautiful countryside setting
*the tutor reserves the right to add a surcharge if the artist chooses to work much larger than is typical for the course
This course is for you if:
- You want to explore your creativity but lack the confidence to do so on your own
- You want to get away from it all and immerse yourself in a fun, creative environment
- You want to experiment in clay but aren’t interested in pottery
- You love animals
Pre course prep
If you have signed up for the course or are considering doing so then you just need to do a little preparation beforehand. In a nutshell you need to collect reference material from which your sculpture will be based (i.e. pictures of your subject matter from various angles). Please read the following two documents:
Need to Know Information pack and the Choosing Reference Material Selecting Guide.
Return Glazing Session
Your creations from the weekend will need to be dried & bisque fired before they can be glazed. This means that you will need to return at another time to glaze your work, then another to collect. Though a growing trend for those coming from afar if to return to glaze and find someone with a kiln near them – there’s loads of friendly, helpful artists out there.
I will be running glazing sessions on either the 10th or 11th December. Please check which of the dates you could attend and put them in your diary. Email James to book your slot too! (james@orts.co.uk)
At the end of the course we are confident that you will come away with two pieces that you can be happy with and have a great sense of pride & achievement. Who knows, discovering ceramics may change the course of your life – it certainly has mine!
James Ort – Course Tutor
ABOUT THE TEACHERS
Alison Pink
Alison is a ceramic artist who comes to the studio to work. She helps run James’ weekends – offering students advice & making sure that things run smoothly.
We get wonderful feedback from the people who attend this course. Here are just a couple of testimonials:
What a great weekend, everyone got something really good & rewarding out of it.James is a great teacher & made it all look easy and not daunting at all. Top marks!The weekend flew by & what a great sense of achievement, I think we all surprised ourselves.Henry Rossiter
I had a great weekend thanks, and was able to activate the right side of my brain for a change!
Really pleased with what I was able to achieve in such a short space of time!
Nicola Cook
If you are travelling from further afield and would like to stay in the area over the weekend, just follow this link for our list of local hotels and B&Bs. Some offer discounted rates to people attending a course at the Phoenix Studio.
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