Birds have the most beautiful, delicate, and intricate of forms. Getting close to one is hard though – that’s where the old adage of a bird in the hand comes from! Not with this course though. Come, join James Ort and make a bird, sat on a perch of your choosing.
Sculpting birds presents several challenges, and these challenges are magnified when working in clay. Dainty, delicate legs that hold up comparatively weighty bodies and thin, elegant wings that need to cut through the air like a knife – it’s a sculptor’s worst nightmare!
James has often felt dissatisfied with how he and the wider sculpting community have approached creating the feathered subjects – ‘the limitations of sculpting materials often compromise the elegance of the bird’s form, resulting in big chunky legs and thick Boeing 747 wings! After a few years of developing his own skills and techniques, James has now found an approach to sculpting birds that he is happy with, and he would like to share it with the wider world.
This course is shorter than the usual format. Essentially, students will come for one day to make the clay elements of their feathered muse and then return a few days later to glaze the form and make the mixed media elements. James will assemble the pieces once they have gone through the final firing, and you can come and collect on a date that suits you.
IMPORTANT NOTICES:
- There is a lot to do over two days, and as such, we will only be making bird species that are no bigger than magpie size.
- In order to attend this course you need to commit to attending BOTH of the separate dates – the 10th and the 14th August. We are afraid that if you do not do so, there will be additional costs and James is a busy boy, so these will be significant!
- The bird wings must be folded down and not open.
- By all means bring something for your birds to perch on – maybe something that has sentimental value to you. Otherwise, we can provide a wooden perch.
We are confident that those who attend the course will agree that a bird in the hand is worth two days of hard graft in the studio!
COURSE OUTLINE
DAY 1:
Make your bird in clay!
DAY 2
Bringing birdie to life with colour and creating the mixed-media elements!
Once your masterpieces have been bisque fired in the kiln, come back and James will teach you how to best apply the underglazes. This shouldn’t take more than 3 hours, leaving us with enough time to finish the other mixed media elements of the piece.
(once your bird has been fired, James will assemble the elements so your masterpiece is ready for collection!)
This fun course includes:
- Informal, relaxed & attentive guidance for every student, provided by James Ort
- Step-by-step demonstrations covering…
- How to build an armature for your perching bird
- How to apply the clay to best capture the avian anatomy and what parts of the wings to leave for other materials
- An outline of the firing process in our kiln room
- How to glaze your work using underglazes and colour your metal wings on a separate day course
- How to create dainty wire legs and metal wings
Suitable for?
Anyone regardless of experience.
We generally limit the age to 14 years old+ though exceptions can be made where appropriate. Please contact James Orts and ask.
What is included in the price?
- Two full days teaching (10am-4.30pm)
- one making the bird in clay
- another glazing your creation and an other making the mixed-media elements
- Clay, firings, glazes, materials and perches
- Tea, coffee, biscuits/cakes
- Use of a beautiful, purpose built art studio with all the equipment & materials you will need
- Beautiful countryside setting
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 and other materials but don’t know where to start
- You love birds and have a favourite one you’d like to see at home every day!
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 of your chosen bird – various angles, the more photos the better.
Given that you just have two days to create your masterpieces and that our avian friends present all kinds of creative challenges, we are afraid that we will have to impose some limitations on what you make, namely that:
-
- no birds exceed the size of a magpie or woodpigeon,
- specimens must have their wings folded down alongside its body,
- they must be sat on a perch, actually they can be wall mounted too – similar to the parakeet or woodpecker in the course gallery.
You will be sent an email on booking which will prompt you towards documents that help you prepare for your time here and goes into more detail.
Second Session
Once you have made the clay bird, it will need to be dried & bisque fired. We will fire your pieces low and slow so that they are ready for you to work on the 14th August, just a few days later.
Need accommodation?
If you are travelling from further afield and would like to stay in the area for your visit then have a look at our recommend B&Bs and hotels. Click here for the list.
Beyond The Course
Having completed a Phoenix Studio course many of our students choose to explore the medium further. They may come on another course, or carry on independently at home. We are more than happy to help and advise you in taking those first creative steps, help connect you to the wider creative community.
ABOUT THE TUTOR
James is the main tutor of this course. He is a wildlife artist. He has always loved animals and his late Grandfather, the Ladybird Children’s book illustrator Brian Price Thomas was a big catalyst for both his love of wildlife and art. His main passion is sculpture, where he is equally drawn to ceramic and wire.
James also has been the manager of the Phoenix Studio for over a decade now, having moved up to Oxfordshire from Brighton where he worked in conservation.
I am really happy with how I have developed making avian sculpture and I look forward to sharing my technqiues with other people! Its always fun to spread my wings and teach something a little bit different.
James Ort – Course Tutor
We get wonderful feedback from the people who attend this course. Here are just a couple of testimonials:
Had a really great time on the two day course with James and was amazed and very pleased at what I was able to produce as a newcomer. The turorials were inspiring and James and Alison were very patient and great fun to be around. And such lovely surroundings at the studios – a perfect way to spend a weekend!Ciara Murray
A great creative weekend. The studio is beautiful, well equipped and in a wonderful location. The resident chickens roam around the large wild lawns and we were even lucky enough to have lunch outside in early April! The tuition was brilliant. James was very thorough and made you feel very comfortable and confident. It was amazing what we were able to create in a matter of hours. James was always on hand to give instruction, suggestion and encouragement, and always in a relaxed, informal and very friendly way. The weekend was very social with a really supportive atmosphere. I will DEFINITELY be going back.
Nikki Windridge
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