Creating Functional Pots: Expert Tips, Tools & Techniques for Throwing and Hand-Building

A demonstration workshop by Bill van Gilder 

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Dates: 

Friday, April 11 - 6:30pm - 8:30pm Meet and Greet and Artist Talk

Saturday, April 12 - 9:00am - 4:00pm Workshop Day 1

Sunday, April 13, 9:30am - 4:00pm Workshop Day 2

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Every potter has a list of WHAT they want to make. HOW to make it is often the question.
During this two+ day information-loaded demo workshop Bill will share more than 50 making
techniques in answer to these ‘how-to’ questions; techniques participants will want to use and adjust to fit their own future work. 
During day one, shortcuts, tips, tool-use and throwing techniques at the wheel will be shared during demo after demo. Hand-building functional forms will be the focus during day two of the workshop: lots of projects and construction techniques for hand-builders. 

Demonstrated techniques at the wheel may include:
- Efficient hand positions for centering and throwing
- Throwing tall techniques
- Simple tools and their use
- Lid arrangements and form
- Spout, rim, and lip making and proportions
- Trimming and foot-finishing possibilities
- Faceting and fluting as decoration
- Handles and lugs; pulled and hand-built
- Making bottle forms; collaring-in techniques
- Making dinnerware; throwing and trimming
- Making squared and oval baking ware
- Wet, thick slip decoration
- And more…
A sampling of forms to be demonstrated;
- Altered ovenware
- Pitcher and pouring pots
- Cups and mugs
- Bowl forms
- Dinnerware: making plates
- Bottle and vase forms
- Lidded forms

Hand-building demonstrations will include;
- Making oval slab platters & slump frames
- Making platters using hump molds
- Humped squared slab plate making
- Foot attachment possibilities; slab, sprigged, coiled and pressed
- Slab decorating; wet slip, pressed, and textured
- The ‘quick’ cylinder-making technique
- Making hand-built handles

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Dates: 

Friday: 6:30pm - 8:30pm, Meet and Greet and Artist Talk
Saturday: 9am - 4pm Workshop Day 1
Sunday: 9:30 - 4:00pm Workshop Day 2

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Price:

$265

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A discussion about glazes and clays will take place during the workshop, if requested.
Bill’s ^6 oxidation/electric glazes, ^8-9-10 reduction glazes, salt/soda/wood-firing slips and
glazes, washes and decorating pigments recipe sheets will be provided to each participant.
To get to know each other we’ll start the workshop with a 2-hr. show of images and artist talk
during a Friday evening meet-and-greet. A selection of Bill’s potter’s hand-tools (van Gilder ClayTools) and a sampling of his current clay work will be available for participants’ purchase.