T1 Hand Building Homeware

Course Description

Create functional hand built ceramic homewares using slab, pinch and coil methods. Learn surface decoration techniques using mini silkscreens, slip trailers, underglaze slip and paper. Participants can follow the tutor’s projects or work independently with guidance as needed. During this course students will learn a mixture of slab building techniques for creating functional homewares and how to design and make paper transfers for decorating the clay surface. Perfect for beginners and ceramicists wanting to learn how to create their own paper transfers to decorate their work. Each term we make different projects with step by step instructions. Term one and two we will work with porcelain paper clay making a range of homewares, for example a large water jug, coffee cups, vases, , lidded vessels and platters. Term 3 we work with BRT (a rustic brown clay) and make for example, bird houses, coil pots, wall plaques. Term 4 is all about Christmas using fine porcelain to make angels and other decorations. About your Tutor: Western Australian ceramic artist, Melanie Sharpham is connected to and inspired by Australia’s natural landscapes. Though her creative business, Eucalypt Homewares (established 2007), she creates decorative and functional handmade slip cast ceramics. She has designed and created a range of Australian botanical tissue transfers for her signature collection, Floralware. Melanie has over 25 years of ceramic experience, working and teaching in her pottery studio. A degree in Primary Education and Early Childhood teaching and an Advanced Diploma in Studio Ceramics, Melanie has taught students of all ages. What to bring: Please wear old clothes/apron Old towel Personal clay tools – optional Mud kidney – yellow (any size) Journal and pencil A $40 material fee, payable to the tutor at the first class. Includes porcelain paper clay and other clay, fair use of colourants and and glazes. Tools and equipment are supplied but students are encouraged to purchase their own small set of clay tools to bring each week. Students will have the option of purchasing tutor's tissue transfers to use in class. This and other extra materials and fees discussed in class. The cost of firing is included in the course fees. All works fired on-site must be produced in your Tresillian class, from clay supplied by or approved by your tutor. Size limit of 30cm for all fired works. Works fired within 4 weeks of end of term.