Bill van Gilder Workshop
The Functional Pot; Tools & Techniques
April 4th - 5th 2020
Hosted at
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Description of Workshop |
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 some 50+ making techniques will be demonstrated in answer to these ‘how-to’ questions; techniques participants will want to use and adjust to fit their own future work. Short cuts, tips and tool-use at the wheel will be shared through demo after demo. In addition to throwing techniques, hand-building functional forms will be the focus during part of the demonstrations. Throughout his 50+ yrs. of making functional pots, Bill has collected hundreds of techniques used to make specific pots, both wheel-thrown and hand-built. Wheel techniques to be demonstrated will include: - Efficient hand positions for throwing - 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 – both pulled and hand built - Making bottle forms – collaring 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: - Open and lidded casseroles - Pitchers and pouring pots - Cups and mugs - Bowl forms - Dinnerware - Bottle forms Hand-building demonstrations may include: - Slumped oval slab platter making - Humped squared plate making - Foot attachment possibilities – slab, sprigged & coiled - Textured decoration – wet slip, pressed, and resisted textures Participants are welcome to take photos, and are encouraged to bring a notebook. A discussion about glazes will take place during the workshop, and Bill will provide ^6 oxidation, ^8-9-10 gas, and salt/soda wood-firing slips & glaze recipe sheets to each participant. The demo workshop days on April 4-5 will be preceded by a 1 to 2 hr. slide show/lecture on the evening of April 3. A selection of van Gilder ClayTools potter’s hand-tools and a sampling of Bill’s current work will be available for participant purchase. |
