October 7 & 8, 2023 • Modular Making w/Natalia Arbelaez

10 AM-4 PM Saturday, & Sunday • $350

During this two-day workshop Natalia Arbelaez will demonstrate her approach to using modular methods of building sculpture while students work on their own projects using the demonstrated techniques. Students are encouraged to bring a few ideas to the workshop so they can best utilize their time over the weekend.

This skill of building–and thinking–modularly is important because it allows for sections of a sculpture to disassemble for firing in smaller kilns as well as for reasons of transportation, shipping, and storage. In conclusion, Natalia will demonstrate creating internal structures post-firing that bring the sculpture together into its finished form.

Basic clay techniques of coil and slab will be used; all levels are welcomed.

Participants are encouraged to bring their favorite tools and a snack/lunch. Clay and select tools will be provided.

This two-day workshop will meet from10:00AM-4:00PM on Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8. Studio access will extend until 8:00PM on both Saturday and Sunday. Once work is dry, AMOCA staff will bisque fire and contact artists for pickup.

About the Artist

Natalia Arbelaez is a Colombian American artist, born and raised in Miami, Florida to immigrant parents. She received her B.F.A. from Florida International University and her M.F.A. from The Ohio State University, with an Enrichment Fellowship. In 2016-2017 she was a Rittenberg Fellow at Clay Art Center; Port Chester, New York and was awarded the Inaugural Artaxis Fellowship that funded a residency to Watershed in Newcastle, ME. Her work has been exhibited internationally, in museums, galleries, and included in various collections, such as the Everson Museum, MAD Museum, Fuller Museum and The ICA Miami. She has been recognized by NCECA as a 2018 Emerging Artist and was a 2018-19 resident artist at the Ceramics Program at, Harvard University where she researched pre-Columbian art and histories. Natalia was an artist in residence at the Museum of Art and Design in New York City where she researched the work of historical and influential women ceramicists of color and continued this research as a 2021 and 2023 Visiting Artist at AMOCA in Pomona, CA. She lives and works in The Mid-Hudson Valley region in NY.

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September 30 & October 1, 2023 • Steins, Beer, & Salt Firing w/T and Jon Pacini

9 AM-2 PM September 30 & 9 AM -4 PM October 1 • $300

This two-day workshop (9 AM to 2PM Saturday and 9AM – 4 PM Sunday) will include a combination of presentations, demonstration, and hands-on participation.

On Saturday, students will learn about the history and functions of beer steins and ale bottles and take a behind the scenes tour of AMOCA’s Mettlach and Private Collections. This will be followed by a Throwing Demo and time for hands-on throwing or handbuilding of beer stein and ale bottle shapes.

On Sunday, after a demonstration in the studio, we’ll decorate our stein lids and make handles to add to our bottles or steins; students will finish their objects to prepare them for salt firing. Sunday afternoon finishes with a presentation on Kannofenbrand, a historic salt kiln site in Höhr-Grenzhausen, Germany, and beer gardens, followed by a beer tasting experience with our friends from Last Name Brewing (Upland, CA).

The following Friday, October 6th, we will be firing up the Salt Kiln if you would like to come by and check that out as well. This day is not mandatory, but informative nonetheless.

Having some past clay experience will be helpful for attendees. This workshop is open to ceramicists with the ability to throw, or hand build, cylinders. In this class you will learn to improve upon your throwing skills, slip decoration, handle-making and attaching, lid-making, and surface decoration for salt-firing.

Tools, clay, and slip will be provided; additional materials will be available for sale. You are encouraged to bring your favorite tools from home to help with throwing and building.

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December 9, 10, & 12, 2023 • Soda Firing w/Johnny Arvizu

Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday • times vary • $350

Saturday, December 9, 9 AM-5 PM (probably later): Glazing, Wadding, Loading, Candling: We will begin with glazing, decorating, and applying flashing slips to our work.** After the work is slipped and glazed we will begin loading the kiln. Once we finish loading we will begin candling and head home! **Each student is encouraged to bring between 5-10 pieces for the kiln, each piece no larger than 9″ in any direction, and pieces in varying sizes up to the max height is recommended. White stoneware or porcelain is recommended.

Sunday, December 10, 8 AM-5 PM: Firing off the kiln! This style of firing will take 10+ hours. We check the kiln every 30-60 minutes. The results will be logged to create an informational document that is shared later on. If you’d like to join for a portion of the day it is suggested to come between 11am – 3pm, as this is the time we generally will spray the soda solution.

While firing the kiln, participants will learn how to:

• keep safety in mind while participating
• check the cones and pyrometer for information
• make adjustments to the damper and gas based on the information gathered

Between checks, Johnny will give instructions on:

• how the burners work and the different parts they are made of
• preparing the soda kiln solution
• cones and how to make cone packs
• making wadding and kiln wash
• preparing kiln furniture for the firing
• maintaining kiln shelves and furniture
• designing work for these firings, clays, slips, etc.

Tuesday, December 12, 10AM-2PM: The Big Reveal:

We will meet at the kilns to take our first look at the results and discuss what we see. We will unload the kiln, place the work in the studio according to how it was arranged on the shelves, and discuss what we are seeing. Johnny will instruct different methods of cleaning up the pots, removing wadding, and sanding. As a group we will clean up the kiln and kiln pad before packing up our work.

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