Kia ora e te whaanau
Our term break is coming up, and we’ve got some new classes and workshops to satisfy your clay cravings. We’ll also be running some School Holiday Programmes – take a look, and feel free to share with your friends who might be looking for something creative and fun for the kiddies to do. Check them out below!
WSP School Holiday Programme
School Holiday Pottery Full Day Programme
For children 7-14 years
Tuesday 9th July, 9am - 3pm OR Monday 15th July, 9am - 3pm
In this kids day-programme, your child/ren will get to make their own pottery pieces using a variety of techniques, including:
Create a Creature - using the pinch pot method and adding features.
Wheel Adventures - have a fun, messy time spinning clay on the pottery wheel.
Paint a Pot - choose a pre-made pot to paint with underglazes.
Freestyling - freedom to create whatever and however they like.
School Holiday Pottery Programme - Paint-a-Pot
For children 7-14 years
Thursday 11th July, 10.30am – 12pm
In this kids session your child/ren will get to choose a pre-made pot and paint it with underglazes. We will then glaze and fire the piece for them, and they will be able to collect their piece 1 week later.
School Holiday Pottery Programme - Adventures on the Wheel
For children 7-14 years
Thursday 11th July, 1pm – 3.30pm
In this kids session your child/ren will get to have a go at making a pot on the pottery wheel. We will then glaze and fire the piece for them, and they will be able to collect their piece 2 weeks later.
Adults Classes and Workshops
Glazing tips, tricks and techniques
4 week class on Wednesdays, 6pm-9pm, starting 26th June
Whether you'd like to learn the basics of glazing, take your surface decoration to the next level, or trouble-shoot glazing problems, Larissa will take you through all the techniques to get the results you want. This course will also include the opportunity to apply the special low-fire crawl glaze to one of your bisqued pieces! Check out the gorgeous piece second from left in the pic above to see what that glaze looks like.
Kiln loading and licence
Monday 1st July, 6pm - 8pm
A one-off class where you will learn about loading and firing kilns. If you'd like to learn how to load the WSP kilns so you can hire them for your own work; or if you've bought your own kiln recently and would like to learn about how to stack it safely, this class will give you all the info you need.
Clay recycling - save money, save the environment!
Monday 8th July, 6pm - 9pm
A one-night class where you will learn how to reclaim your clay scraps and turn them back into usable clay! This is great knowledge that will save you money and reduce the amount of waste going back into the environment
Sunday Morning Wheel Throwing Taster Class with Sarah Steed
9 June – 7 July, 10am – 1pm
Please note that there will be no class on the 30th of June, due to Matariki weekend. The last class will be on the 7th of July. More info.
Phoenix Wood Firing with Duncan Shearer – we still have a couple spaces left!
Saturday 8 June: Prep day: organize wood, prep shelves and kiln
Saturday 15 June: packing kiln
Sunday 16 June: firing kiln
Saturday 22 June: unloading kiln
A limited number of spaces are available to share the use of the kiln on this upcoming wood firing. There’s just two places left, so get online to put your name down. More info.
Watercolour Decorating with Yasmin
Sunday 9th June 2024 1:30pm - 5:30pm
Learn watercolour painting on ceramics. Yasmin will bring the watercolours, palettes, and a variety of brushes. Glaze firing is included in the ticket price. Yasmin will also bring some watercolours you can buy from her on the day. $5 each, cash or bank transfer on the day. More info.
Phoenix Wood Firing with Greg Barron
Saturday 3 August: Prep day: organize wood, prep props, shelves, wadding etc
Saturday 10 August: wadding and loading pots into kiln
Sunday 11 August: firing kiln
Saturday 17 August: unloading kiln
We are thrilled to have Greg Barron as firemaster for this event. Participants must glaze their pieces prior to 10th August so that they're ready to load. Find more info and enrol here. More info.
Did you know that clay can melt?
It may not be something you’d expect to happen, but budding potters should be aware that clay can actually melt too – not just the glaze. If we happen to get a low-firing clay going through our mid and high-fire kilns, it can crack, or slump or even completely melt into a puddle, like these pieces did this week! We’d be ever so grateful if you’d check the firing temperature of any clay objects you’d like to put through our kilns, including anything you’d like to use as a glaze-catching-cookie. In the pics above, the dark-brown puddles started life as terracotta plant pot saucers - a very low-firing clay type.
Annual Exhibition Countdown
Entry forms will be online this coming Tuesday!
74 Days until entries close on the 13th of August
83 Days until the exhibition opens on the 22nd of August
The Mighty Waikato Pottery Throw Down
Save the date for this hilarious member-focused event on Saturday the 6th of July! We had an absolute blast in previous years, with fun and frivolous competitions like The Fast and Furious Five-Minute Teapot, Blindfolded Throwing, Create a Creature, Two Person Throwing, All Day Tile Challenge, and more. And of course, we shared a kai, which was an absolutely epic spread. Come and join us this year for a good laugh with great people, not to mention the prizes and sweet, sweet victory!
Studio Schedule
Here’s what’s happening next week… Check the online calendar though, just in case.
Saturday 1st of June
10am – 1pm – Play with Clay, thanks – thanks Teresa and Amy for opening up on the long weekend!
Sunday 2nd of June
CLOSED for King’s Birthday weekend
Monday 3rd of June
CLOSED for King’s Birthday weekend
Tuesday 4th of June
9.30am – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Play with Clay – Thank you Margaret and Patsy!
Wednesday 5th of June
9.30am – 12.30pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Yasmin and Larissa!
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Class – Wheel Throwing and Decorating
Thursday 6th of June
9.30am – 12.30pm, Class – Sculpture Skills
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Class – Hand Building
Friday 7th of June
9.30am – 4pm, CLOSED for Diploma
6pm – 9pm, Class – Wheel Throwing Taster
Saturday 8th of June
10am – 5pm, Phoenix Firing Prep Day
10am – 1pm, Play with Clay - thanks Teresa and Amy!
Sunday 9th of June
10am – 1pm, Class – Wheel Throwing Taster
1.30pm – 5.30pm, Watercolours on Ceramics Workshop
