Winter 2012 Classes and Workshops

For more information or to register call: 512-894-0938
 
Class Descriptions
 
•Hand Building With Clay: All Levels ​Instructor: Diana Melancon
Tuesday, January 17 – March 6, 6:30-9:30 PM​  Fee $225​
 
This class environment will provide an exciting, supportive atmosphere in which to let your imagination work and let you build your skills at your own pace. Use the basic clay techniques of pinch, coil and slab to build unique works of art. Explore the many surface decoration techniques using texture and colored clays. Glaze your finished pieces for you to use as functional or sculptural objects.  

Materials, glazes and firings are included in the class fee.   A maximum of 10 students.
 
What to bring: Personal towel or apron, notebook or sketchpad for ideas.
 
•Wheel Throwing: All Levels​ Instructor: Kym Owens
Monday, January 23-March 12, 6:30-9:30 PM​   Fee $225 ​
 
This informal class is perfect to begin or continue your experience in wheel throwing pottery.  Instruction will range from beginning centering through complicated construction of wheel thrown pieces.  In addition instruction on professional looking finishes and handling techniques will be included as you progress.  Individuals can come with a project in mind, and the instructor will do her best to help you achieve a successful execution of your idea.

Materials, glazes and firings are included in the class fee.  A maximum of 8 students.
 
What to bring:  Ideas, notebook or sketchpad and a personal towel and apron.

•Saturday Clay: All Levels  ​Instructor: Bridget Hauser
Saturday, January 21-Feb 25, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM​     Fee $225​
 
This combination class is designed for the student that can’t decide what direction they want or need to go.  Both hand building and wheel throwing instruction will be offered. Students with a well-defined direction will find the 4 hour sessions long enough to get more accomplished, and beginners will move a little faster.  If you plan to be a “wheel only “or “hand building only” student, please declare so at registration.  This will not prevent you from trying one or the other but will give us an opportunity to balance the class.

Materials, glazes and firings are included in the class fee.  Maximum of 12 students with 8 on the wheel.
 
What to bring:  Ideas, notebook or sketchpad and a personal towel and apron.

 
Workshop Descriptions
 
•Glaze Formulation Workshop​ Instructor: John Vela
Sat. & Sun.,  March 3 & 4, 10 & 11, 9 AM-6 PM ​​Fee: $225​
 
Don’t have time for 8 week session?  Need help understanding glazes now?  This is the workshop designed for you.  This intensive two weekend workshop will give you the skills and understanding to formulate basic glazes and trouble shoot the ones you have.
Formulation, application and consistency will be persistent topics throughout the workshop.  This workshop is not offered all the time, don’t miss your chance to work in a professional glaze environment and improve your own glaze outcomes.  

Materials, glazes and firings are included in the class fee.
 
What to bring:  Notebook and apron.  A list of additional materials will be provided.
 
•10 Easy Pieces (In-service workshop for Teachers or Beginners)
Instructor:  Diana Melancon
Saturday, ​March 24th, 9 AM-4 PM​ Fee: $165
 
This 6 hour class is designed for teachers who want to use clay in their class or art room. Participants will be able to design small centers for one or more students to work independently or for full class activities. The course objective is to prepare teachers to feel comfortable with hands on materials and to develop clay curriculum that enhances their core studies. Hands on experiences provide special activities that make learning exciting and build student confidence. Clay offers students the opportunity to work with materials that can be worked and reworked, there are no wrong answers. Working in clay builds fine motor skills and strengthens hands and provides an opportunity for imaginations to flourish.
This intensive one day workshop will also teach basic clay hand building techniques…coil, pinch and slab. Using SCAMPER, participants will develop several examples of each technique and identify areas in the curriculum where clay would be a good fit. Each participant will create a lesson for a class wide activity or a center.
 
 
Required materials: All provided
 
 
Cancellation Policy:  A minimum number of 6 per class is required for a class to make.  A full refund will be issued if a class does not make.  If you withdrawal prior to 7 days in advance, a $25 dollar processing fee will be assessed or you may choose to receive a rain check for the next available class with no penalty.  No refunds or credits will be issued after class begins.  
 
We can not issue credit for missed classes. However you can work with your instructor within the scheduled dates for a way to follow through your work or take a project home to finish.​        
Sunset Canyon Pottery Clay School believes in an integrated, creative experience.  We emphasize the process and experience over the end product.  Ideas, expression, and creation define the experience.  

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Texas Clay Continuum 2012

2012 Guest Artist Workshop: Terry Buck from Buck Pottery

4 Artists, 4 Workshops, 4 Days

The 2012 Texas Clay Continuum will be hosted for the second year at the Eye of the Dog Art Center* in San Marcos January 5-8th.  Rotate through four exciting hands-on workshops in four days.  Explore sculpture with Billy Ray Mangham; alternative kilns and firing techniques with Randy Brodnax (this year building and firing the “Little Wiggler”); hand building with guest artist Terry Buck; and throwing basics and surface enhancements with Bridget Hauser. There is something to excite everyone and something new to learn! Clay, creativity, and community are a wonderful way to begin the year.

Sponsored by Eye of the Dog Art Center, Sunset Canyon Pottery, and Armadillo Clay and Supplies.

 

Register Now at the Eye of the DogArtCenter

Online or at the Eye of the Dog Booth at Texas Clay Festival.

Fee $395

January 5th – 8th, 2012

For more information contact:

Eye of the Dog Art Center: 512-754-8171

billyray@zzzdog.com, http://www.eotdac.com/

Sunset Canyon Pottery: 512-894-0938

www.sunsetcanyonpottery.com

*EYE OF THE DOG ART CENTER IS LOCATED ABOUT 5 MILES FROM AQUARENA  SPRINGS IN SAN MARCOS, TEXAS AT 405 VALLEY VIEW WEST ROAD

2012 Guest Artist Terry Buck will teach participants to enhance the surface of their hand built functional forms using a variety of common objects.  Together we will make several tools for their own studios.

Bridget Hauser will teach a ‘basic to beautiful’ workshop, beginning in the morning with sharing tips on basic throwing technique and finishing the afternoon with surface adornments.  The afternoon will focus on , handles, chattering, carving, and appliqué’s moving basic forms to beautiful pots.

Randy Brodnax will wow you in the firing of alternative kilns and surface techniques.  This year the “Little Wiggler” will make an appearance. This petite version of the glowworm that is built on the  ‘5 gallon bucket’ instead of the ’50 gallon drum’ scale is one you can entertain doing in your drive way!  Randy will share his expertise in alternative approaches to fire, surface, life and food.

Billy Ray Mangham will focus on figurative sculpture but this time we’ll be making animals.  Dog, cat, ferret, you name it, we’ll attempt it.  Billy Ray will present three different processes – each one designed to give students the techniques they need to construct the animal of choice.  Participants may bring pictures of their dog or cat or favorite animal or just work from an image in their minds.

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Fall Classes 2011

Fall signifies change, so consider changing your daily routine by signing up for a pottery or glaze class.  Working with clay can be a fun, creative outlet where our instructors facilitate a low-stress environment.  Ideas, expression, and creation define the experience.

Pottery Classes

Kym Owens and Morghan Gray will be returning as teachers, and Diana Melancon now joins the instructional team.  What a talented trio!

Oct. 3 – Nov. 21: Mon. 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm          Fee $210  8 weeks

(Wheel throwing, all levels)

Kym Owens

Oct. 4 – Nov. 22: Tues. 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm         Fee $210  8 weeks

(Hand building, all levels)

Diana Melancon

Oct. 8 – Nov. 19: Sat. 9:00 am – 1:00 pm            Fee $210  8 weeks

(Hand building, wheel throwing, all levels)

Morghan Gray

Please note: This class is 4 hrs. long verses 3.  No class Nov 5.

Course fees include clay, glazes, and firings.  Studio tools are provided as well.  Bring an apron, towel, and get ready to get dirty!

Glaze Class

This advanced class will guide students through the process of making, testing and correcting glazes.  John Vela will instruct a hands-on class that will generate numerous unique glazes.  The focus will be to become more comfortable measuring and mixing glaze chemicals as well as become more familiar with glaze ingredients and glaze formulas.  Glaze application and decoration will also be discussed with an emphasis on improving technique and consistency.

Course fees include glaze chemicals, test tiles, and firing.  A supply list will be provided on the first night.

7 week class, Thursday nights 6:30 – 9:30 pm                                       Oct. 6 – Nov. 17       Fee $185

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Empty Bowl Project 2011 – Nov. 6, 11am – 3pm

Sunset Canyon Pottery will host its annual fundraiser for the benefit of Helping Hands of Dripping Springs this year from 11 a.m.—3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov.6 at the studio.

With the help of the community, Sunset Canyon Pottery will host the 13th annual event that benefits the food bank at Helping Hands of Dripping Springs. The Sunset Canyon Pottery Studio generates most of the bowls, but some special bowls are always created and donated by other potters.

Emmett and Lisa Fox, owners of Asti Trattoria and Fino restaurants in Austin, are Sunset Canyon residents and restaurateurs. They are instrumental in rounding up some of the best restaurants in Austin and Dripping Springs, and together with some community members, provide the soup and bread for the event.

For a $20 donation to Helping Hands, guests get to choose a beautiful handcrafted bowl, a delicious gourmet soup, and a piece of artisan bread from Central Market and HEB.  Local musicians also make this occasion a festive one. To experience this gathering, embraces the meaning of goodwill

Bridget Hauser of Sunset Canyon Pottery said, “Fundraisers of this type are actually somewhat traditional among potters. Potters have been doing this for about 15 or 20 years. We are proud to have our bowls serve the community.

Crystal Emmons, president of Dripping Springs Helping Hands commented, “Empty Bowls is one of the most rewarding projects I have ever been involved in.  Helping Hands could not assist our neighbors with food, school supplies, Christmas gifts, rent, and utility bills without the support from this community.  I feel blessed to be part of Helping Hands and the Dripping Springs community in general.  If you have never been to the Empty Bows before, I highly recommend you attend it this November.”

The 2010 Empty Bowls event raised $27,000 for the Helping Hands food bank.

“Sunset Canyon Pottery is a very small business who makes a huge commitment, not only this year but annually. Individuals often lose the drive and time necessary to follow through on such involved endeavors, but the Hausers and their group maintain a level of commitment that’s amazing,” added past president Mike Cave.

Hauser continued, “Our community is known to pull together. The fable of the stone soup reflects the community spirit behind the concept of Empty Bowls. Churches and other businesses have helped us out during the past years, and we are especially grateful for this kind of support.”

Sunset Canyon Pottery is on U.S. Hwy. 290 about three miles east of Dripping Springs. For more information, go to www.sunsetcanyonpottery.com or call (512) 894-0938 or (800) 846-6175.  You can also e-mail bridget@sunsetcanyonpottery.com

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The Texas Clay Continuum

January 6-9, 2010

A big THANK YOU to Eye of the Dog Art Center,
the instructors, assistants, and all the participants who helped make this year’s Clay Continuum a HUGE SUCCESS!

Stay tuned for more information from the Clay Continuum including photos of the event and special links to glaze recipes, techniques and contacts!

The fast paced four day workshop took take at Eye of the Dog Art Center this year. This fabulous new facility offered 4 full days of inspirational, hands-on workshops. Rebecca Roberts taught her unique and skillfull approach to hand building. Billy Ray Mangham provided a sculptural perspective to clay, while keeping all entertained with his high-spirited music. Randy Broadnax kept everyone playing in the fire and presented alternative glazing and firing techniques, and Bridget Hauser once again put her students on the wheel for some skill building exercises while challenging everyone to throw larger than they thought possible.

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