5 minute read
Ceramics
Programme Director: Élise Provencher
Photo: VAC
Advertisement
The VAC started as a clay guild 75 years ago and our ceramics tradition continues to thrive. The department offers a unique learning experience in our large studio, equipped with thirteen wheels, five electric kilns, a laboratory for the preparation of glazes and our skilled technicians. Teaching focuses on technical expertise mastering the wheel, use of glazes, etc. but also encourages students to explore the expanding boundaries of contemporary ceramic art. The additional fee for materials covers one bag of clay, glazes, stains, and engobes, as well as firings. Students are expected to bring their own tools. Open studios are available outside of class hours for students to come and practice and are included in the material fee. Due to Covid19, students now have to register for a space in the open studio sessions to control the number of people in the space.
Ceramics • In Person
Pottery on the Wheel All levels
Tues. 6 - 9 pm Mérida Anderson
Starts Sept. 21 Wed. 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Colleen Dwyer Meloche Starts Sept. 22 Thurs. 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Philip Dutton Starts Sept. 23 Thurs. 6 - 9 pm Olaf de Winter Starts Sept. 23
Learn fundamental wheel-throwing techniques for both functional and sculptural pottery, from bowls and cups to teapots and decorative forms. Surface treatment and decorative techniques are explored and explained. Course includes demonstrations, theory, and critiques of individual work. All levels; beginners welcome.
$390 + $70 materials (12 wks)
Advanced Throwing Advanced
Tues. 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Loriane Thibodeau Starts Sept. 21
A
Improve throwing skills and create more complex forms by altering, cutting, joining, and incorporating hand-built elements into your pieces. Surface treatments will include raw clay approaches such as texturing and various methods of engobe and stain application as well as overlapping and resist techniques with glazes. Emphasis placed on a personal approach to surface and form. Prerequisite: two sessions of throwing. ____________________________________________________
Hand-building All levels
Mon. 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Eva Lapka Starts Sept. 20 Mon. 6 - 9 pm Shenice Lafortune Starts Sept. 20 Sat. 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Shenice Lafortune Starts Sept. 25
Learn the techniques of hand-building with clay. Beginners will get acquainted with pinched pots, coiling, slab-building, and hollowing. More advanced students will concentrate on personal projects according to their needs making functional or sculptural pieces. Decorative and pictorial techniques will also be taught, using engobes, glazes, and pigments. Students will be encouraged to develop their creativity.
$390 + $70 materials (12 wks)
Ceramic Inspirations Intermediate
Thurs. 1:30 - 4:30 pm Starts Sept. 23
I
Colleen Dwyer Meloche
Learn advanced ceramic techniques by exploring the inspiring work of ceramic artists or themes in ceramic art. Every semester, a theme or a short list of artists will be chosen as sources of inspiration. Through the investigation of major works of important ceramic artists, students will learn techniques and discover the particularities and aesthetics of these seminal figures. Prerequisite: one session of hand-building or throwing.
$390 + $70 materials (12 wks)
Advanced Ceramic Studio Advanced
Wed. 6:00 - 9:00 pm Starts Sept. 22 TBA
A
For students who have a foundation in throwing and/ or hand-building and who are ready to foster more personalized work. Through the development of self-directed projects, students will be assisted in the technical and aesthetic aspects of creating ceramic objects. Also, by exploring contemporary ceramics, we will consider studio practices and various approaches to making. The objective is to assist students with the realization of their own body of work and place it within the contemporary ceramic discourse. Prerequisite: intermediate skills in hand-building and/or throwing; an eagerness to make self-directed work.
$390 + $70 materials (12 wks)
Intensive Workshops • In Person
Raku firing at the Rozynski Art Centre (Ayer’s Cliff, Eastern Townships) Intermediate
I
Sat. Oct. 9, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Lorianne Thibodeau
Raku is an outdoor firing that is a rustic, impressive and unifying experience. This workshop aims to have initiated students to discover this type of firing during a oneday round trip at the Rozynski Art Centre in Ayer’s Cliff. Students previously or currently subscribed in a class can bring up to 6 of their biskware to fire in the raku kiln (all types of clay welcome, excluding porcelain). Raku glaze included. Transportation is at the charge of the student. Lunch will be provided at the Rozynski Art Centre, a delicious pizza baked in the pizza kiln outside.
$195 includes glazes and firing
Large-scale hand built vessels
Intermediate Élise Provencher Fri. to Sun. Nov. 12, 13 & 14, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sun. Dec. 5, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
I
Learn how to build large-scale vessels using coils on casted bases. In this 4 day workshop, you will work in teams of two people to create the sculpture. The team will build 2 vessels, so each participant will leave the workshop with one piece to take home. The first 3 days will be for building and decorating, and the fourth day for glazing.
Studio-at-Home Advanced
Sept. 19, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Shenice Lafortune
A
Advanced or intermediate level students may continue working from home in an ‘independent study’-type class while taking advantage of the studio’s facilities to fire their pieces. Registration includes a 10 kg bag of clay, the bisquing of your pieces in our kiln, two one-hour Zoom meetings with the group and one session of open studio to glaze your pieces.
$100 + 50 $ materials
Open Studio in Ceramics All levels
Mon. 1:30 - 4:30 pm Tues. 1:30 - 4:30 pm Wed. 1:30 - 4:30 pm Fri. 1:30 - 4:30 pm Fri. 5:30 - 8:30 pm Sat. 13:30-16:30
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, we must control the number of students in the space. To participate in open studio time, students are required to reserve their time slot (3h) by phone or email.
