Pottery and Ceramics for Beginners: Monday PM
Course overview
Explore your creative ideas whilst learning the exciting possibilities of working with clay.
Our Pottery and Ceramics for Beginners is a practical, workshop-based course with group and individual demonstrations of a variety of techniques, including hand-building, decoration and glazing.
The aim of the course is to provide you with basic pottery skills. You will work at your own pace with our friendly and experienced tutor’s guidance.
Most learners find immense satisfaction from working with the simple elements of clay, water, and glazes, enabling them to de-stress from a busy day!
This course runs term-time only and is led by Rafa Borja.
If you want to keep practising and progressing your pottery skills, you can return for another course or sign up for one of our weekly mixed-ability ceramics classes.
Once fired in the kiln, you will be able to take away your own handmade pieces.
Important Information
The fee for materials is included in the cost of this course. In consideration of our studio’s kiln capacity and material resources, we discourage turning out large volumes of work equivalent to more than approximately 1 bag of clay per learner per course. Any work exceeding this amount will be charged at £5 per kilo.
You will explore the properties of clay and learn techniques such as:
- forming using pinching and coiling techniques
- joining techniques
- decoration (slip trailing, glazing, on-glaze painting and slip-glazing)
All under the patient and friendly guidance of our experienced tutor!
Teaching methods include:
- formal instruction
- discussion
- individual tuition
- practical demonstration
- practical experience
Furthermore, you will get the opportunity to develop your skills according to your own specific needs and pace.
Please bring:
- a sketchbook and something to write with
- a towel
- an apron/wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting messy
- enthusiasm for the subject and a willingness to learn!
You may wish to bring hand cream and a dust mask. If you have sensitive skin, you may also wish to bring a pair of washing-up gloves.
You must wear flat shoes as this is a safety requirement. Working with clay can get very messy!
Please explore the many other options available.
Tutor Profile: Rafa Borja
Born in Colombia, Rafa now lives and works in Oxford, UK.
Fascinated from an early age by the behaviour of different materials, he studied at the School of Fine Art & Music in Cartagena, Colombia (La Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes Cartegena de Indias).
Originally a sculptor in plaster, then wood, and then stone, he works now entirely in ceramics, sculpting and experimenting.
Rafa is Artist in Residence and tutor at ActivateLearning. He also volunteers to run firings at the Anagama Kilns in Oxford.
Meet the tutors
We want our learners to feel welcome, safe and at ease when attending our classes, especially if this is your first time attending an adult education class or if you're coming back to education after a break.
If you're interested in one of courses, meet our tutors first! You'll see they have similar passions and interests and, most importantly, the right qualifications to help you make the most of your time and money.
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