Pottery and Ceramics Saturday Workshop
Course overview
Explore. Create. Get Your Hands Dirty.
Join us for an immersive one-day Ceramics/Pottery Workshop where you’ll explore the fundamental techniques of hand-building ceramics in our well-equipped studio. Perfect for both beginners and those looking to refresh their skills, this workshop offers a hands-on introduction to creating beautiful ceramic pieces—no potter’s wheel required.
Whether you’re looking to unwind with something mindful and tactile or deepen your knowledge of clay, this workshop offers the space and support to express yourself through making.
Guided expert ceramicist Rafa Borja, you’ll learn essential hand-building techniques including pinching, coiling, and slab construction. Throughout the day, you’ll create several unique pieces while developing your understanding of clay properties, texture techniques, and surface decoration.
For more experienced potters, this workshop offers an excellent opportunity to refine your technique and advance your skills. You’ll receive personalised guidance and valuable tips on how to develop your throwing techniques.
Important Information: The fee for materials is included in the cost of this course. This includes the glazing and firing of your pots, which will be ready for collection approximately 3 weeks after the workshop.
Please note: this course runs term-time only.
You will learn the step-by-step process of how to hand-build and decorate several pieces, under the patient and friendly guidance of our experienced tutor Rafa Borja.
If you already have some ceramics experience, Rafa will offer personalised tips and challenges to help you develop your technique and try new forms.
Techniques covered include:
- Clay preparation
- Pinch pot techniques for creating vessels
- Coil building methods for structural strength
- Slab construction for geometric forms
- Surface decoration and texture techniques
- How to apply Health and Safety guidelines in a ceramics studio
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.
You will need to bring:
- a towel
- an apron/or wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting messy
- refreshments and lunch
- enthusiasm for the subject and a willingness to learn!
If you have sensitive skin, you may also wish to bring a pair of washing-up gloves. You may wish to bring hand cream.
If you wish to continue developing your ceramic skills after the workshop, consider joining one of our weekly mixed-ability ceramics classes where you can bisque fire and decorate the pottery you’ve produced.
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.
https://www.rafaborjaceramics.org
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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