Throwing, Faceting & Carving

Monday 23rd - Friday 27th June 2025

Summary

This course will focus on throwing a variety of vessels in various shapes and sizes, and then learning how to carve and facet the forms with precision and elegance.

the course in detail

On days one and two of the workshop a variety of bottles and vases will be thrown by all students. Emily will give demonstrations and provide one-to-one guidance to students to improve their throwing technique.

The vessels thrown on the first two days and will be ready to be carved and faceted on the subsequent days. This is a chance to change the circular thrown pieces into new interesting forms, and to explore new sculptural and decorative possibilities.

Emily will show students how to use a range of tools to achieve different carving styles and students will be guided to improve their confidence and carving technique. There will be an emphasis on how to hold tools to best advantage and experimentation will be encouraged.

Each student will have their own wheel and will receive plenty of individual attention.

Course breakdown

Day 1: AM - Students will draw organic forms in order to translate these into pot design ideas.

PM - Emily will demonstrate wedging and throwing a cylinder. Students will prepare 6 balls of clay weighing 1kg each in order to make into cylinders.

Emily likes students to get started with a simple challenge which will help her to see what level each student is at, and how she can help them to improve their throwing.

Day 2: AM - Emily will give demonstrations in turning and chattering, using cylinder pots. Students will turn horizontal stripes into their cylinders and practise the technique of chattering.

PM - Emily will give further throwing demonstrations and students will make a series of small forms.

Day 3: AM - Emily will give demonstrations in faceting, carving and inlay using slip. Students will work on the pots made the day before using these techniques.

PM - Emily will give throwing demonstrations in creating a tall bottle form and tall vase form. With Emily’s assistance students will spend time throwing these tall forms.

Day 4 : Emily will give demonstrations in spiral faceting. Students will continue working on their leather hard pots. If time allows, students will continue throwing new forms based on their drawings from day one.

Day 5: AM - Students will finish off all pots.

PM - Emily will lead a group crit where students look at all the pots that they have produced, discuss their merits and how they might be glazed.

Firing

This is an intensive making and refining course and there will be no specific kiln firing during the week, however, we will encourage students to keep, and finish, just a few carefully selected pieces.

Please note, there will be a small additional firing charge for final pieces. Details of our firing charges can be found in our Student Contract.

Please read our Student Contract here.

Please also note, we do not offer a glazing service.

About emily

Emily Myers is a Crafts Council selected maker and member of the Craft Potters Association. She has demonstrated regularly at Art in Action and other craft fairs. She has had solo shows at Beaux Arts in Bath and Contemporary Ceramics in London. Her work has also been shown in Tel Aviv, Hamburg, Paris and New York.

Emily is often asked how she achieves such even lines, and the answer is: a steady hand and a good eye. She marks out the lines in segments before carving the pot. This time-consuming process has an almost meditative feel to it.

The potter’s wheel is central to Emily’s studio practice. However, she is not limited to the circular nature of the thrown pot. She has extended her repertoire of forms by faceting, carving and altering the pots at the leather hard stage. Most of her pieces are then glazed in barium glazes.

Emily’s vessels take various forms, but all are very carefully controlled and although they feel organic, they often include elements that are geometric or even mechanical in nature. Some forms are painstakingly carved with a looped wire modelling tool to form parallel grooves. The accuracy of the carving is achieved purely by eye, a steady hand, and a great attention to detail.

THE SCHEDULE

DAY 1 - Arrive 9am Monday 23rd June
Welcome Breakfast (from 9am - 10am). The session will start at 10am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.

DAY 2 - Arrive 9:30am Tuesday 24th June
On the second day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.

DAY 3 - Arrive 9:30am Wednesday 25th June
On the third day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.

DAY 4 - Arrive 9:30am Thursday 26th June
On the fourth day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 5pm. Students may continue to use the facilities until 7pm.

DAY 5 - Arrive 9:30am Friday 27th June
On the final day the session will start at 9:30am and will finish at 4pm.

A two-course lunch is provided every day. Please inform us of any special dietary requirements at the time of booking.

payment

This cost for this five-day course is £1,100. This cost includes all necessary materials, tools, refreshments and a superb two-course lunch every day. Also included is a Welcome Breakfast which will be provided on the first day of the course.

You can pay in full or pay a deposit by clicking on the ‘Book Now’ button above. If you choose to pay a deposit we will contact you to arrange paying the remainder of your balance in instalments.

Before you book a Guest Potter Course, please read our terms and conditions page here.

Please also read our Student Contract here.

Travel & Accommodation

The Ceramic Studio is located on a beautiful orchard in Brenchley, and there are lots of lovely surrounding towns and villages offering numerous places to stay.

We are happy to arrange transits to and from your accommodation to the studio for the duration of your course. Please get in touch to arrange this. Please email the office team at info@theceramicstudio.co.uk. To see examples of local accommodation, click here.

Date: Monday 23rd - Friday 27th June 2025

Duration: Five-day workshop

Venue: The Ceramic Studio (Brenchley)

Class Size: Maximum 10 students

Level: Some throwing experience would be helpful. Suitable for anyone who wants to improve their throwing skills, particularly concentrating on tall forms.

Clay type: Stoneware

Cost: £1,100 (pay in full or in instalments)

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