September 29-October 1, 2017, 9:30 – 5 pm
In this 3-day workshop, you will learn the spraying and layering techniques that gives Steven Hill Pottery its’ unique look. You will work in Steven Hill’s studio, using Steven Hill’s glazes, Steven Hill’s spray guns, and receive coaching directly from Steven…
On the first day, Steven will discuss his philosophy on making pottery, while throwing, assembling and applying slip to the forms and techniques that he is well known for. The focus will be on spouts, handles, form, surface, and the relationship between these elements. Steven will demonstrate pitchers, bowls, mugs and yunomis.
Day 2 will be glazing day. In the morning Steven will address ways to achieve the kind of richness and surface variation in electric kilns that potters have come to associate with reduction / atmospheric firing. The basic techniques of spraying and the more advanced theories of layering and blending glazes will be explained and demonstrated. In the afternoon students will glaze their pots. After pots are glazed we will load kilns and fire overnight at ^6 – 8 oxidation.
On day 3 there will be technical lectures on spraying techniques, equipment, firing cycles, and further experimentation. Finally we will end up by unloading the kilns and discussing the results.
· Participants should bring in 4 to 6 small / medium size cylindrical pieces ready to be glazed. They should be in the range of mug to medium vase (no more than 6-8”). Also bring 2 small horizontal pots (bowls, plates or tiles up to 8” diameter), to see how the glazes react on non-vertical pieces. The clay used should be ^6-10 white stoneware or porcelain and the pieces should be bisque fired.
Schedule – August 5-7, 2016
Day 1 Steven will throw pots, assemble and quick dry them.
Day 2 Steven will lecture on spraying and demonstrate the techniques involved. Participants will glaze in the afternoon, then we will load the kilns and fire overnight.
Day 3 Further Discussions on spraying techniques, firing cycles and the equipment to set up a spraying studio. Ideas for glaze experimentation after the workshop. Unload kilns and discuss results.
Steven Hill received his BFA from Kansas State University in 1973 and has been a studio potter since 1975. Steven's work is exhibited and sold in nationally juried shows and is featured in many ceramics books. He has conducted over 200 workshops throughout the United States and Canada and has written 11 ceramics articles; "An Approach To Single-Firing" (January 1986, Ceramics Monthly), "Long Distance Runner" (December 1989, Studio Potter), "Don't Put The Flames Out" (February 1994, Ceramics Monthly), “Pulling Handles”, (Spring 1998, Pottery Making Illustrated), “Where You’ve Been Is Good And Gone, All You Keep Is The Gettin’ There” (April 1998, Ceramics Monthly) , “Spraying Glazes”, (March 2002, Pottery Making Illustrated) “Common Ground: A Showcase of National Artists-In-Residence” (Ceramics Monthly, January 2006), and “An Approach to Single Firing – Further In”), (January 2006, Ceramics Monthly), “Rethinking Ceramics Workshops”, (Ceramics Monthly, May 2007), “The Eight Month Workshop: A Journey of Discovery”, (Ceramics Monthly, June 2008). Steven’s most recent article, “Atmospheric-Like Effects for Electric Firing” is in the March 2012 Ceramics Monthly.
In 1998 Steven co-founded Red Star Studios Ceramic Center in Kansas City, MO and he co-founded Center Street Clay in Sandwich, IL in 2006. Currently Steven is doing what he does best… Making pots, writing about ceramics, teaching workshops and letting someone else take care of business! His new home is 323 Clay in Independence, MO.