Workshops

Emma teaches two plaster processes, and a newly added glazing workshop with Kevin Boyd

press moulds

A slab of clay is either draped over (hump) or into (slump) the plaster mould, shaped by hand and left to firm up. Once removed, the process can be repeated.

Introduction to ceramic glazes

With Kevin Boyd! An amazing opportunity to learn the basic chemistry of ceramic oxides and their function in glazes, their relationship to one another, how to read a recipe, and how to manipulate glazes to develop a personal expression.

mould making and slip casting

A model in clay is used to make a plaster mould that gets completely filled with slip (liquid clay) and left for a set time. The plaster absorbs water from the slip and a film of clay builds up at all points of contact. Once emptied the mould is left to drain and the clay to firm up. When removed, the process can be repeated.

press moulds

• Tableware

Learn the fabulous process of using rolled porcelain and plaster press moulds to create your perfect piece of tableware.

• Bowls and bubbles

Join us for a fabulously fun session as you enjoy a glass of bubbles and create a beautiful bowl amongst friends.

Tableware

Hands-on workshop; lose yourself as you play with clay.

You will learn to:

• Make your own piece of tableware using slabs and press moulds.

• Mix pottery plaster correctly and observe various techniques for making press moulds.

• Decorate your tableware ready for glazing.

Workshop fee includes:

• All materials, tool use, glazing and kiln firings.

• Your finished and fired tableware.

• A delicious locally sourced morning or afternoon tea.

Fee:

• $195 - maximum of 4 people per class

Dates and times:

• 29th April (Saturday) : 9 - 1 pm

• 29th July (Saturday) : 9 - 1 pm

Location:

• All workshops are held at Pom-me-granite Studios in Pastoria East.

What to bring:

• An apron, or clothes you don’t mind getting covered in clay.

• Any images or treasures from home that inspire you.

• Any materials you want to imprint into your clay.

Extras:

• Finished creations can be collected 4 weeks after class, or packed and sent for a fee.

• The nature of ceramics is unpredictable! Every effort will be made to ensure your pieces survive the firing, however, the studio is not held accountable for firing loss. Thank you for your understanding.

• Please check the dates before you book. We are unable to offer a refund if you can no longer make your booking, but you can transfer your space to another. 

bowls and bubbles

2 hour hands on session with friends

You will be guided to:

• make a beautiful ceramic bowl using porcelain clay and a plaster mould.

• decorate your bowl in your individual style ready for glazing.

Workshop fee includes:

• your finished and fired porcelain bowl.

• a glass or two of beautiful local bubbles and nibbles.

Fee:

• $75 each - (accepting group bookings for 5-6 participants)

Dates:

• Please fill in the form below to arrange a suitable date and time.

Location and times:

• All workshops are held at Pom-me-granite Studios in Pastoria East.

• Sessions will run for approximately 2 hours.

Extras:

• Finished work can be collected 4 weeks after class, or we can pack and post - postage fees apply

• The nature of ceramics is unpredictable! Every effort will be made to ensure your pieces survive the firing, however, the studio is not held accountable for firing loss.

mould making and slip casting

• Introduction to plaster and slip

Join us to learn the language and labour of mould making and slip casting in this entry level hands on workshop.

• Models and moulds workshop

You will learn to make your own original design as a model in clay and use it to create a working plaster mould. Some prior clay experience will be advantageous, but not essential.

• Slip casting comprehensive workshop

Learn to slip cast forms using a plaster mould, how to make and check your slip, and add both colour and texture for repeatable results.

• Advanced mould making demonstration day

Learn to make multiple part slip casting moulds of complex forms.

Introduction to plaster and slip

8 hour hands-on workshop

• Using one of four contemporary cup moulds designed in our studio, you will learn to slip cast a form in porcelain, how to demould your cast, and finish and decorate your cup ready for firing. You will also cast a cup to use as a model, and cover it in plaster to make a slip casting mould. After a week or two of drying, your plaster mould will be ready to fill with slip and create your first cast.

You will learn to:

• Understand models, moulds, casting slip and casts.

• Slip cast with porcelain.

• Safely use pottery plaster in the studio and make a slip casting mould from a cup model (model provided).

Workshop fee includes:

• All materials.

• Your working plaster mould and finished and fired cup.

• A delicious locally sourced afternoon tea.

Fee:

• $295 - maximum 4 people per class

Dates and times:

• August 5th (Saturday) : 9 - 5 pm

Location:

• All workshops are held at Pom-me-granite Studios in Pastoria East.

What to bring:

• An apron, or clothes you don’t mind getting covered in clay and plaster.

• Any images or treasures from home that inspire you.

• Lunch - we are a long way from the shops!

Extras:

• Your cup will be dried, bisque fired, glazed with a clear gloss and re-fired to 1280 degrees. 

• Your finished cup will be ready for collection 4 weeks from the end of class - or packed and sent for a fee.

• The nature of ceramics is unpredictable! Every effort will be made to ensure your piece survives the firing, however, the studio is not held accountable for firing loss.

• Please check the dates before you book. We are unable to offer a refund if you can no longer make your booking, but you can transfer your space to another. 

models and moulds workshop

8 hour hands-on workshop

• Discover the model making process as you learn to design and create your own ‘drop out’ model in clay and then use it to make your own slip casting plaster mould. After a week or two of drying, your plaster mould will be ready to fill with slip and create your first cast, either at home, or in the slip casting comprehensive workshop.

You will learn to:

• Make an original model in clay and understand the best materials and techniques for model making.

• Safely use pottery plaster in the studio and make a slip casting mould from your model.

• Ensure your moulds are superbly successful.

Workshop fee includes:

• All materials.

• Your working plaster mould.

• A delicious locally sourced afternoon tea.

Fee:

• $295 - maximum 4 people per class

Dates and times:

• May 20th (Saturday) : 9 - 5 pm

• August 12th (Saturday) : 9 - 5 pm

Location:

• All workshops are held at Pom-me-granite Studios in Pastoria East.

What to bring:

• An apron, or clothes you don’t mind getting covered in clay and plaster.

• Any images or treasures from home that inspire you.

• Lunch - we are a long way from the shops!

Extras:

• Please check the dates before you book. We are unable to offer a refund if you can no longer make your booking, but you can transfer your space to another. 

slip casting comprehensive workshop

5 hour hands-on workshop

• Discover the highs and lows of using porcelain slip in your plaster moulds to cast forms. You can use the mould you made in the ‘models and moulds’ workshop, or use a plaster mould from the studio. We will recycle scraps, convert plastic clay into slip, and make a batch of porcelain from scratch. We will cover the basics of surface design and decoration for you to use on your cast form, ready for glazing.

You will learn to:

• Use slip successfully and discover the various ways to make it.

• Colour slip with stains or oxides in a line blend for the perfect shade and repeatable results.

• Slip cast a form using a plaster mould (yours or ours).

• Design and decorate your slip cast form.

Workshop fee includes:

• All materials.

• Your finished and fired form.

• A delicious locally sourced afternoon tea.

Fee:

• $225 - maximum 4 people per class

Dates and times:

• June 3rd (Saturday) : 10 - 3 pm

• August 26th (Saturday) : 10 - 3 pm

Location:

• All workshops are held at Pom-me-granite Studios in Pastoria East.

What to bring:

• An apron, or clothes you don’t mind getting covered in clay.

• Any images or treasures from home that inspire you.

• Lunch, as we are a long way from a shop!

Extras:

• Works will be dried, bisque fired, glazed with a clear gloss and re-fired. 

• Your finished form will be ready for collection 4 weeks from the end of class - or packed and sent for a fee.

• The nature of ceramics is unpredictable! Every effort will be made to ensure your pieces survive the firing, however, the studio is not held accountable for firing loss.

advanced mould making demonstration day

Demonstration day

• Watch a demonstration of making moulds to slip cast complex forms that require multiple mould parts for release. We will mould up 3 separate forms in 3 model materials and discuss the advantages of each. Ask questions along the way and walk away with the confidence to make your own moulds in your studio. Bring a model that needs a 2 or 3 part mould for release and we will use it as discussion and learning. It can be one you have made, or a ready made object.

You will learn to:

• Section out a model for making a multiple part mould.

• Safely use pottery plaster in the studio.

• Ensure your moulds are superbly successful.

Workshop fee includes:

• A delicious locally sourced afternoon tea.

Fee:

• $150

Dates and times:

(each of the sessions below is an independant one day demonstration day. There are two days back to back to accomodate rescheduling conflicts from postponing the original date due to illness)

• October 14th (Saturday) : 10 - 5 pm

• October 15th (Sunday) : 10 - 5pm

Location:

• All workshops are held at Pom-me-granite Studios in Pastoria East.

What to bring:

• A model for discussion

• Lunch - we are a long way from the shops!

Extras:

• Please check the dates before you book. We are unable to offer a refund if you can no longer make your booking, but you can transfer your space to another. 

Introduction to Ceramic Glazes with Kevin Boyd

Kevin has taught ceramics at Box Hill TAFE, Camberwell Grammar School, and is a sought after teacher at a number of Melbourne’s ceramic schools. He is an exhibitor at Skepsi Gallery, a mentor to many, and generous with his knowledge of glaze materials and chemistry.

8 hour hands-on workshop

• This wonderful workshop will deal with many aspects of developing a working knowledge of glazes. We will cover the basic chemistry of ceramic oxides, their function in glazes and their relationship to one another. You will learn how to read a recipe, how to manipulate glazes and develop a personal expression with your use of glaze. 

• spread over 2 sessions for the ultimate learning experience - a 5 hour introduction with discussion, demonstration, and hands-on testing ; and a 3 hour assessment of the fired results

You will learn:

• What is glaze

• The 12 Oxides and their relation to Raw Materials

• Raw Materials and their function in the glaze

• Designing a glaze and recording tests

• Changing the surface qualities of a glaze

• Colour in glazes

• Testing equipment and processes

• Firing and evaluating results

• Health and Safety

Workshop fee includes:

• all materials, and your set of fired test tiles

• glaze booklet and glaze record book

• underglaze pencil

Fee:

• $295 - limited to 8 spaces for focused learning

Dates and times:

• June 18th : 10.30 - 4pm (30 minutes for lunch)

• July 2nd : 10 - 1pm

Location:

• All workshops are held at Pom-me-granite Studios in Pastoria East.

What to bring:

• An apron, or clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.

• A mask for mixing glazes.

• Lunch - we are a long way from the shops!

Extras:

• Please arrive at 10.15am for a 10.30am start - we have a lot of information to cover!

• Please check the dates before you book. We are unable to offer a refund if you can no longer make your booking, but you can transfer your space to another. 

A video showing the slip cast caul bowl being removed from its mould.