Rich Holck will oversee and guide you through the hands-on process of loading, firing, unloading, cleaning, and maintaining a wood kiln. Learn how to build the fire and operate the kiln at each stage, read the atmosphere of the kiln to time your stokes, and how to place wood across the width of the firebox to maintain even heat. Gain understanding of how kiln oxygen levels may fluctuate and ways of controlling oxygen levels by adjusting dampers and air openings. Consider factors like the quantity of wood per stoke, stoking frequency, and the size and type of wood to use. When introducing salt into the chamber, discuss its effects on the pottery, kiln, and kiln furniture. During unloading, observe the results of your collective efforts on the finished works, and how the process details come together to shape the end result. 12X24X30 inches per share

The qualities of clay at the greenware stage, as it progresses from soft to dry, allow for a wide range of surfacing techniques that can bring detail, narrative, color, or depth to your ceramic pieces. In this one day workshop, Celia will demonstrate sgraffito, inlay, water etching, underglaze painting, and underglaze trailing on light and dark colored clays. Celia will talk about ways to transfer sketches to your pieces, how moisture and timing impact mark marking, and achieving a water color effect using underglazes. Participants will receive tiles to practice the techniques on and are also welcome to bring pieces at the leather-hard and bone dry stages to use. Come away with new approaches to surface decoration that can be used to create illustrations, abstract designs, or make patterns on functional or sculptural forms.

About: Celia Feldberg is a ceramic artist based in Philadelphia. She earned her BFA in ceramics from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2019 and has exhibited nationally, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show and the Flower City Pottery Invitational.

She is a long-term resident artist and instructor at The Clay Studio of Philadelphia and has taught at community studios and craft schools such as Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Snow Farm. Her work has been featured by The Ceramic Shop, Pottery Making Illustrated, Tales of A Red Clay Rambler, and The Potters Cast, and she served as glaze technician for Ben Carter’s Complete Guide to Low-Fire Glazes for Potters and Sculptors.

Learn more: www.celiafeldberg.com