EVA CHAMPAGNE || FLUX: WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS [Soda Surface Workshop]




FLUX: WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS
Soda Surface workshop
with Eva Champagne

June 3-16, 2018


Weave, unravel; express, obliterate.

In this workshop, participants will experience the serendipitous nature of firing in a soda atmosphere: what the soda contributes, what it takes away. There is a wonderful sense of freedom in giving a work over to the atmospheric firing process, and a sweet anticipation of results which cannot be entirely predicted. The process can be described as a collaboration between the artist’s planning and expression, and the kiln’s sweeping endowments and editing.

The workshop will be focused in two dimensions: Surface treatment techniques and atmospheric firing. Participants will layer underglazes, flashing slips, underglaze pencils, and glaze, creating varied, colorful, and lively surfaces. Methods include using wax to mask, brushing, pouring, slip trailing, etc, with an emphasis on strategic combinations, layering, and experimentation.  And then we will give these highly expressive works over to the soda firing process, allowing it to have the final word in design.

Sunday, June 3          GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER    MOKSA restaurant
6pm: Meet at Moksa, introduce ourselves, image talk, get excited!
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Monday, June 4         HIT THE GROUND RUNNING  
We’ll discuss some soda firing history, the many different effects of firing with soda (with images) and outline our strategy for accomplishing as much as possible in our given time. Then, a tour of the studio, kilns, equipment, and materials available to us.
Gaya will provide bisque-fired test cylinders of all the clay bodies they make. We will make simple but thorough tests from them for the firing tomorrow, using underglazes, flashing slips, underglaze pencils, and glaze. We’ll keep scrupulous notes in our sketchbooks for each test piece to refer to post-firing.
*Participants are encouraged to bring bisque-fired work (cone 10!) from home to fire, but best if they save those pieces for the second firing, when we have the time and the arsenal of techniques to really have fun with them.*
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Tuesday, June 5                    LOAD THE BALICAT
For the first half of today, we’ll finish our test pieces, mix wadding, and complete any other preparations for firing the kiln. Our test pieces are to be straightforward (not to be confused with “boring” or “simple”) information-gathering objects.
After lunch, we’ll begin loading the BaliCat, and sign up for firing shifts.
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Wednesday, June 6               FIRE!!! (AND MAKING THINGS)
Firing teams will take turns tending the kiln, those not actively firing will begin making forms for the next kiln load. I will demonstrate both wheel throwing and hand-building techniques for creating simple forms to be three-dimensional canvases for surface expression that take best advantage of the soda atmosphere. Some time after lunch, we should be introducing soda into the kiln; firing should conclude by early evening or before.
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Thursday, June 7                  BUILDING AND DEMONSTRATIONS
While the kiln cools, we will continue to make our forms and begin to consider surface. Texture considerations will include: stamping, sprigging, carving, as well as the building process itself creating texture. I will demonstrate these. The emphasis will be on making as many forms as we can, in a variety of heights and widths, so we can fill the kiln with a lot of work. So, rather than be precious about a few pieces, we want to make a large number of works, to have that many more examples to review and learn from at the end.
I’ll demonstrate some techniques for underglaze application at the wet/leather hard stage. These might include: image transfer (using newsprint), woodblock printing, brushing and sponging.
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Friday, June 8   UNLOADING THE KILN, SURFACE DEMONSTRATIONS, MAKING
Unload the kiln!!! We’ll lay out the work on tables as they were in the kiln, to get an idea of how the atmosphere moved about during the firing. We’ll discuss reduction and oxidation pockets in the kiln, and their effects on colors, textures and temperatures. We should have thorough notes to share with each other that will guide our work for the next firing.
After the thoroughly-discussed unload, we’ll continue to make our new batch of work, and I’ll demonstrate mishima, sgraffito, and using wax as a resist to activate a surface.
*ALL building must be complete by the end of the day today.
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Saturday, June 9                   SURFACE WORK
No more building today! The entire day will be dedicated to completing the green stage of surface work and drying our pieces. I will be available to repeat demos or for one-on-one help. We load all the work in the bisque kiln at the end of the day!
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Sunday, June 10                    FREE DAY!
Because all of our work is in the bisque kiln, today is a great day to plan fun, exciting, or relaxing activities on your own. Ask us for suggestions!
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Monday, June 11  NEXT STEP: MORE SURFACE AND GLAZING DEMONSTRATIONS
First thing in the morning, we’ll unload the bisque kiln and get a good look at all the work for the next firing. We’ll discuss what’s next for surface: this will include some images of rich, active, layered surfaces using flashing slips, more layers of underglaze colors, and glaze.
I’ll demonstrate different glaze application methods, such as dipping, brushing, sponging, slip trailing, and of course using wax to control the glaze design. As before, we must make notes in our sketchbooks of everything we do, so that we can share our techniques with others and duplicate the things that turn out well at a later date. Experimentation is encouraged! The emphasis will be on expressiveness and variety to get the most information from our experience together.
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Tuesday, June 12      WORK DAY (BUILDING LAYERS OF SURFACE EXPRESSION)
The whole day is devoted to our surface work. I will be available for more demos and one-on-one assistance. In addition, we will make our cone packs, draw rings, and wadding for tomorrow’s firing. Today we’ll sign up for firing teams as well.
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Wednesday, June 13 FINISH UP AND LOAD THE BALICAT
We will begin loading the kiln before lunch. All completed work will be arranged on tables according to height, to facilitate this. Some last minute work can be completed today, but for the most part, we should be finished so that we can all focus on loading strategies.
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Thursday, June 14                FIRE!!!
Firing teams will take turns tending the kiln. We will estimate when the soda introduction can be expected, and everyone should be present for that part. Otherwise, if not on firing duty, participants are free to come and go throughout the day.
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Friday, June 15                     EXCURSION!
Kiln is cooling. EXCURSION outside the studio!!!
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Saturday, June 16                 THE BIG REVEAL (DRUM ROLL PLEASE…)
Unload the kiln, lay out work as we did last time.......discuss the results. Bring your sketchbook so we can share information about how we achieved our surfaces. Summation of the experience. Group Hug! Tearful farewells!

*Schedule is subject to revision prior to the commencement of the actual workshop
**all lunches during studio days will be catered family-style in the studio mezzanine midday

MICHELLE GREGOR || FIGURATIVE SCULPTURE: An Improvisational Approach Through Form & Surface

*schedule forthcoming




An Improvisational Approach Through Form & Surface
with Michelle Gregor

May 13-26, 2018

Michelle Gregor will demonstrate her techniques of constructing the figure in clay.  Improvisation within the process of forming and surface development will be at the heart of this workshop. Techniques incorporating gesture and chance will be explored.  
Beginning with the creation of a series of maquettes, participants will practice construction methods and surface development. Various poses will be demonstrated and many possibilities of describing the figure will be explored. Larger scale demos will illuminate the artist's process and expressionistic approach, which incorporates attention to mark making with a painterly sensibility, Explore and create using the figure as a starting point for inspiration.

Sunday (5/13)             Welcome Dinner
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Monday (5/14)           9:30am-noon:
- “Experiments in Form” -  fifteen-minute figure studies. These exercises will help students begin to construct the human figure from simple components and explore poses. We will discuss ideas such as contrapposto, groupings, and narrative. We will emphasize an experimental approach, manipulating your “first drafts” to discover movement, gesture and vitality.  Preparing the clay for solid construction.
1pm-4:30pm: Artists Slide Presentation.
-      The reclining and seated figure- demo
-      Demo: Solid construction, a figurative approach. Massing and laying out
primary forms.
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Tuesday (5/14)           9:30-noon:
Studio Exercise: Working with the Maquettes. Thinking by doing, shifting poses, incorporating movement and gesture, loosening up, avoiding pitfalls. Proportions.
-      Hollowing and preparing Marquette’s for bisque firing.
-      Studio practice: begin constructing a figurative sculpture using 10-15 lbs of clay applying the methods of solid construction.
1pm-4:30pm:
Slide presentation- the head and features through history
-      Small head study, focusing on the masses of the skull, proportions, and expression (in preparation for press molding).
-      ***Tonight!: Please email michellegregor@gmail.com four images of your own work and or work that inspires you to share with the group during
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Wednesday (5/16)      9:30am-noon: Demo: Hollowing and reassembly. Drying and firing successfully.
-      Finish hollowing the maquettes in preparation for kiln firing.
-      Materials management: reclaiming clay without a pug mill
                                    1pm-4:30pm:
Slide talk- the figure through art history.  Inspiration and idea development.
- Mark making
- Studio Work: Finish sculpting the head. Begin sculpting a second figure from 10-15 lbs of clay.

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Thursday (5/17)         9:30am-noon:
Sketch Field trip
                                    1-4:30pm:
-      Color and surface demo. How to use a variety of stains, glazes,
underglazes, underglaze pencils, etc. to build complex and layered surfaces.
-      Create ceramic press molds from Tuesday’s head study.

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 Friday (5/18)             9:30-noon:
- Workshop artist’s slideshow. We invite each workshop participant to speak about their artwork and inspiration.
- How to fire sculpture: a discussion of drying, kiln schedules for bisque and
glaze firings. Brief overview of different firing techniques, temperatures and their outcomes. Special effects: lusters and decals.
                                1pm-4:30:
-      Studio work: continue individual sculpture work.
-      Prepare maquettes for bisque firing.
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Saturday (5/19)          9:30-noon:
-     Press Molds. Create multiples from press molds for glaze testing.
-      Sculpting the human hand.
                                    1-4:30:
Studio Work:  Continue sculpting, hollowing and reassembling your projects

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Sunday (5/20)             Free day. Bisque fire maquettes


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Monday (5/21)           9:30-noon
-     Demo: Achieving larger forms: How to incorporate coil building with solid
construction.
-     Studio Work: Finish sculpting and hollowing solid built figures/groups
                                    1-5pm
Special Guest Demo by Francoise LeClerc ‘Animals and Armatures”
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Tuesday (5/22)           9:30-noon: Studio Work: Coloration. Form and surface.
-     Prepare bisque fired work for Cone 5 firing
                                    1-5pm
-      Studio Work. Finish sculpting and hollowing larger forms
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Wednesday (5/23)      Excursion around Bali
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Thursday (5/24)
- Developing the Surface
- Load and fire maquettes to cone 5.
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Friday (5/25)
- Cracks and their solutions! Repair, adhesives and colorants, the world of epoxy.
- Ideation, using the sketchbook for developing ideas.
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Saturday (5/26)
-     Class critique, share work and ideas. Finishing work.
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Please note, we will make adjustments to this schedule as necessary.

RESOURCE LIST
Clay Bodies
Raku Sculpture Clay- highly refractory (high alumina) body.

Porcelain Slip used during the workshop was made from trimmings of Coleman cone 10 porcelain clay. Michelle uses this slip effectively on leather hard, bisque and even on clay fired to cone 5 if applied thin.
Glaze
Michelle’s Cone 5 Barium Blue (use safety precautions – not food safe)
60 Nephaline Synite
30 Barium Carbonate
4 Lithium Carbonate
1 Zinc Oxide
Add 3-5% copper carbonate
Stains
*Dry stains can be mixed into porcelain slip although this will opacify the color. *Stains can also be added into transparent glaze formulas.
Always test in advance! Use safety precautions.
Ceramic Suppliers – SF Bay Area
Clay People in Richmond, CA 623 S 32nd St, Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 236-1492
Leslies Ceramic Supply/Aftosa, 776 Wright Ave, Richmond, CA 94804 (510) 524-7363
Clay Planet in San Jose 775 Russell Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95054 (408) 295-3352
    
Epoxy
Use safety precautions when using epoxy. Use rubbing alcohol for cleanup. Remove all excess epoxy within the product’s working window.
PC 7 Epoxy. Grey color with 24 hour set and approx. 1 hour working time. Good product for repairing.
PC 11 Marine Epoxy- White color (can tint with stains if desired) 24 hour set and approx. 1 hour working time.
Both PC 7 and PC 11 are available at hardware stores and home centers.
Magic Sculpt. Two-part epoxy with clay consistency. Used to fill large areas. 24 hour set. Can be tinted with stains.
Magic Smooth- Two part epoxy. This is the more liquid version and is used to glue parts together. One hour working time with 24 hour set. Can be tinted with stains.Magic Sculpt and Magic Smooth are available from Douglas and Sturgess Sculpture Supply 1023 Factory St Richmond, CA (510) 235-8411 also try TAP Plastics to find this product.

Books and Online Resources
Life Models online resource http://www.artmodeltips.com/ Anatomy for the Artist by Jeno Barcsay
Portrait Sculpting by Philippe Faraut
Anatomy for the Artist by Sarah Simblet
Animals Pictorial Archive by Dover Press
Julia Galloway http://juliagalloway.com/field-guide/chapter-10/resources-ceramics/
Building Solid and Hollowing - Beth Cavener. Excellent description of the process.
http://w.followtheblackrabbit.com/material.htm