5-18 MAY 2019 FINDING THE BEAUTY IN IMPERFECTION with Akira Satake


  email us at gayacac@gayaceramic.com for more details!


FINDING the BEAUTY in IMPERFECTION
with Akira Satake
May 5-18, 2019
Sharing the secrets employed in many of his most well-known and admired works Japanese potter/artist/musician Akira Satake will lead a hands-on workshop involving both the hand-building and throwing techniques he uses in the making of his tea ceremony bowls, tea pots, water jars, ikebana vases and sculptural objects. Participants will learn to create rich surfaces inspired by the natural world and will experience brushing kohiki slip on clay slabs and stretching the slabs to crack and distort the surfaces, applying a coating of clay mixed with sand onto the surface of wheel thrown pieces and then altering them, and mixing air and other materials into the clay body and then tearing off the clay and/or cutting with a wire to create shapes-- among a myriad of other techniques.
Akira will likewise share his deep experience and knowledge in an on-going discussion of the Japanese aesthetic throughout the two weeks together. Participants will gain insight in finding the beauty in imperfection, the meaning of "wabi-sabi", and the importance of "ma" -- the space in between.

5 May: Sunday                      Welcome Dinner                                MOKSA Restaurant
6-9pm: While enjoying an exquisite meal set upon anagama-fired wares, participants will share a relaxed evening in which we can get to know one another and share our stories and intentions for being here. 

Dessert will be served with a slideshow given by Akira Satake, presenting his works and his journey in all things creative, followed by a review of the workshop schedule and a general fanning of the fires of enthusiasm!



6 May: Monday                     Slip and Wire                                     Gaya CAC   
Morning: A welcome and introduction to GCAC studio, and then immediately jumping into action! 
Demonstration 1 - Make slabs and mix and apply kohiki slip for Satake-style stretched kohiki. Make mortar for Satake style sandy soft clay surface.
Demonstration 2 - Wire cutting, stretching and tearing chunks of clay to build sculptural pieces.
12:30 Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine
Afternoon: Open studio time, with plenty of personal tutorial and support from Akira.



 7 May: Tuesday                    Slabs and Wheel                                Gaya CAC
Demonstration 1 - Stretch kohiki slabs and shape the pieces (hand build Satake-style stretched kohiki). 
Demonstration 2 - Make yunomi, guinomi and chawan on wheel or hand building, using the technique of applying a soft clay and sand mixture to the surfaces of the pieces. Also make yunomi and bowls for traditional kohiki style glazing.
Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine
Open studio time.



8 May: Wednesday               Dipping and Pouring, ++                              Gaya CAC 
Demonstration 1 - Using kohiki slip, dipping and pouring on leather hard pots (traditional kohiki style).
Demonstration 2 - Make more stretched kohiki pieces, such as tea pots and sculptural works.

Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine
Open studio time.



9 May: Thursday                  More Kohiki, More Magic                            Gaya CAC           

Demonstration - More with stretched kohiki, mortar surface and wire cutting sculptural pieces.

Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine

Open studio time.

Load 1st BISQUE (all pieces for HIKIDASHI)



10 May: Friday                                 Finishing Wet Forms                                    Gaya CAC
Open studio time.  Final day of making forms in fresh clay that will be fired during the workshop.
Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine
Afternoon: Working toward finish of all wet forms.

1st BISQUE FIRING




11 May: Saturday                             Final Details                                      Gaya CAC
Demonstration - More sculptural hand built and wheel work. 
Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine
Very last finalization of pieces (trimming, detailing, etc.)
Load 2nd BISQUE (all remaining wares)



12 May: Sunday                                FREE DAY                                         Gaya CAC
2nd BSIQUE FIRING



13 May: Monday                               Hikidashi in Full                               Gaya CAC
Unload both bisque firing. 
HIKIDASHI explanation of theory and history. 
Demonstration for staining and glazing for Hikidashi.

11am FINISH LOADING and LIGHT HIKIDASHI FIRING

Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine

Discussion of staining and glazing for Kohiki and gas-fired results.
Begin glazing for Kohiki and gas firing.
7pm: Return in evening to fire off Hikidashi kiln



14 May: Tuesday                              Staining and Glazing                         Gaya CAC
SODA 101: Discussion of soda kiln-- approach to glazing, loading and firing, technically, chemically and aesthetically (with Hillary).

Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine

Divide and conquer: Glazing for BOTH firings!!!

LOAD GAS KILN for High firing
Preparation for loading of Soda kiln (all wares brought to loading shelves; all wadding set to go).



 15 May: Wednesday                         LOADING and Ikebana                    Gaya CAC
**Active participation in the loading of the Soda kiln in particular will be required (participants will be placed in loading teams to do so).
Demonstration - Ikebana (Ikenobo school style) in three parts (to allow loading groups to each experience ikebana and loading).




16 May: Thursday                            FIRING with Time for Tea               Gaya CAC
FIRE SODA and GAS KILNS ***Active participation in the afternoon firing of the Soda kiln in particular will be required (participants will be placed in firing shifts to do so)!
Morning discussion of the Japanese aesthetic of wabi sabi and Momoyama period pottery.
Have casual tea ceremony with own Hikidashi chawan.
Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine
Afternoon: Open studio time for practice of techniques (or free time if you have finished your firing shift).




17 May: Friday                     EXCURSION morning/UNLOAD afternoon           TBA
A day of exploration while the pots are cooling. 
Lunch: en route
Afternoon: UNLOAD GAS kiln and discuss the results in detail.



18 May: Saturday                 Concluding Thoughts                        Gaya CAC    
Morning: UNLOAD SODA kiln and discuss the results in detail.
Packing works (bubble wrap and boxes will be provided)
Lunch: family style in Gaya CAC mezzanine

Departure by 2pm.
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*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



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