Classes are now winding down at the studio for the end of the year, but we will be starting right back up again in January. Make the resolution to B CR8IV in 2016 and sign yourself up for a class!
Adult Classes: Ongoing classes on Tues nights or Thurs mornings, all levels are welcome
Private Classes: Private/Semi-private classes for kids, families, home-school groups all on a schedule that works for you.
Spring Workshop for Kids: March – April (exact dates TBA)
I was recently asked why I teach community clay classes, as opposed to university level instruction. Well, one big reason is I don’t have the Master’s degree, so I actually can’t teach at universities. In the beginning, I thought I would go for the terminal degree for fine artists and get my MFA but after a few attempts in that direction, I finally made the choice to not pursue it. I realized that I really wanted to be my own boss, make my own schedule and share my clay experience with everyone, not just in an academic environment and I’m really happy with that choice. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve taught everyone from seniors to pre-schoolers how to make a pinch pot, roll a coil or add texture to a slab cup. I’ve worked in mobile classrooms in under-served communities and private classrooms in private schools. It’s been an amazing way to piece together an income for myself and I have learned that no matter what your background or experience level, everyone leaves clay class feeling pretty good about what they did.
As my own art career has launched forward, I’ve cut back on the number of classes that I offer at my studio but I know that no matter how busy the art world gets, I will always teach. Each week I welcome some of the most amazing and talented people into my studio space. I love that they are passionate about being creative and intrigued enough to try something new. What I hope that they take away from their time spent in my studio is an appreciation of what it takes to make something with your hands along with the confidence to try it, compassion for others creative ideas and a respect for the vulnerability of making something with your heart. Some of my younger students tell me that they are going to be artists when they grow up, which is sweet to hear but of course most of them will go on to do other things. So I’m not churning out the academic artists of the future here but what community clay classes create instead is art enthusiasts, supporters and collectors, and the world needs a lot of those kind of people!
Just wanted to let everyone know that Create with Clay class spots for kids are all filled up for the rest of the year. If you’re interested in joining in on a class at the studio, please join our safe subscribe mailing list so you get the 2016 schedule in your inbox. JOIN
Adult Clay Classes still have space!
B CR8IV!
Normally at this time of year, I’m adding the ever popular Winter Workshop to the schedule of events, I know a lot of you really look forward to this one. Unfortunately, due to some scheduling conflicts we won’t be able to offer the workshop this year. That’s the bad news, BUT the good news is…
There IS a limited time available for scheduling a few private class sessions if you are interested in coming to the studio to make some gifts. We can schedule two 90 minute classes (one for making, one for glazing) for a small group of 1 – 4 students on Tuesdays or Wednesdays during the first two weeks of December. Private classes are $75/student/90 min class, $10 for each additional student with a max of 4 students. Home-schoolers, friends & family (aged 7 – adult) are all welcome to join in. Contact me to schedule your holiday gift making class.
I don’t have a background in science, just an incredible curiosity for biology and how things work and what the insides of things look like. This fascination shows up repeatedly in my work, and when a parent of one of my students brought me an article on radiolarians last week, I of course started doodling with clay to make them right away. Then I did some research and found out that radiolarians are single-celled aquatic animals that have a spherical, amoeba-like body with a spiny skeleton of silica and that the slimy muck that can collect in the deep oceans is mainly made up of the skeletal remains of these creatures. I’m fascinated… and I see a new series on the horizon! Thanks to my students (and their parents!) who keep me inspired all the time!
My favorite thing about reopening the studio is reconnecting with my students and the creative people in my life. This week I was welcomed back with two perfect gifts. The first is half of walnut shell which reminded the giver of my work. I love that my work makes others connect with nature in a way they might not of otherwise. The other is my new ‘I’d rather be sculpting’ bumper sticker which goes perfectly with my ‘buy art’ sticker! Love these new additions to my collections…do my people know me or what?
So proud of my students from my summer workshops who all exhibited a piece of art at the Santa Cruz County Fair this year. I just picked up the work and was so impressed to see the number of ribbons on their work. In the category of ceramics or sculpture we had SEVEN 1st place winners, SIX 2nd place winners, THREE 3rd place winners, SIX honorable mentions and TWO special awards; one for excellence in originality and one for excellence in technique! Amazing amounts of talent coming out of the studio! Hope that you all had a chance to walk through the Fine Arts building at the fair this year and check out the work. See ya next year at the fair!
Every year Earth Art Studio summer workshop students participate in an end of summer art exhibit. In past years we’ve shown work at local coffee shops, local libraries and last year we displayed our work in the Fine Art building at the county fair. Students received ribbons for participating and we had a number of students who placed with 1st, 2nd & 3rd place ribbons in the ceramics and sculpture categories- so exciting! So, we are doing that again this year, all the work is packed and labeled for delivery to the fair. The Santa Cruz County Fair is open September 16 – 20 so while you’re chowing down on your corn dog and taking a break from the carnival rides, make sure to swing through the Fine Arts building and check out all the creative talent our county has to offer. See you at the fair!
Today we wrap up a summer of cr8iv sculpting for kids at the studio. This class will be making clay totems, a felt sewing project with Matisse inspired designs, plaster cast creatures and a few mini projects too. Thanks to everyone who joined in on the fun and made this a super cr8iv summer!
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Past the halfway point of summer workshops, today we are working with the basics. Pinch pots and coils to create cute coiled flamingos in pinch pot pools. We’ll be carving the pools to have wave patterns and when they are fired, we’ll melt some glass in the bottoms of them to appear like water. Once these guys are glazed and fired, we’ll glue in some wooden dowel legs so they can stand in their pools.
A few spots are still available if you’d like to join in on the fun: Sign Up for Summer Workshops Today!