Dates: May 24–29, 2026
Skill Level: Open to All Skill Levels
Focus Areas: Sculpture, Clay
Course Fee: $760.00
Explore the creative possibilities of clay at every stage in Wet to Bone Dry: Hand-Building at All Stages, an immersive workshop designed for artists interested in pushing beyond traditional ceramic techniques. Open to all skill levels, this hands-on course encourages students to experiment, problem-solve, and discover new ways to work with clay from wet to completely bone dry.
Workshop Overview
The primary focus of this workshop is handbuilding with bone-dry clay, using its unique properties for both structural construction and decorative surface work. Students will begin with a series of small test pieces to become familiar with the material and explore different methods for attaching, shaping, and building with dry clay.
As the workshop progresses, participants will move into larger sculptural and functional forms while experimenting with:
- Attachment strategies for bone-dry clay
- Extrusion techniques and custom shapes
- Surface embellishment and texture
- Building onto existing forms
- Sculptural and functional clay approaches
Additional demonstrations will introduce techniques for working with wet clay, including:
- Coil and pinch hollow-form construction
- Solid sculpting methods
- Surface texture applications and finishing techniques
A Flexible Approach to Clay
This workshop is ideal for both functional potters and sculptural artists looking to expand their creative process. Students are encouraged to blur the line between function and sculpture while developing a more experimental and flexible relationship with clay.
Participants will leave with new technical skills, creative confidence, and a deeper understanding of working with clay through every stage of the process.
Learn More – https://arrowmont.org/workshop/wet-to-bone-dry-hand-building-at-all-stages/
