The 2016 CLAY Festival, from Oaxaca to Santa Fe, will feature an impressive array of workshops by national and international experts, providing attendees a hands-on and immersive learning experience. From Clay 101: What is clay?, a free, fun, and fulfilling introductory lesson on all things clay, to Terra Sigillata: Explorations in Ancient Ceramics Techniques, which will be led by Javier Cervantes, a talented Oaxacan artist, the 2016 CLAY Festival will offer something for everyone. Get your hands dirty this summer with CLAY, and sign up for a workshop!
To browse and register for workshops, visit www.clayfestival.com.
Silver City Ceramicists
Clay 101: What is clay?
July 23, 9:30am-12pm
McCray Ceramics Studio I, WNMU
FREE (Pre-registration recommended!)
Do words like kiln, bisque, and slip cause you to scratch your head in confusion? Do you think all wet dirt is the same? Is fire something you associate with the heat of June or the cold of December? Then this class is perfect for you! A fulfilling and fun introductory experience to the world of clay in its many forms. Fun, interactive, educational, and for all ages. Take this course, then follow up with another workshop. Register by calling 575-538-5560 or by E-mailing amber@silvercitytourism.org with the names of the participants.
Javier Cervantes
Terra Sigillata: Explorations in Ancient Ceramics Techniques
July 26-29, 10am-5pm
McCray Ceramics Studio I, WNMU
$275 per person, including materials
Javier Cervantes shares his lifetime of experience in clay through terra sigillata. His workshop begins with an introduction of the process and materials involved. It continues with demonstrations of and hands-on making of hollow forms and test tiles. The second day covers the mixing, decanting, and application of terra sigillata. The third day will include building the kiln and preparing the pieces for fire. The final day will be a pit fire and review of the results. Maximum of 15 participants.
Youth Mural Project
Outdoor Mosaic Design & Installation: Apache Mural
July 25-29, 10am-4pm
Murray Ryan Visitor Center
$50 per person per day, including materials
In collaboration with the Mimbres Region Arts Council, the Youth Mural Program student volunteers will work with and teach adults the process of design and installation of a large mosaic mural. Participants must be at least 15 years of age, and will be installing the mural which is approximately 20' x 15'. Registration can be for one to five days. Maximum of 5 participants per day.
Western New Mexico University
Creative Writing: Prose & Poetry
Slabs to Sentences: Fiction/Non-fiction Prose and Firing the Image: Poetry
July 25-28, 10am-12pm
Student Memorial Building, WNMU
$75 per person, per workshop
Ceramic art and creative writing bear many similarities. Both ceramics and writing must be envisioned, shaped, practiced, and assessed as pieces of art. Aspiring and experienced creative writers are invited to participate in either a prose or poetry workshop, in which the craft of writing and participant writing submissions will be discussed. This will be a great opportunity to explore the creative practice of writing, particularly as it relates to the making of ceramic art, and the potential conversations between visual art and the written word.