Clay Shed

Join us at Clay Shed for a focused two day handbuilding workshop with ceramic artist Nancy Fuller. The workshop introduces traditional making techniques learned through Nancy’s long term study with master potters across Asia. It is designed for intermediate-level makers who want to deepen their understanding of form and process.

‘This is a holistic course that considers not just the clay, but your body as an essential part of the practice. You’ll receive guidance on posture, stance and finding the clay consistency that best supports your way of working. We’ll begin by grounding you in the fundamentals through wedging and pinching - tuning into your energy and noticing how it shapes your making process. From there, I’ll guide you in controlling form and creating even walls using your hands as tools, paying close attention to how the clay responds to your touch. We’ll explore precise hand movements, the timing of each stage, and what I call “millimetre work”- the small, mindful adjustments that refine and elevate your forms. In my experience, it’s these subtle details that participants often find the most transformative in their practice.’ 

What you’ll learn:

• Prepare and understand clay through wedging and pinching

• Use hands as primary tools to control form and wall thickness

• Refine vessels through precise hand movements and timing

• Develop awareness of posture, pressure and clay response

• Make small, considered adjustments (“millimetre work”) to improve form and finish

• Build confidence working at a scale and style suited to their own practice

Day One: Focuses on grounding participants in fundamental handbuilding techniques. The day begins with clay preparation through wedging and pinching, followed by discussion around form and design. Participants will begin building the base of their vessel, learning how subtle changes in pressure and movement affect the developing form.

Day Two: Introduces paddling techniques and continues the development of the vessel. Participants will refine proportions and surface, paying close attention to rims and mouth openings, before completing a medium-sized form. Individual guidance throughout the day will support each participant’s technical and creative development.

Outcome:

By the end of the workshop, participants will have completed a medium-sized handbuilt vessel appropriate to their level of experience, along with the skills and confidence to continue developing this approach independently. You’ll have the option to have your work bisque fired at Clay Shed of take your piece away with you.

About Nancy Fuller:

Nancy Fuller graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design with a degree in Fine Art Printmaking and later completed an MA in the History of Art and Archaeology at SOAS, University of London. Born in Taiwan, she returned there on a Mandarin scholarship, where she discovered wood-firing. She later undertook a year-long apprenticeship with anagama master Suzuki Shigeji in Shigaraki, Japan, to design and build her own wood kiln in Scotland. Nancy has since undertaken residencies and participated in international symposiums across Europe, Australia, and the United States.

Class Size: Limited to 8 students to ensure individual guidance and a focused, supportive learning environment

Level: Suitable for intermediate-level participants with some prior experience working with clay

Duration: 10.30am - 4.30pm each day

Includes: Materials, bisque firing, use of specialist tools and equipment, tea and coffee (dairy-free and herbal alternatives available), afternoon cake

Tutor: Nancy Fuller

Participants must be aged 18 years and over

Terms and Conditions.

The Fundamentals of Glaze Chemistry will introduce you to the foundational aspects of glaze chemistry and kick start your journey of making and altering glaze recipes. 

What you’ll learn:

• Understand the underlying principles of glaze chemistry and theory;

• Discover the properties of raw materials and their roles in a glaze composition;

• Calculate and adjust glaze recipes;

• Practise weighing and making glazes;

• Understand ceramic additives and their effects;

• Identify glaze flaws and troubleshoot the best adjustments; and

• Practise good health and safety and understand how to protect your kiln.

Outcomes:

You will come away with multiple glaze tests from which you can start a personal glaze library. You’ll also be introduced to a range of online resources which will help you calculate weights and predict the behaviours of your recipes. 

Glaze tests will be fired to 1280℃ (Cone 9) therefore the workshop will focus on the development of stoneware glazes. Due to the ranging activities on the course participants will need to bring along a dust mask and suitable weighing scales. Further details will be provided nearer the course start date. 

Class sizes are limited to 8 - 10 participants to ensure there is enough time for individual guidance and a productive group dynamic.

Tutor
This course is led by Chloe Monks, a contemporary ceramic artist based in Bristol. Chloe studied Ceramics at Cardiff School of Art and Design before completing an MA in Ceramics & Glass at the Royal College of Art in 2020, supported by the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST). Her practice is deeply rooted in material experimentation, with a particular focus on the fluidity and movement of glaze.

Chloe has exhibited both nationally and internationally, including as a Fresh exhibitor at the British Ceramics Biennale, at The Design Museum in The Power of Material: From Virtual to Physical, and at Collect at Somerset House. She has undertaken residencies in India, Jingdezhen, and Cill Rialaig, and currently works across education settings - from schools and universities to private studios - sharing her knowledge and passion for experimental ceramics.

Level:This course is suitable for potters and ceramic artists with no previous experience of glaze testing.

Duration: Saturday 3rd October and Saturday 10th October 10.30am - 4.30pm

Includes: Test tiles, glaze materials, firings, tea and coffee (herbal and dairy free alternatives available), afternoon cake.

+Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty+
+ Students will be required to provide their own scales weighing to 0.01gm+

Participants must be aged 18 years and over

Terms and Conditions.