YADKIN VALLEY CLAYWORKS­

To register: 336-835-2717

Take Your Group to Clayworks for some Fun!

We would love to create a fun learning experience for your Youth Group, Moms' Morning Out, Birthday Party, Scout Troop...whatever! Contact us about customizing a Clayworks experience for you!

YADKIN VALLEY CLAYWORKS

is located in the newly renovated section of the Elkin Recreation Park's maintenance building on Front Street. Thanks to the Town of Elkin and the Surry County Commissioners, the new clay shop has a bright and shiny face of white walls with tons of posters illustrating many facets in pottery and ceramics. The town of Elkin has provided approximately 2,500 sq ft of renovated space and the commissioners have added essential new equipment to that which has already been provided through the mentor apprentice program by the Golden LEAF Foundation. The work shop now boasts 10 wheels, a new heavy duty slab roller, two size clay extruders, two kilns (a 10 cu ft and a 19 cu ft) and numerous other items to make a fun and rewarding clay experience for any one attending classes. Hundreds of hours of planning and volunteer work have gone into the creation of the new studio. Clayworks is anticipated to be the first of several more media studios offered by the YVCG in glass, metal, wood, fiber, and photography, as time and funds permit. Photo setups will be available at Clayworks for members of the YVCG to photograph their work professionally in a cube in preparation for digitizing.

TO REGISTER FOR CLASSES

CALL: (336) 835-2717 or EMAIL: crafts@yvcg.org

10% discount for Guild members

GENERAL CERAMIC COURSE DESCRIPTIONS - SEE ABOVE CLASS SCHEDULE FOR CLASSES OFFERED AT THE PRESENT TIME.

1. Beginning ceramics for novices - simple shapes made to understand the nature and properties of working with clay. Many variables exist; however, with a few simple techniques to approaching clay, the beginner can make some very exciting and useable objects. Both hand-building in a simplified way and introduction to the wheel are offered in this course in order to allow the new learner to understand the logistics and make a decision where their interest lies for completed projects. This is a 12 week course and will only offer fundamentals to expose the learner to the joys (and sometimes failures) of clay. A beginning wheel course and a beginning hand building course at a bit higher level will follow this introduction. A 12 session course of 3.5 hours each is recommended to become familiar with the media. Class is 12 sessions/6 weeks Cost is $76 Begins in May (call for details)

2. Beginning ceramics in hand-building - this course will explore the many avenues that hand-building may take. Actually, hand-building is very sophisticated if managed in the proper way. It has much more potential than throwing on the wheel and can be mastered in a shorter period of time if pursued properly. Anything from architectural ceramics to fine art may be explored in this media with this technique. It allow the artists to manipulate a media in untold numbers of avenues...the imagination is the only limit given once the material is understood and one learns to work within media parameters. As one advances and learns to use the wheel, combinations of hand-built and thrown objects are extremely exciting. A 12 session course of 4 hour each duration is recommended to become familiar with the media and techniques of hand-building. Class is 12 sessions/6 weeks or once a week for 12 weeks Cost is $135

3. Beginning Wheel Throwing - this class will introduce the beginner to making utility forms on the wheel. The wheel is a very useful tool to make many items for production, however, it is not an easy skill to learn. Once learned, it becomes natural and easy, but beginning students normally take a considerable time to learn very well crafted and good designed pottery. It is just a skill, it is what one does with the thrown pot that makes it art or just another utilitarian object. A 12 week course of 4 hour duration each is recommended to become familiar with the media and the wheel....do not expect to become proficient in 12 sessions on the wheel...we will introduce some basic design concepts for ceramics in this class in order to make your understanding more complete. Class meets once a week for 12 weeks or twice a weeks for 6 weeks Cost is $135

4. Intermediate Hand building - further exploration into more techniques for hand-building after the beginning class. Firing of kilns and some glaze technology will be introduced in this course. Further design awareness concerns will be discussed. Class is a 12 session course; duration of 4 hours each. Cost is $140

5. Intermediate Wheel Throwing - further practice and more design awareness of shapes and forms will be explored in this class. Since practice, practice, practice is the key to this skill, more independent work will take place. Firing of kilns and some glaze technology will be introduced in this course. Further design awareness concerns will be discussed.. Course duration recommended 12 sessions consisting of 4 hours each class, twice a week. Cost is $140

6. Introduction to Production Techniques - This is a course for advanced potters who are comfortable with their throwing and hand-building techniques as well as the particular clay body that she/he is using. Once you have mastered form and function in your ceramic wares and want to produce multiples, many unique techniques that are tried and true will be taught to the potter who wants to go this route. We can advise and assist in your production and try to make marketable connections. Class offered as demand is requested. Cost is $150 First 50# clay is included Cost per additional for clay & glaze & firing is $34.50 per 25 lbs.; $135 for instruction only with personal clay, shop glaze and firing (cost per additional firing and glaze is $27.00)

7. Ceramic Sculpture - although some of the above courses may include non-utilitarian works, this class will delve into some of the unique techniques and materials used to make free standing sculpture or relief art for purely decorative purposes. Outdoor sculpture as well as fine small pieces will be explored utilizing appropriate materials for each purpose.

8. Open Studio for advanced potters - a limited number of slots for independent work will be available at normal costing fees for clay, glazes and firing. See D. Peterhsam for particulars on this option

9. Surface Design techniques for clay - this course - many potter have a good sense of form 3 dimensionally, however the surface of a clay object is often ignored. This course will explore the many directions that surface design on clay can successfully be obtained on the simplest of forms. Six sessions of 2.5 hours each will give the student a whole new approach to the work he-she is doing.

Contact us to inquire about taking an above course.

CHILDREN'S CLAY WORKS

1. Young children's clay works - for ages 5 to 8... Let your child explore a media that has endless bounds... although we will put some parameters on the object to be made; the options for creativity are endless in clay. Many children express ideas that are not attainable in any other media. Some of my best clay work has come from this age group...as they are normally so uninhibited, one of the secrets to making art!! The attention span of this age group is normally about 1.5 hours and the class is recommended to last for 6 sessions. Most work will be fired and glazed so your child will have a finished product. Class size maximum 10. 6 sessions/2 hours each - Cost is $65

2. Middle age Children Clay Works - for ages 9 to 12... the child in this age group has probably been introduced to clay in school, but not in a way that allows her-him to truly express themselves without some inhibiting outside forces. This class will attempt to set the parameters only to elicit the child's artistic skills in expression of their thoughts without TV or other commercial images. This is a big challenge, but it can be achieved!!! 6 sessions/2 hours each - Cost is $65

3. Teen Age Clay Works - for ages 13 thru 17... Students in this age range have some idea of where they want their lives to go... even if these ideas change in the future... many budding artists are born in this age group as well as those that need an outlet for expression of their selves. Much talent is recognized in this age group and a place to allow this to happen is critical for many teenagers. Let your child explore the media of clay to see if that her/his niche in life or if it satisfies another need that they have in growing up. A 6 session introductory course in hand building and wheel throwing may make a difference in how your child looks at life. 6 sessions/2 hours each - Cost is $65

4. Very young children and mothers cooperate in clay work... at the request of several mothers, this course is being put together to serve a need for expression of both adults and children...working together. For children ages 4 thru 6 and mothers may be any age!!! This will only be mounted if there are at least 6 children and six mothers that are interested in coming together to create in a fun atmosphere making art that can become a unique object as well as experience. This is a first time challenge to allow children to feel comfortable with "mom" while mom learns how to let her child express with the correct kind of guidance. Too many moms put the ideas in children's heads, the child's ideas are often much more exciting than the mom's, we just need to find them!!!! Hopefully, both moms and children can use a show rather than a tell to express both their artistic sides. 6 sessions/2 hours each - Cost is $65

5. Make Your Mom a gift or Make your teacher a gift for ages 7 thru 12, special extruded clay that will be tailored by each child to make a unique vase or cup or tray or other object...this class makes a product that is more sophisticated, but with all the individual qualities a child would perceive for a gift to make for someone else. This class takes the child's thinking beyond her or his self!! The session will be approximately 1.5 hours and it will take two sessions to make, fire and glaze the object...a learning experience that many children need. 3 sessions/2 hours each - Cost is $30. Or 2 sessions/2 hours each - Cost is $20.

Contact us to inquire about taking an above course.