Me, Lillian, Annie, Cindy, Diane and Kathi
On Saturday, I took a one day hand-building workshop with 5 other people taught by Annie Chrietzberg at her studio. In addition to being an accomplished artist, Annie has been writing articles for Pottery Making Illustrated and graciously shared her hand-building techniques and templates with us. If you visit her website, check out her workshop schedule and download her some of templates for your own use. I highly recommend taking one of her workshops if you happen to be in the Denver area or any other of her scheduled workshop cities this year.
Kathi and I making handles for our cups
We’re really paying attention and don’t want to miss a thing!
Rolling out slabs for our platters
Another demo
My cup
I’m super excited about learning how to make a more refined cup using hand-building techniques. When I first saw Annie’s gorgeous cups, mugs and tumblers I wondering how she got that texture on her cups that look like they could have been thrown on a wheel. The cups we made are HUGE! I’m guesstimating that these would hold upwards of 20 ounces once fired. That’s a whole lot o joe! I love coffee, although occasionally, I drink a good strong cup of English tea or green tea. Check out all the different ways one can drink coffee.
We also made a small platter with double sided texture. These are really cool! I imagine that I will further shun my wheel in favor of hand-building techniques. My challenge now is to change the templates and to add my own textures. One of my main concerns when taking a workshop is that my work will end up looking like the instructors. So, I’ve got some work to do to make these my own.
I really enjoyed the day and am ready to make some new work!
Have a great week,
~Cynthia
Tags: annie chrietzberg, hand building with clay, pottery making illustrated
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With time being apportioned in what seems like nanoseconds, I only get round the blogs occasionally! So, I’ve just had a lot of interesting back-reading here. Love the poppies!I’ve been wanting to do similar tiles, but not having a kiln is a bit of a drawback! I’m thinking of trying that kids-craft stuff that dries in an oven.Any thoughts?
Thanks for posting workshop! I wanted to go but could not this time! Looks like a bunch of FUN! and New techniques to try Doubled sided texture is Way Cool! BIG ASS Mug I might add.
Mary Hey how do you like the Ash stoneware for boxes?
love the pics…. So fun that you were together!!!!
gee… wish i was there!
Nice looking mug. I like the texture you chose. Did you use a mold to shape it?
All those ways to drink coffee. Geez. Just when I got the rhythm of my regular order at Starbucks down pat, they changed the verbage.
Thanks Dinah! I know what you mean about time to check on other’s blogs - I seem to have very few days where I can do so. I have never tried air dried clay, and would think that there would be an archival issue. I almost think Sculpy or Fimo would be a better option, but it depends on what you’re going to use it for. If you plan on using it for actual tiles, then I would say, find a ceramic artist or studio that would be willing to fire work for you on a piece by piece basis or by the kiln load.
The Ash stoneware is good, Mary - and it’s also what I used to make the work in the workshop. If it doesn’t warp too much, I’m going to try using some porcelain as it is my preferred clay. I would try for another one of her workshops if you have the opportunity - good stuff.
I wish you could have taken it too, Judi - we would have had a blast!!
Hey Janet - we were posting at the same time! No molds on these mugs. We used paper templates that we cut out and placed on the clay to trace. Then we just used our hands and a few tools to coax the clay into the shape we wanted.
Oh, and the coffee terms - I’m such a creature of habit. I always get a grande skinny latte, but just recently discovered the caramel macchiato even though it’s been on their menu forever!
Looks like a wonderful Latte cup. Nice job on those pieces, Cynthia.
What fun you got to go!
Wow, these pieces look fantastic! I can hardly believe that your cup wasn’t thrown on a wheel!
I am really struggling to find classes where I am
One day I will run away to America and come and find you!
Thanks Anne!
Run away, run away, Undaunted!
i am so jealous…our nc workshop didn’t come together…I will do it one day!
Wow, you have been really busy, sorry I have not been round of late, I am being bogged down in showsI’m getting ready for and some personal stuff too. It’s nice to be able to get back to work again. I love your work and getting to see you carve the lino was a treat. I have tried several times to carve and it’s just not pretty, I think now that it may be the tools I am using. I can’t wait to see what these works look like fired with their pretty colors. You amaze me!
Wow! Looks like fun! And, your cup is gorgeous! Nice work!