Tag: understanding glazes

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Glaze workshop dates 2027

Glaze tests
Glaze tests
Glaze tests with added colouring oxides

I will be teaching a number of glaze workshops in 2027 on colour in glazes, special effects glazes and using slips with glazes. I explain what each glaze material contributes to the glaze and how they interact to melt the glaze in the kiln, how to make glossy, matt and special effect glazes, and how to make food safe glazes.

In January my new book Emmanuel Cooper Glazes will be published, together with a touring exhibition of his pots, glaze tests and some of his students’ work. The exhibition will start at Contemporary Ceramics London on 12-23 January and tour to the Crafts Study Centre, Farnham in March-October, Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Barnsley Museum.

In late January I will be taking part in an exhibition on Material Matters for ceramic artists with the coauthor of our book Material Matters, Linda Swanson in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. We will include geological samples of glaze and clay materials, clay body and glaze tests.

Glaze workshops 2027

29-30 January 2027 Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University, USA

13-14 March Upland Clay Cumbria

Late March Turning Earth Highgate

April El Taller de Ceramica Malaga, slips and glazes

19-22 April Guldagergaard, Skaelskor, Denmark, clays and glazes with Linda Swanson

1-2 May Coombe Farm Studios, Dittisham, Devon

22-23 May La Mine Céramique Paris

12-13 June The Ceramic Garden Carshalton

20-22 August Craquele, Leuven, Belgium

11-12 September County Hall Pottery, London

14-18 October Ceramicaza, Rhodes, Greece

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Glaze workshop dates 2025

Glaze workshop colour test tiles

I will be teaching glaze workshops once or twice a month in 2025.

Glaze workshop dates 2025

18-19 January Forest Row School of Ceramics, Bridport, Dorset

8-9 February Mie Ghesquiere Tussenin Belgium

1-2 March The Clay Garden, Hammersmith, London

22-23 March La Mine Céramique Paris

28-30 March and 11-13 April El Taller de Ceramica Malaga

5-6 April DA studio Madrid

3-4 May Coombe Farm Studios Dittisham, Devon

23-26 May Guldagergaard, Skaelskor, Denmark

7-8 June, Create CIC, Camborne, Cornwall

28-29 June RAMP workshop Silverton, Devon

9-10 August London Potters at Cernamic studio, London

16-17 August Forest Row School of Ceramics, Bridport

7-8 September Studio Pottery London

27&29 September Perth Studio Potters

28&30 September ClayMake Studio Perth

11-12 October Melbourne Clay Studio

20-21 October Sydney Claypool

1-2 November The Waldron, East Sussex

I will be travelling to various studios around the UK and Europe to teach ceramic glaze workshops which expand on my books, Colour in Glazes and Special Effect Glazes. The two-day workshops are suitable for intermediate potters who would like to learn more about glaze chemistry, what each glaze material contributes to the glaze and how to adjust glazes to correct any defects or make special effects such as craters, crystals or crackle. Contact the studios directly to book a place. These courses are popular; if you find the workshop you want to attend is full, I sometimes come back to the same studio in following years so don’t give up!

These workshops cover the fundamentals of what makes up a ceramic glaze and the role played by each ingredient. Participants on the workshop will create and test their own glaze (often based on an existing recipe) during the workshop, fire the glazes overnight, and receive feedback on their results. They will leave with a better understanding of how a glaze is developed and tested and with the knowledge to enable them to create and refine glazes on their own.

I recognise that not everyone will be able to attend one of these courses. There is a lot to be gained from being in a practical workshop with others, but if you cannot attend one of my workshops and would still like to learn about glazes, I have some short online courses available (https://lindabloomfield.co.uk/membership-account/membership-levels/) which cover some of the same content.

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Glaze workshops 2021

I will be teaching some glaze workshops again in 2021. These get full very quickly so make sure you book up soon.

We will make a series of glaze tests on the first day, fire them overnight and then discuss the results the next afternoon. In the morning I will talk about glaze chemistry and what each material contributes to the glaze. I will be also be teaching at Forest Row School of Ceramics later this year.

5-6 June The Clay Loft, Stroud

22-23 July Forest Row School of Ceramics, East Sussex

25-26 September Nottingham Ceramic School, Nottingham

If you can’t get to a workshop, you can always do my online glaze course.

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Glaze course dates 2017

Linda Bloomfield - glaze test tiles

I have been asked to teach several glaze courses in 2017.

A new pottery school is opening in Forest Row in Sussex. I will be teaching glazes there 0n 17-19 February 2017. Contact Katrina Pechal on 0789 444 7938. You can visit the school when they open in December, courses start in January with tutors including Stephen Parry and Ruthanne Tudball.

The founder Katrina Pechal says, “ I am saddened to see so many high-level ceramics courses around the country closing. My days training at Camberwell School of Art were inspiring, having lessons with famous potters like Takashi Yasadu, Colin Pearson and Ewen Henderson among others was a great privilege and I want the next generation of potters to have the same opportunities. I have noticed a recent increase in the popularity of pottery, thanks in part to the BBC’s “The Great Pottery Throw Down. I feel this is a perfect time to move to a bigger site with better facilities where I can help students to train and develop their craft”.

 Forest Row School of Ceramics will be based in the Rachel Carson building at Emerson College, set in beautiful grounds within walking distance of the village. It offers outdoor space, which Katrina needs for a kiln site (a kiln-building workshop run by Joe Finch, Potter and author of Kiln Construction (a brick by brick approach), is already planned for early next year). Emerson also has more classrooms Katrina can utilise as she expands plus affordable student accommodation it needed.

Forest Row is three miles from East Grinstead in Sussex, situated next to the idyllic Ashdown Forest yet within easy access of the M23/M25 and a short drive from Gatwick Airport, the South Downs and the creative hub of Brighton.

final-invite

 

I will also be teaching colour in glazes at West Dean College on 5-9 March (the course is now full but you can try the waiting list), and demonstrating throwing and glazes all weekend at the Scottish Potters’ Spring Workshop at Tulliallan on 10-12 March.

For anyone in London there are glaze courses at the Morley College in February and April but I will not be teaching them.

Exciting news: I will be teaching a glaze course in Belgium in 2018.

If you can’t come on a course, you can still learn from my books.