Introduction to Creating a Clay Art Tile with Options
Brief summary of the course will be hand building a clay tile, either as a wall hanging version, or free standing. The tile can be carved, pressed textures or even mixed media with added elements.
Date and Time: April 1st from 1:00pm to 4:00 pm
Place: Eastport Arts Center, 36 Washington St. Eastport, ME
Cost: TBD
To sign up: email alison@eastportartscenter.org
Step 1. Create a Clay Art Tile. The course will guide you to create a creative, unique art piece using clay as the medium. Hopefully, within the time frame of the class, you will prepare the tile, create your design, and then have it suitable for curing. If the time frame is not sufficient to complete within the allotted time for the class, you will be able to take the piece home to finish. Instructions and Materials will be provided at the class.
Step 2. Tile must dry and cure, then it will get fired. The process for the firing of the greenware will be completed by me. This stage will get sorted at the time of the class.
Step 3. Finishing the Tile. Options for this process of completion will be outlined in the class, but essentially, again options will be available. One option is that the tiles could be hand painting, stained or ‘colored” for a “quicker” finish, at your own pace. The second option, is to glaze them with raku glazes, of which this “class time” will need to be arranged. This part of the process will be a bit longer. Once we can set up a “glazing” time frame, I will provide the instruction and the Raku glazes for your work. Once the glazing is done, then we will have to arrange for a time for the Raku firing process. This will have to be done at my residence in Calais, and it will have to be an “observation only” process, due to the risks factors. These details will be covered at the onset of the class.
Prior to the Class, check out art tiles on-line for some visual examples. Possibly watch a few videos on the Raku firing. Overall, you will want to try and keep your overall design simple. The clay does not lend itself to fine detailing, nor does the raku firing process. Less is for sure more in this process. Consider a theme you might want to attempt, whether it is a flower design, a Memory Ware theme where you can use bits of treasures you have cherished, whether beach findings, or trinkets you didn’t ever throw out and saved for their “memories”. A contemporary theme can be very powerful and attractive, where you use found objects to create textures and designs. Within a small “canvas” of clay, the possibilities are endless.
Bio: Marlys Farn-Guillette is a transplant from Saskatchewan, Canada, currently living in DownEast, Maine. She has been involved in the Arts since her days in high school, which continued onto University. She once taught high school art at St. Stephen, New Brunswick, and has been a member of the Eastport Gallery for many years. Her primary art mediums are Raku clay and Painting, but within those two mediums she is always learning and exploring new materials and approaches. Often the question pops into her head, ..."What If I try..???"
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