The Clay Craft Intensive: Form, Function and Finish

Description

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In early America, a traditional master potter was only considered a "master" once they could: 

— Operate a full studio/shop   

— Oversee & finish firings of the Kiln   

— Prepare and apply glazes (yes, chemistry)

— Throw up to 5 & 10 gallon vessels   

— Make fancy, delicate wares  

— Have the ability to throw up to 100 five-gallon jars a day   

By the late 1900s in the U.S., “throwing” or “turning” clay on the potter’s wheel was the province of an “art potter” who relied on new technology and a post-modern art market. Traditional utilitarian potters have become relatively “unneeded,” and mastery, at its traditional level, is not required of the teacher teaching the “art form.” 

This has caused true mastery skills to be largely lost and the studio potter or hobbyist has problems they can’t seem to avoid or a knowledge gap that grounds higher aspiration. After two decades, Kilian has come out of his pottery studio and into the teaching studio of the Bower to share traditional mastery skills and know-how. While it may take a decade to polish mastery skills, Kilian offers a 5-day intensive workshop (2 hours each day) that will rocket your pottery experience and impart skills that will launch you to higher productivity. 

Whether a beginner or more advanced, you will appreciate how this mastery workshop will take you from ‘mud’ to ‘kiln’ or clay harvesting to kiln loading. You may not need to know everything in this master class, but it will increase your knowledge of the craft and will influence how you approach and understand clay when at the wheel. 

Topics and Subjects divided by day:   

01 DAY — Processing raw clay, ways of wedging clay, centering under 60 seconds, getting the most ‘pot’ out of your clay 

02 DAY — Throwing advanced and complex forms 

03 DAY — Pulling handles, trimming, lid making, altering pots, attaching 

04 DAY — Making and mixing glazes, glazing basics, techniques, glazing large pots, cleaning up

05 DAY — Kiln prep, loading the kiln, firing basics, glaze defects, identifying cracks in pots, recycling clay   This is a hands-on, interactive class with participants anticipating throwing work and other activities, including asking questions.  

MATERIALS LIST

Students will be provided with 12 Ibs of stoneware clay (cones 5-6) and a variety of glaze options

INSTRUCTOR BIO

Kilian excels in authentic pottery, uniquely creating his glazes and clays, a testament to his dedication. This mastery has yielded significant achievements, including a commission from North Carolina's Cultural Resources for their definitive heritage pottery collection. His museum-quality work has been featured in the Imperial Art Centre's HANDCRAFTED Exhibition in 2017, 2022, and again in 2025, confirming his status as a leading contemporary ceramicist. He also serves as a ceramic authority and interpreter for Popular Forest, sharing his vast knowledge. From his fully-equipped studio in Chatham, VA, Kilian continues to elevate heritage pottery, seeing a high standard of excellence and preserving a vital aspect of American artistic history.