Slab Built Pottery: Boosting Confidence in Creating and Reproducing Unique Designs
with Jen Allen
Course Schedule:
1st Wednesdays // 12-2pm ET
Course Description:
This comprehensive course is designed for individuals seeking to refine their slab-building techniques and confidently develop unique, functional forms. Over several months, students will explore essential techniques:
- 3D clay sketching
- Tin smithing strategies for form development
- Learning how to construct innovative shapes using geometricp rinciples.
As the course progresses, participants will delve into alteration methods like darting and pillowing, which focuses on adding and subtracting clay to manipulate forms.
Stamping and surface treatments will be covered as a way to add visual texture and personality to your creations.
Practical elements will also be emphasized, with detailed instruction on making functional lidded forms, creating precise spouts, and crafting ergonomic handles that are both functional and thoughtfully designed.
Additionally, students will gain insights into the technical aspects of using materials like Kanthal A-1 wire in ceramic forms, equipping them with knowledge of their properties and applications in kiln-fired work. By the end of the course, participants will have a stronger understanding of how to confidently create and reproduce their own distinctive slab-constructed pottery.
Instagram: @jenallenceramics
Website: jenniferallenceramics.com
Registration opens October 19th at 10am Central Time
About Jen
Jen Allen, a full-time ceramic artist and small business owner based in Morgantown, WV, brings nearly 30 years of experience to this course. Her artistic journey began with sewing and evolved into a deep passion for ceramics discovered during her undergraduate studies at the University of Alaska Anchorage 1995-2002. Jen combines creative experimentation with disciplined production, most recently launching a series of patterns (template sets) for slab building. Dedicated to teaching, she shares her expertise through online workshops and in-person classes, aiming to inspire curiosity and a lifelong love of learning in her students.
