Ceramic
STEFANIA PENNACCHIO
Artist
OBJECTIVES
Students learn the skills that will allow them to construct their own personal artistic development in the field of ceramics, which is necessarily an experiential process. The selection of clays, decorative techniques, the interaction with fire and oxides open up an infinite range of conceptual and decorative research and experimentation inherent in the art of sculpture and potting.
TIMING AND CONTENT
6-DAY WORKSHOP
Day 1
PRESENTATION AND OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE
The onsite selection of clays in the quarry. Visit to the quarry and studio trials with the selected clays. Shaping and drying personalized objects and the use of a variety of clays each with its distinct “character”.
Day 2
DIALOGUING WITH FIRE
A journey along the itinerary of our initial experiments: firing pots in the open air and inside a pit. Vist to the Paolo Orsi museum to observe the effects of primitive firing techniques.
Day 3
THE “BISCUIT FIRING” PROCESS
The initial firing: chromatic effects, differences and paths for further research. Decoration and coloring through a dialogue with heat and fire. Visit to a local Sicilian potter’s studio, demonstration of how the kilns are used, classical techniques of traditional pottery, the symbology of decoration.
Break
Between day three and day four there will be a break (to be defined depending on the whole program organization) to allow for the thorough drying of the objects to be fired and decorated
Day 4
THE VARIOUS TECHNIQUES FOR REDUCTION INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER: RAKU
The choice of an interaction with the fire to achieve the desired decorative effect on the object or sculpture. Application of oxides and preparation of the kiln.
Day 5
FIRINGS AND EXPERIMENTS.
Day 6
Evaluation of the experiments performed and comparative analysis of the works produced during the workshop.
Technique and Intuition in the Art of making - Tile Decoration | Montana State University 
Technique and Intuition in the Art of making - Tile Decoration | Montana State University 
Technique and Intuition in the Art of making | Montana State University 
Technique and Intuition in the Art of making | Montana State University 
Technique and Intuition in the Art of making | Montana State University 
Technique and Intuition in the Art of making - Raku Firing | Montana State University 
Technique and Intuition in the Art of making | Montana State University 
Technique and Intuition in the Art of making - Tile Decoration | Montana State University