Contemporary Wheel Throwing & Hand Building
Adult Classes | Available
*As this is the last adult clay class of the season, hand builders are also welcome to attend and the instructor will work with students in both methods.*
This class will review and build upon the fundamental techniques of wheel-throwing. With an eye toward developing consistent throwing skills (while still encouraging creativity), attention will be placed on centering, opening, and raising walls for three basic shapes – plates, bowls, and cylinders. To be addressed as well are various trimming techniques used to enhance shaping. Demonstrations will also introduce decorating techniques (including painting with underglaze, glazing, and sgraffito), which will help to create pieces characterized by a contemporary style. Throughout the class, individualized, hands-on attention will be provided to students’ development of their skills and pieces.
Alice Bonilha
Alice Bonilha is a Brazilian-born artist with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and a master’s degree in Anthropology. She is also a Florida-certified visual-arts teacher. A long-time and passionate teacher, she encourages students to utilize fundamental visual-art elements and design principles while still fostering students’ creativity and individuality. Her own artwork, which she regularly displays at juried art shows, currently focuses on crafting functional and artistic ceramics -- including bowls, mugs, plates, platters, vases, and figurines -- that are aesthetically pleasing and contemporary.