Making art with mud and fire at The Artisan

Published 5:00 pm Sunday, July 29, 2012

ILWACO, Wash. – Mud and fire dominate the Peninsula Clay Artists’ fourth annual clay show and sale and workshop series to be held at The Artisan, 114 Main St. S.W. The show will host a variety of clay-related activities from Aug. 8 to 18. An opening night celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, will feature Rod Maxwell-Muir creating lovely and functional pots on the potter’s wheel. Two large galleries are full of clay work of every conceivable style and a barrel firing will be in progress in the courtyard during the evening. The potters and ceramic sculptors will all be available to discuss their work. Singer/songwriter Brian O’Connor will provide acoustic guitar entertainment.

During the 10-day event, a dozen separate workshops will be taught by nationally and internationally known clay artists. Workshops will include Cuenca tile, handbuilding, wheel throwing and free-form mosaics. Local artist David Campiche will give a wheel demonstration and discuss his pottery philosophies from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday Aug. 11.

Peninsula Clay Artists will also join Marie Powell Printmaking and Bruce Peterson Photography to share Discover the Arts Studio Tour in Ilwaco from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11.

The workshops are being presented by professional artists to expand the awareness of the many components of clay work, both for association members and the general public. Classes will have a small fee to cover materials and firing and the organizers recommend early registration as spaces are limited and supplies must be organized in advance.

Renee O’Connor, professional tile artist for 25 years, will teach Cuenca tile, a form of tile preparation using plaster molds with an incised line image. The clay is pressed into the mold, creating a tile with a raised line design. The tile is glazed by pooling glaze in the depressions. The class will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 8, with a second session Aug. 15 for glazing. Each participant will make at least two tiles. The cost is $95.

Other workshops include individual wheel throwing with Karen Brownlee Thursday and Friday, Aug. 9 and 10, at $25 per one-hour session. Danni Pederson will help participants make individual stoneware wall pockets from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 9. The cost is $45. Jan Richardson will teach making a stoneware planter with textural sides from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 10; cost is $45. Sue Raymond, who has studied with Chinese YiXing teapot makers, will have students making hand-built teapots with a personal flair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 11; cost is $50. Fees cover all materials and firing costs.

Heather Richardson returns to teach the art of free form mosaics. Richardson has mosaic installations on the East and West coasts and is currently working on a piece for the city of Safety Harbor, Fla. Last year, she led a group in creating a large community mosaic which can be viewed on the west exterior wall of The Artisan. Each participant will complete a personal piece about 15-by-18 inches and may participate in a community mosaic. There are four classes at $75 each, to be held Aug. 13, 14, 16 or 17. Participants may sign up for one or more sessions. Workshop fees cover all material costs.

A raku extravaganza will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12. Fired pots are pulled from the kiln and dropped into containers full of paper and sawdust. After a few minutes of billowing smoke, the cooling pot is uncovered, to reveal stunning colors. There will be pots for the participants to glaze and plenty of colorful glazes. Experienced potters will manage the smoke and fire. The cost is $25.

The final day and evening of the clay show will include a display of all of the clay work created at the workshops. For information about or to sign up for the workshops, call Jan Richardson at 360-665-2603 or 727-612-4110 or Sue Raymond at 360-665-5200. The clay show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 8 to 18, with three evening events continuing until 9 p.m. Aug. 8, 11 and 18, at The Artisan. Admission to the show is free.