Adding more international flavor to the St. Petersburg Clay Company's 2005 workshop schedule, were Nicaraguan potters Enmanuel Maldonald and Lissethe Chavaria. Bringing with them the traditions of San Juan de Oriente, they guided workshop participants through the process of creating highly burnished, beautifully slip and sgraffito decorated, earthenware pottery.

During this 3-day hands-on workshop, participants had the opportunity to fire a rapid-fire wood kiln, specially constructed for this workshop!

Enmanuel Maldonado graduated with a degree in Social Communication from the El Valle University in Managua, Nicaragua, and currently works full-time producing pottery in his home town of San Juan de Oriente. He has exhibited in Panama and Costa Rica in addition to Nicaragua, and received Third Prize at the competition "Creative Hands" organized by INPYME and UNESCO in Metrocentro, Managua. In August 2004, Maldonado participated in a Design Workshop organized by the Salvadorian Chamber of Craftsmen of El Salvador and the Ministry of Finance and Technology of Spain.

MATT LONG
SLIP!
August 26, 27, & 28, 2005

Matt Long's unique approach to slip is the trademark of his pottery. During this hands-on workshop, participants learned some of Matt's secrets of using slip. Through the exploration of line and gesture, participants worked with thick slip as a way to express yet another kind of line that highlights clay in a different way. They slathered their hands, brushes, or anything they wanted in this seductive material and many new ideas for surface decoration were discovered.

In addition to slip, Matt offered throwing demonstrations concentrated on exploring the gestural qualities of porcelain through functional pottery and demonstrated making work that is thrown and immediately altered off the wheel. We were all jealous!

It was a wonderful weekend of fun, frienship and slip, slip, slip!!!

RON MEYERS
Thrown & Altered Clay Works
May 21 & 22, 2005

In conjunction with the Florida Craftsmen, St. Petersburg Clay Company proudly welcomed master artisan Ron Myers.

On Saturday, Ron focused on various throwing and altering techniques on such forms as platters, bowls, teapots, and covered jars using red earthenware clay. Sunday's focus was on finishing pieces and demonstrating his decorating techniques with colored slips and stains. Slide lectures on Ron's historical influencies and his work were held each day.Ron Meyers has been working in clay for over 30 years. He is an internationally known artist whose work is collected in the United States and abroad. Meyers, who recently retired from teaching ceramics at the University of Georgia, describes his pottery as utilitarian. You can see his work featured on the March/April 2005 cover of Clay Times.

Visit our partner for this workshop by clicking the Florida Craftsmen logo below.

GREGORY MILLER
Japanese Inlay & Slip Decoration
April 9 & 10, 2005

Gregory Miller came from Denmark to showcase his techniques in creating beautiful, functional pottery. During this two-day, demonstration workshop, he demonstrated his techniques for making pots on the wheel as well as handbuilt slab plates, and taught participants a variety of Japanese slip decoration techniques such as rope inlay, paddling, and slip combing.He received his BA in ceramics in 1991 from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. After graduating, he traveled to Mashiko, Japan where he worked for several years as an apprentice to Tatsuzo Shimaoka – a Japanese National Living Treasure and student of Shoji Hamada. In 1996, he entered graduate school at the University of Pittsburg to pursue a Ph.D. in Anthropology focusing on the lives and work of Japanese potters.

DON REITZ & DON BENDEL
February 19 & 20, 2005

DAVID GAMBLE LOW-FIRE WORKSHOP
January 15 & 16, 2005
January 24 and 25, 2003

David Gamble, a working artist and the vice president/director of Marketing and Education of American Art Clay Co., Inc. (AMACO) was, as always, an entertaining workshop. From the collaborative masks to the decorative tiles, everyone left with a favorite piece and some great memories. We can't wait until the next one!

SUZE LINDSAY & KENT McLAUGHLIN
May 12 - 18, 2003 During this 7-day, hands-on workshop, potters Suze Lindsay and Kent McLaughlin shared their individual approaches to making pots specifically to the craftsmanship and details which go into making a good pot. Their demonstrations of round and altered pots, and discussions of slip surfaces and techniques for slip application were great for all the participants.

The greenware firing of our salt kiln and the wood reduction firing of our Minnesota flat top gas kilns were a first for our kilns at SPCC! All of the participants got some great pieces from each of the kilns, and the wood reduction firings are still used periodically to this day. Thanks for a great workshop guys!