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"The work that members do really reduces stigma — one pot at a time."

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Samantha Moya · Posted: Dec 19, 2021 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: December 20, 2021

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This Toronto ceramics studio is teaching people to overcome their trauma ‘one pot at a time’ | CBC News

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Inspirations Studio is a healing space for women and gender diverse people who’ve struggled with mental health issues, addiction and poverty.

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(Quote from article) Jenny Tucker, an instructor for the hand building pottery classes, said the seniors who take her classes come ready to take on new challenges. "They are fearless and they bring a wealth of experience, so they're a lot of fun. Something goes wrong and they go, 'ha ha ha, I'll just do that again,'" she said. "They have no fear if it doesn't work out perfectly the first time because these are humans that have lots of life experience." She said one of the most exciting parts of the project is how imaginative the seniors are with what they want to create.

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Free art classes help build community for seniors in Yellowknife | CBC News

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The Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts is offering free art classes to help seniors stay connected and fight isolation. The topics include pottery, glass work, weaving and silversmithing.

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This article is for parents looking to get their kids into pottery, but I found it helpful too!

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Pottery is a fun and educational activity ideal for kids older than 4 years old. Through pottery making, you can teach children how to follow directions as well as to be creative and express themselves. Also, because it's an activity in which both the body and the mind have to work together at all times, it is a great way for kids to improve their sensory and motor skills.

Pottery has many levels of complexity, and therefore it can be an activity that kids of older than 4 can engage in.

There are tools and materials that are specifically made for the youngest ones so they can create simple items in an easy way. For example, when it comes to pottery wheels for kids, there are plenty of options to choose from. There are little plastic ones available in toy stores as well as more advanced ones that are just as simple to use but are bigger, heavier and more durable.

Same happens with clay. While teenagers might have the skills to shape conventional clay, there's also modeling clay that's easier to work with for the little ones who are trying pottery for the very first time.

In this article we'll cover the basics of making pottery with kids: how to get started, what supplies and equipments to get as well as some basic safety recommendations *.

Best Pottery Clay For Kids

Polymer, air-dry clay

Air-dry clay is probably the best option for kids younger than 10 years old as it's easy to shape and doesn't need a kiln for it to dry.

As you might infer by the name, air-dry clay only needs to be left out at room temperature for a few hours before it dries and hardens. Just as easy as that!

Don't confuse air-dry clay with regular modeling clay, also known as or . Play dough is not suitable for pottery making because it's oil based and therefore never dries. Air-dry clay is different, it usually comes in big, wet blocks that can only be shaped when extra water is added to it.

Air-dry clay is suitable for both wheel throwing as well as handbuilding so kids can use either technique with the same material. It's very easy to find in most art supply stores and it tends to be quite inexpensive. If you buy a pottery wheel for kids in a toy store, it will most likely come with a couple of pounds of this kind of clay.

Keep in mind though, that air dry clay is not food safe and items made out of it need to be used for decorative purposes only. For pottery to be food safe, it needs to be fired, so if that's what you're looking for, we advise you to get standard clay.

Standard clay

Regular, standard clay is clay made out of fine-grained earth; it's the clay potters use to make real, functional and food-safe items like plates, pots and cups.

There are 3 main types of clay (stoneware, earthenware and porcelain) and they all have different properties, are used for different projects and require different levels of pottery making skills.

While air-dry clay is usually very easy to shape, not all standard clay is like that. For example, different types of clay require more or less water that needs to be added at specific quantities at specific times so the pottery pieces don't collapse or dry-out before they're finished.

Standard clay is not necessarily more difficult to work with, you just need to learn about the different kinds of clays, choose the proper one and learn how to shape it according to its characteristics. We have written a comprehensive guide about clay that you can read here if you want to learn more about it.

When it comes to pottery with kids older than 10 years old, we recommend you to work with stoneware clay.
It's the easiest kind of standard clay to work with. It comes in a variety of colors from white to dark brown and similar to air-dry clay, you can use it on a pottery wheel as well as shape it using handbuilding techniques.

Stoneware clay is ideal for making objects of any size, from small plates to big vases. Once fired, the final pieces are very strong and durable.

Keep in mind that stoneware clay needs to be fired to be food safe and non-porous. Firing, however, is not necessary if the items will be used for decorative purposes only. If you are looking for more information about kilns and firing pottery, please read our guide on how to choose the right kiln for your pottery project. Beware though that kilns are NOT safe for kids to use and they should always be used by a qualified adult*.

Pottery wheels for kids and other pottery making techniques

Kids don't a pottery wheel to make pottery. There are several handbuilding techniques such as coiling, slab construction and pinching that they can use to make pottery without a wheel.

A pottery wheel however, gives round items such as vases, cups, bowls and plates a more precise finish and makes the pottery making process faster. Learning how to use a pottery wheel is a super fun activity that most kids love, and it's a great way to introduce them to how tools and certain machinery works. It also helps them improve their fine motor skills and movement coordination.

You can basically go 2 ways with pottery wheels for kids:

On one hand you have the small, plastic ones specially made for kids up to 12 years old that are sold in toy stores. They are very easy to use and usually come with clay and other basic tools. However, they are just toys; they are tiny, weak, very lightweight and in most cases pretty unstable. They are only recommended for kids up to 12 years old.

On the other hand, you have real pottery wheels that come in a variety of sizes and are very durable, precise and are not much more difficult to use. They require an adult to help kids younger than 12 use it properly. Most teenagers, though, can make perfect use of them by themselves after practice and under supervision *.
Please make sure to always read and follow the instructions and follow all the safety guidelines of any equipment you purchase.
If you want to learn more about pottery wheels, this article will help you decide which pottery wheel to buy depending on your needs. You can also check out our pottery wheels page and learn more about the wheels available in our store.

Other tools, materials and tips to make pottery with kids

Although kids can make pottery with nothing but clay, there are many tools as well as decorating materials that can help them unleash their inner artist.

These supplies include cutter wires, ribbon tools, brushes, sponges, towels, chamois cloths, glaze, paints and other modeling tools depending on the age of the child and their level of knowledge and experience. They are easily available in most art supply stores as well as online.

Here is a guide on how to make pottery at home in case you want more general tips about making pottery.

Here is a list of pottery making ideas ideal for both adults and kids who are just getting started in the pottery making world.

Additional resources on pottery

*Soul Ceramics does NOT assume any responsibility and risk for the use of the safety resources available in or through this article. No advice or information given shall create any warranty. Reliance on such information is solely at your own risk, including without limitation any safety guidelines, resources or precautions related to the installation, operation, maintenance or repair of equipment or any other information related to safety that may be available on this article.

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Are you looking for a fun, yet educational experience for your kids? Pottery might be what you're looking for! Find out all about pottery for kids in this guide.

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I think this is a really cool way to get kids more engaged in art and for teens to explore the boundaries of creativity. This is the type of vibe I want to cultivate in my workshop-- not just making something random out of clay, but really thinking through an idea!

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Turns out pre-schoolers are teeny tiny humans, but they all understood the concept of "make your own monster friend.".. high school students will begin their monster sculptures inspired by the preschool drawings this week!!  #highschool #teacher 

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@sajonesceramic
Turns out pre-schoolers are teeny tiny humans, but they all understood the concept of "make your own monster friend.".. high school students will begin their monster sculptures inspired by the preschool drawings this week!! #highschool #teacher
♬ original sound - Sarah

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results from the other video!!!! so cool!!!

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So excited to share all of the finished and glazed sculptures that my high school ceramics 1 students made using pictures drawn by a preschool student! They all came out SO excellent 👏 🙌  #teacher #highschool #preschool 

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@sajonesceramic
So excited to share all of the finished and glazed sculptures that my high school ceramics 1 students made using pictures drawn by a preschool student! They all came out SO excellent 👏 🙌 #teacher #highschool #preschool
♬ strawberry milk - demon gummies

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I knew Andrew did this but I didn't know about the article! pretty cool. This whole project really interests me because it's all about making art more accessible, which is something I really care about, whether it's printmaking or ceramics! Pottery can also be seen as inaccessible because, at least when it comes to ceramics, it requires access to a kiln.

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Andrew Testa bends down and grabs two handles on a device that resembles a wheelbarrow and drags it around his house to his backyard in Corner Brook.

The contraption has a large bike wheel on one side and a turning crank on the other. In the middle is a small printing press.

Testa, an assistant professor of printmaking at Memorial University's Grenfell campus, is spending his summer dragging his portable printing press to rural areas like hiking trails and beaches all over Newfoundland's west coast.

The project, Printshop in Tow, is taking art-making out of the studio and into the outdoors.

"It's about getting people really excited about making and whatever comes out of that making and showing that anyone can make," said Andrew Testa.

The project has attracted about 100 participants, ranging in age from seven to 70.

Laine Skinner, Testa's research assistant, brought the printing press on wheels to Gros Morne National Park. They were walking the printing press down the street when a bus filled with tourists drove by.

"A lot of people were eyeing what we were doing and skirting around it and were not really sure what to make of it," they said.

The art-making device certainly stands out, Testa said, but it is surprisingly easy to use.

Testa mostly works with mono prints; the artist draws a picture on using water-soluble crayons, then Testa places a damp sheet of cotton rag paper over the picture and turns the crank wheel to press the inked surface on the damp paper, squishing them together to create a print.

"Printmaking is really intimidating," said Testa, since presses are generally large, and in studio spaces. "So usually there is a fear that people have when making a print for the first time, whereas one of the things I wanted to show with this press is how fun and easy it is to do."

While the summer workshop series may be almost over, Testa says he isn't done with his travelling printing press.

He plans to take it to outdoor areas with other artists this fall where they can talk and create art.

In the fall of 2024, many of the pieces created with the printing press will go on display at the Tina Dolter Gallery at the Rotary Arts Centre in Corner Brook.

"It is just something that's really exciting ... to continue to push the boundaries of what that is and how that works and being able to take a press on a hiking trail or to take it anywhere that I want to go," said Testa.
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Art on the go: A Corner Brook professor tows a printing press around western Newfoundland | CBC News

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Art professor Andrew Testa has designed a printing press on wheels that he takes to rural areas on Newfoundland's west coast, showing people that printmaking can be accessible and attainable.

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I'm planning on doing an all ages ceramics workshop. I have spoken to David about eventually using the big kiln for the workshop and he okayed it! when it comes to decorating the ceramics, my plan is to show the participants a selection of the different glazes we have at the Sculpture Studio and have them pick a color out of those options, and then glaze them myself. As great as it would be to do pottery painting as well, the materials would be very expensive and it would require a second session of the workshop, which I have no real interest in doing.

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I really love ceramics and working with clay, but I feel like a lot of people-- even people in my program-- are intimidated by it because of all the things that can go wrong and how long it takes. I want to introduce ceramics to my community with this workshop and help even the most apprehensive of participants learn about this beautiful medium!

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This article includes some works from Thomas Grunfeld's 'Misfits' series, which employs contemporary taxidermy techniques to explore the historical phenomenon of describing previously unknown animals using the features of familiar ones-- "For example, the camelopard, now known as the giraffe, was described having the height and neck of a camel, the head of a stag although somewhat smaller, the teeth and feet of an ox, and a leopard’s spots."

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Thomas Grünfeld
Misfit (Pig/Bird), 2001

Misfit (St.Bernard/Sheep), 1994

Thomas Grünfeld's anomalous creations are some of the strangest and most surreal of contemporary taxidermy. The creatures from his appropriately titled Misfit series are composed of bits and pieces of animals, all flawlessly sewn together to create entirely new species. The Misfits are reminiscent of early natural histories in which strange and unfamiliar animals were described according to the bits and pieces of well known creatures. For example, the camelopard, now known as the giraffe, was described having the height and neck of a camel, the head of a stag although somewhat smaller, the teeth and feet of an ox, and a leopard's spots. The armadillo was a pig with a turtle's shell, and the sloth, part bear, part ape. The platypus displayed complete anatomical confusion, seeming to "possess a three fold nature, that of a fish, a bird, and a quadraped" as Thomas Bewick wrote in 1824. On inspecting the skin of a platypus for the first time in 1802, George Shaw, director of the British Museum, observed that it appeared to have "the beak of a Duck engrafted on the head of a quadruped." Such a hybrid animal seemed too strange to be true, and Shaw claimed that "it is impossible not to entertain some doubts as to the genuine nature of the animal, and to surmise that there might have been some arts of deception in its structure." In fact the specimen Shaw examined still bears the marks from his efforts to prise the beak off. As Shaw highlights, it is only a small step from describing animals as if they were composite to actually making a new species.

Dit bericht werd geplaatst in Visual Arts, Zoology op door .

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Thomas Grünfeld Misfit (Pig/Bird), 2001 Misfit (St.Bernard/Sheep), 1994 Thomas Grünfeld's anomalous creations are some of the strangest and most surreal of contemporary taxidermy. The creatures from his appropriately titled Misfit series are composed of bits and pieces of animals, all flawlessly sewn together to create entirely new species.

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This is a collection of works by Eva Funderburgh, who, among other things, makes woodfired ceramic beasts as part of her practice. I really like these designs because despite not resembling any particular animal the creatures are very cohesive and cool to look at. Something I would like to try and emulate in the workshop is how they have a lot of personality, even without painted details or facial features other than a mouth.

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Valency Genis creates whimsical animal mashup sculptures, inspired by an impactful childhood encounter with a taxidermy shop at age twelve. "She takes an almost Dr. Frankenstein-like glee in crafting her unique animals, drawing on influences ranging from Dr. Seuss to Natural History Museum dioramas." I am really inspired by the sheer creativity at play here.

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Immersed in undeniable whimsicality, the hybrid creations of Valency Genis have an obvious way of making you smile. Each quirky character, seemingly more than just a sculpture, ignites curiosity for every animal lover and art collector alike. Join Distinction Gallery as they proudly present Valency Genis' solo exhibition, "Mental Menagerie", and watch as these unique works of art fill your heart with joy.

The opening reception with Valency includes live music, ArtHatch open studios, Laganitas beer, and BK Cellars wine. Distinction Gallery was created in 2004 to give beginning and established collectors a venue to purchase high-quality, cutting edge artwork. Distinction has hosted over 160 exhibitions since its inception featuring emerging, mid-career and veteran professional artists. Distinction's artwork is available for purchase online to clients around the world, and most of our artists are available for commissions. In order to further expand offerings to the community, Distinction converted part of their location to ArtHatch, a non profit organization.

ArtHatch is a 7,000 square foot building which houses the front gallery: exhibitions changing monthly, "The Alley", featuring over a dozen local artists, "Micro Gallery" - a mini gallery featuring 8 x 8 inch and smaller artworks, the teen studio featuring artwork by 15+ teen artists, 17 artist studios, ranging in size from 150 to 800 square feet, featuring the work of over 20 local artists, ArtHatch Escape Rooms, and coming soon - "The Last Spot" - a Wine, Kombucha, Craft Beer, Mocktail Art Lounge coming soon.

Valency Genis: "Mental Menagerie"
Opening Reception:
December 14, 2019
Exhibition Dates:
317 E Grand Ave Escondido, CA 92025
About the Artist:
Valency Genis is and amazing sculpture artist that creates hybrid creatures of fancy. She hails from the Republic of Cascadia; she entered the world as a 12-pound baby born in Portland, Oregon, and was then raised in Seattle, Washington. She was utterly obsessed with television and video games for most of her life, so it is ironic that a summer spent on Flathead Lake, Montana in an electronics-free log cabin when she was 10 years old would change her life forever. Searching for diversions to alleviate her interminable boredom, she happened upon an old taxidermy shop. A dusty pair of "unborn beavers" caught her eye in the window display, and it forever imprinted on her naive adolescent mind. The stunning array of animals presented in the rustic store drew her in with their beauty, but she was bereaved by their demise...

While studying for her BFA at the University of New Mexico, Valency discovered that she had the power to create creatures and control their aesthetics, while minimizing the tragedy associated with taxidermied animals. She takes an almost Dr. Frankenstein-like glee in crafting her unique animals, drawing on influences ranging from Dr. Seuss to Natural History Museum dioramas. Her first solo show, Heterodoxy, was at the John Sommers Gallery (UNM) in November 2011, and it garnered Ms. Genis summa cum laude honors from The UNM Department of Art and Art History (which she proudly added to her summa cum laude baccalaureate honors). She describes her current living situation as "life in a farmhouse" as she raises her 2 teenage sons alongside her husband of 20+ years, Shane, who is a CV-22 Osprey flight engineer in the U.S. Air Force.

About Author

Internationally exhibited artist and creator of Wooden Ophelia, Bella Harris is not only the Online Editor at Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, she also oversees all staff writers and helps support website functionality and development. As a contributing writer for the website, active copy editor, and editorial photographer, she plays a vital role in the growth of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine while working closely with advertisers and artists. Wooden Ophelia is a contemporary collection of original moon designs, handmade woodwork, artwork furnishings, and sacred crystals... all to enchant your home.

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Valency Genis: "Mental Menagerie" @ Distinction Gallery

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Join Distion Gallery this weekend in celebrartion of Valency Genis' solo exhibition "Mental Menagerie"! Her hybrid creatures are sure to make you smile...

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I found this video really useful because it takes you through the step-by-step process, from separating the clay into sections, to attaching it, to shaping it the way you like, and all the way to hollowing it out. I think I will write up a guide that follows a similar format to this video, to be passed out at the workshop.

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It may seem silly but I didn't realize the obvious connection to taxidermy until I sat down and did this research. Probably not something I'll include in the workshop, but maybe something for my practice in the future? I also really liked the bit from the Grundfeld article, about how previously unknown animals would be described rather inaccurately by using features from other animals. It was such a common phenomenon and I find it really interesting!

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Found this video helpful because its showing how to make what is basically a hollow ball. I think I like this technique a bit more than the other video, but maybe I'll make guides for both methods.

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I found this video a bit less helpful than part one-- mainly because there isn't a part 3, lol. However, I found it really interesting that he made the head a pinch pot, too-- that makes so much sense! the great thing about the pinch pot method is that it uses the clay more economically than scraping it out of the finished piece, like in the other video.

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I feel like 'cat + animal' is probably going to be a heavy hitter at the workshop so I wanted to look at a basic cat tutuorial.

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SUPER EASY CLAY ANIMAL - How to make a cat out of clay

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I found this video INCREDIBLY helpful because this girl is doing exactly what I'm going to be doing in my workshop, and executing it well. She had some great tips: having your references in front of you so you get proportions correct, how clay has memory and remembers cracks/how to patch them, and the importance of getting a 360 view of your creature. Will be implementing these things into my workshop!!!

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How to Build Animals with Clay: A Panderfly